28 June 2025 :

June 24, 2025 - Florida. Judge throws out jury death sentence for Ysrael Granda

Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Andrea Wolfson does not accept the recommendation of the people's jury, and sentences Ysrael Granda to life imprisonment.

On 27/06/2024 (see HoC on that date), a Miami-Dade County jury had voted 8-4 for Granda (now 36, Hispanic) to be sentenced to death for ordering from prison the 2012 killing of Jose Soto, 42, the new boyfriend of his girlfriend Lisiana Quintero. Quintero, in separate proceedings, pleaded guilty to luring Soto to the motel where he was later killed, and was sentenced to 13 years. The one who materially killed Soto was Jonathan Rico, who was sentenced to life imprisonment, also after agreeing to testify against Ysrael Granda. Granda's younger brother Wilber, who testified that he relayed his brother's orders from prison, was sentenced to 10 months’ probation.

In reading her sentence, Judge Wolfson recalled the lesser sentences imposed on accomplices, which would have made Granda's possible death sentence disproportionate. She also noted that the defendant has a documented history of mental illness, and severe trauma suffered as a teenager, which would constitute a mitigating factor.

To be precise, Judge Wolfson sentenced Granda to: three life sentences for murder in the first degree, incitement to murder in the first degree, and theft by assault. He also received a 30-year sentence for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and incitement to murder in the first degree.

On Granda’s case see also Hand off Cain 27/06/2024

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article309238450.html