FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A man who shot and killed a St. Lucie County sheriff's sergeant more than a decade ago was back in court Tuesday.
This was Eriese Tisdale's last chance to convince a judge to keep him off death row.
Tisdale shot and killed Sgt. Gary Morales after a traffic stop on Feb. 28, 2013.
A jury last month recommended 9-3 to resentence Tisdale to death.
Tuesday's so-called "Spencer Hearing" allowed the defense a chance to present any last mitigating factors to the court before the judge makes his final ruling. Tisdale did not speak at Tuesday's hearing.
"It seems like from the defense, from a defendant speaking in court, less is more," Chief Assistant State Attorney Steve Gosnell said.
While the defense presented letters in support of Tisdale, the state entered into the record a transcript of the testimony Tisdale's mother made at the last Spencer Hearing back in 2015.
"Just to talk about how he was raised and how she did everything she could essentially to raise him right," Gosnell said.
WPTV was in court for that hearing nearly a decade ago where Tisdale had to be escorted out after becoming upset over questions regarding his mother.
Fast forward nine years and Tisdale's relatives and Morales' family are again on opposite sides of a courtroom looking for closure.
Region St Lucie County
Jury recommends death sentence of St. Lucie County 'cop killer'
"It's very frustrating for them. It's frustrating for us," Gosnell said. "We want these cases finished, especially in a case of this magnitude."
One big factor has been the state's changing laws regarding the death penalty .
Tisdale was initially sentenced to death in 2016, but the Florida Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that he could get a new sentencing hearing because changes in the law then required a unanimous jury vote.
Last year, after Nikolas Cruz did not get the death penalty for the Parkland school shooting massacre, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law that set an 8-4 supermajority decision as the standard now for a jury to recommend the death sentence.
While an exact sentencing date for Tisdale was not set Tuesday, both sides expect the judge to make his final ruling sometime in January.
READ MORE OF WPTV'S PREVIOUS COVERAGE OF THE CASE:
Region St Lucie County
Jury recommends death sentence of St. Lucie County 'cop killer'
Region St Lucie County
Resentencing for 'cop killer' who shot sergeant could reverse death penalty
Treasure Coast
Remembering other law enforcement officers killed in line of duty
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Tisdale sentenced to death for killing deputy
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Motion denied; Tisdale jury selection proceeds
Region St Lucie County
State to seek death penalty for man who killed deputy
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