Florida Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence in Tampa Killing

The Florida Supreme Court recently overturned the double death sentences imposed on a Tampa man in the murders of his wife and stepdaughter. The court unanimously vacated the two murder convictions of Khalid Ali Pasha and returned the case to Hillsborough County for retrial.

In their opinion, the justices indicated that the trial judge in Hillsborough County should have allowed Pasha fire his court-appointed attorney and represent himself. Jurors convicted Pasha of the August 23, 2002, stabbing deaths of his wife Robin Canady and her daughter Ranesha Singleton.

“Pasha clearly expressed a desire to proceed pro se (represent himself) in order to avoid the proceedings with counsel he found to be unacceptable,” the court wrote in its eight-page ruling. “This error of the trial court requires reversal.”

Pasha attempted to fire his court-appointed lawyer, Nick Sinardi, a week before his October 2007 trial. He argued that they disagreed over trial strategy. The trial judge denied the request, stating that Pasha was getting adequate representation.

Pasha then indicated he would rather represent himself. During a hearing on that request, the morning trial was to begin, Pasha said he would prefer to have a lawyer but that he didn’t have that choice because the judge wouldn’t replace Sinardi. Pasha’s request to represent himself was ultimately denied.

The Supreme Court said the defendant’s comments showed he did not prefer to be self-represented, that he wanted representation but that he understood trial attorney Nick Sinardi was the only appointed counsel to which he was entitled. The verdict and sentence was overturned and the case remanded for a new trial.

At the trial, witnesses testified they were parked behind the Woodland Corporate Center near Waters and Manhattan avenues when they saw a man carrying a shiny object and wearing a white jumpsuit covered in blood. They saw the man drive away in a white van, which they followed.

Deputies stopped Pasha in his van at a red light and found a blood-soaked jumpsuit and a bloody knife. The bodies of Canady and Singleton were found in woods near the corporate center.