{{Short description|American murderer (1965–2010)}} {{Use American English|date=December 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox criminal | name = Martin Grossman | image_name = Martin Grossman (mug shot).jpg | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = Mug shot of Grossman | birth_date = {{birth date|1965|1|19}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age|2010|2|16|1965|1|19}} | death_place = Florida State Prison, Florida, U.S. | motive = To avoid arrest | conviction_penalty = Death | conviction_status = Executed by lethal injection | occupation = | parents = | conviction = First degree murder }} '''Martin Edward Grossman''' (January 19, 1965 – February 16, 2010) was convicted of first degree murder for his part in the December 13, 1984, killing of wildlife officer Peggy Park. He was executed by lethal injection. In the days before his execution, there were a large number of appeals for clemency, ranging from petitions to pleas, as well as a request to halt the execution from Pope Benedict XVI.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cathnewsusa.com/article.aspx?aeid=19457|title=Florida ignores papal appeal for mercy|date=17 February 2010|publisher=CathNewsUSA|accessdate=18 February 2010|archive-date=2 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202043652/http://www.cathnewsusa.com/article.aspx?aeid=19457|url-status=dead}}</ref> Grossman, a Jewish American, received strong support from national and international Jewish organizations for his death sentence to be commuted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/26855/death-row-inmate-requests-tefillin|title=Death row inmate requests tefillin|last=Berger|first=Paul|date=4 February 2010|work=The Jewish Chronicle|accessdate=18 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3845600,00.html|title=Florida rabbis seek to prevent Jew's execution|last=Benhorin|first=Yitzhak|date=7 February 2010|work=ynet.co.il|accessdate=18 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=168835|title=US Jews rush to stay execution |last=Solomont|first=E. B.|date=16 February 2010|work=The Jerusalem Post|accessdate=18 February 2010}}</ref>
==Early life== Martin Edward Grossman was born on January 19, 1965. An only child, he grew up having to care for his mentally and physically ill father and uncle, a full-time responsibility which led to his dropping out of the ninth grade. His father died when he was 15 years old, followed shortly by his uncle, grandfather and other relatives. Grossman experienced severe depression and used alcohol and a variety of narcotics such as marijuana and PCP. He also took prescription drugs, including Valium and barbiturates, readily available in his mother's medicine cabinet. He was also well known as a very skilled driver.<ref name="Fisher Report">[http://www.chabadbeaches.com/media/pdf/386/EQyf3868418.pdf Full transcripts of Dr. Brad Fisher's report and evaluation of Grossman, including his psychological history]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
==Murder== On December 13, 1984, Margaret "Peggy" Park, a 26-year-old wildlife officer, came across Grossman (then aged 19) and Thayne Taylor (aged 17) shooting a stolen handgun in a wooded area of Pinellas County, Florida. Grossman, who was on probation for grand theft and other charges after burglarizing a former girlfriend's house, asked her not to turn him in for possessing a weapon and being outside Pasco County. Both were violations of his probation.<ref name="Orlando">{{cite web|url=http://www.clickorlando.com/news/22222211/detail.html|title=Execution Set In Death Of Fla. Wildlife Officer|date=12 January 2010|work=clickorlando.com|accessdate=17 February 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110626112606/http://www.clickorlando.com/news/22222211/detail.html|archivedate=26 June 2011}}</ref>
As Park picked up her radio to call the sheriff's office, Grossman beat her on the head and shoulders with her flashlight. She was also beaten by Taylor. Park then managed to draw her gun and fire a warning shot. Grossman, a foot taller and 100 pounds heavier than Park, wrestled the gun away from her and shot her once in the back of the head. His arrest shocked family and friends who could not imagine he could be capable of such a crime.<ref name="Orlando"/>
Grossman was convicted of first-degree murder, the jury unanimously recommending the death penalty. Taylor was convicted of third-degree murder. He was released in community supervision after serving two years and 10 months of a seven-year prison term.<ref name="Orlando"/>
==Arguments for clemency== Supporters of Grossman alleged that his trial was improperly handled and that there was mitigating evidence to justify being granted clemency by Governor Charlie Crist, such as the influence of narcotics, and incompetence on the part of the legal teams. However, all appeals were denied, with the United States Supreme Court allowing the execution and upholding the opinion of the Florida Supreme Court that the trial was handled properly and that all evidence was allowed to be presented.<ref name="Florida Court Ruling">[http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/General+News/47546/Supreme+Court+Refuses+to+Halt+Execution+of+Jewish+Inmate.html News article on Florida Supreme Court denying Grossman's appeal]</ref>
