STEPHEN T BOOKER Death Row Case Summary

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DC Number:  044049 Name:  BOOKER, STEPHEN T Race:  BLACK Sex:  MALE Hair Color:  BLACK Eye Color:  BROWN Height:  5'08'' Weight:  180 lbs. Birth Date:  09/01/1953 Initial Receipt Date:  10/02/1978 Current Facility:  UNION C.I. Current Custody:  MAXIMUM Current Release Date:  DEATH SENTENCE

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Aliases:
STEPHEN T BOOKER	STEVE BOOKER
STEVEN TODD BOOKER

Current Prison Sentence History:
Offense Date	Offense	Sentence Date	County	Case No.	Prison Sentence Length
11/09/1977	1ST DG MUR/PREMED. OR ATT.	10/20/1978	ALACHUA	7702332	DEATH SENTENCE
11/09/1977	SEXUAL BATTERY UNSPECIFIED	10/20/1978	ALACHUA	7702332	55Y 0M 0D
11/09/1977	BURGLARY ASSAULT ANY PERSON	10/20/1978	ALACHUA	7702332	30Y 0M 0D
10/15/1980	AGG BATTERY INTENDED HARM	06/08/1981	BRADFORD	8000368	15Y 0M 0D

Note: The offense descriptions are truncated and do not necessarily reflect the crime of conviction. Please refer to the court documents or the Florida Statutes for further information or definition.

Incarceration History:
Date In-Custody	Date Out-of-Custody
10/02/1978	Currently Incarcerated

Prior Community Supervision History: (Note: Data reflected covers periods of community supervision with the Florida Dept.of Corrections since January of 1983)
Offense Date	Offense	Sentence Date	County	Case No.	Community Supervision Length
03/19/1974	ROBBERY-STREET-OTHER WEAPON	09/01/1977	LEE		1Y 9M 0D

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Circumstances of Offense:

Stephen Todd Booker was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of 94-year-old Lorine Demoss Harmon on 11/09/77.

The elderly victim was found in her Gainesville apartment with two large knives embedded in her body. Medical examiners reported the cause of death as being a loss of blood due to numerous stab wounds in upper body region. Medical examiners also discovered blood and semen in the victim’s vaginal tract, concluding that sexual intercourse had taken place prior to the murder. Harmon’s apartment appeared to be thoroughly searched, dresser drawers were pulled out and their contents scattered about.

Investigators recovered fingerprints, footprints and hair at the crime scene that linked Booker to the murder. After his arrest, Booker began speaking as an alternate personality named “Aniel.” Upon questioning, Aniel implicated Stephen (Booker) in the crimes.

Additional Information:

Booker was convicted of robbery in 1974 and was on “Mandatory Conditional Release” when he murdered Harmon. Following his murder conviction, Booker was charged and convicted of aggravated battery for burning a correctional officer at Florida State Prison in 1981. On 06/08/81, he was sentenced to 15 years for that offense.

Booker’s sanity was in question from the time he was arrested through the trial proceedings. The court appointed numerous psychiatrists to examine Booker, and he was found to be sane when he committed the murder and competent to stand trial. Booker was not diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder), and experts believe that the “Aniel” alternate personality Booker displayed after arrest was fabricated, self-serving behavior.