28 May 2010 :

The Florida Supreme Court overturned the murder conviction and death penalty sentence of Blaine Ross today, saying investigators violated his rights during interrogations. The decision orders a new trial for Ross, 27, white, who was convicted of using a baseball bat on Jan. 7, 2004 to crush the head of his parents, Richard and Kathleen Ross. Ross vehemently denied killing his parents during more than four hours of questioning with sheriff's detectives. He finally broke down, saying he did not know why he killed his mother and father. The state's top court ruled that detectives deliberately delayed reading Ross his Miranda rights — including the right to remain silent — until the middle of the admission. Detectives finally gave Ross the warnings, but downplayed the significance of them and continued with the prior interrogation, which undermined the effectiveness of the Miranda rights. He was convicted in 2007 (see May 2, 2007). The ruling means a new trial will be scheduled in Manatee County. Prosecutors will not be able to use his confession at the new trial.