Michael T. Rivera v. State of Florida

Summary

The Florida Supreme Court reviewed the denial of Michael T. Rivera’s successive motion for post-conviction relief from his first-degree murder conviction and death sentence. Rivera alleged that newly discovered DNA evidence and undisclosed or misleading evidence concerning jailhouse informant Frank Zuccarello supported relief under Giglio and Brady. The Court addressed due diligence and procedural-bar issues concerning the evidence presented in the successive motion.