The defense originally hired psychologist Sidney Merin, PhD, to evaluate Grossman. However, the defense did not call Merin to the stand because his evaluation of Grossman was not favorable to Grossman's case.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/decisions/2010/SC10-118.pdf|title = Opinions}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leagle.com/decision/20051592359FSupp2d1233_11454.xml/GROSSMAN%20v.%20CROSBY |title=GROSSMAN v. CROSBY | 359 F.Supp.2d 1233 (2005) | 2d123311454 |publisher=Leagle.com |date=2005-01-31 |accessdate=2022-08-12}}</ref>
After Grossman's conviction, the defense hired a second expert, North Carolina psychologist Rollin Bradshaw "Brad" Fisher Jr, PhD, to prepare a psychological report as part of Grossman's appeal of his conviction. Fisher wrote in his psychological report that testing on Grossman "did not reveal any signs of a current psychotic condition or of any major affective disorder."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/fl-supreme-court/1507068.html|title=FindLaw's Supreme Court of Florida case and opinions}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.law.fsu.edu/library/flsupct/sc04-651/04-651ans.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2014-03-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060908162325/http://www.law.fsu.edu/library/flsupct/sc04-651/04-651ans.pdf |archivedate=2006-09-08 }}</ref>
As part of its post-conviction appeal, the defense claimed that a childhood evaluation of Grossman said he scored 77 on an IQ test: a score which borders on mental retardation.<ref name="Fisher Report" /><ref name="Appeals Transcripts">[http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/pub_info/summaries/briefs/10/10-118/Filed_02-04-2010_Amicus_Werner.pdf Transcripts from Grossman's appeal] to the Florida Supreme Court</ref> Grossman's lawyers also believed that the case was not properly demonstrated and that there was a lack of sufficient evidence. They also argued that Grossman was convicted of premeditated murder despite Grossman maintaining he had no intention of killing Park.<ref name="St. Pete Times">{{cite news|title=Groups call on Crist to halt execution of man who killed wildlife officer in Pinellas|author=Curtis Krueger|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|date=12 February 2010|url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/groups-call-on-crist-to-halt-execution-of-man-who-killed-wildlife-officer/1072808|accessdate=17 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215142640/http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/groups-call-on-crist-to-halt-execution-of-man-who-killed-wildlife-officer/1072808|archive-date=15 February 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> On the day of the execution, a final appeal was made to the United States Supreme Court for a hearing; it was ruled that the execution may proceed.<ref name="Bay News 9">[http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2010/2/16/583446.html?title=Supreme%20Court%20refuses%20to%20block%20St.%20Pete%20man%27s%20execution&cid=rss Report on Grossman's execution]{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} from Associated Press via Bay News 9's website.{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
===Third-party appeals=== Emails, faxes and letters were sent to the Governor of Florida Charlie Crist and to other prominent officials involved in the case. On the day of the execution nearly 50,000 calls, emails and letters were received by the office of the Governor urging him to grant clemency to Grossman. Additionally, over 35,000 signatures were gathered on a petition on Care2, a website, as a means to grant clemency to Grossman. Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor and activist, Pope Benedict XVI, Chief Rabbis of Israel, and over 200 prominent organizations sent letters to the Governor to plead against Grossman's execution.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8519709.stm |title=Florida executes killer Martin Grossman |date=February 17, 2010 |work=BBC News |access-date=July 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717043134/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8519709.stm |archive-date=July 17, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> Crist declined to overturn the decision to execute Grossman.
==Execution== Grossman was executed by lethal injection at 6:00 p.m. EST on February 16, 2010. After being visited in the morning by an aunt and two female friends, he spent his final afternoon praying with his spiritual advisor, Rabbi Menachem Katz.<ref name="WTSP">[http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=125434&catid=8 Story] from WTSP in Florida</ref>
Grossman did not request a last meal, but ordered a chicken sandwich, a can of fruit punch, and banana cream and peanut butter cookies from the prison canteen before his execution.<ref>{{cite news|date=February 17, 2010|title=Jewish death row inmate executed|work=The Jewish Chronicle|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/world/jewish-death-row-inmate-executed-1.14035|access-date=March 16, 2022}}</ref>
In his final statement, Grossman said "I would like to extend my heartfelt remorse to the victim's family. I fully regret everything that occurred that night, for everything that was done, whether I remember it or not."<ref name="WTSP" /> He worked with Rabbi Dr Arthur Segal via mail with the process of Mussar Jewish Spiritual Renewal transformation. He recited the Jewish Shema prayer.<ref>{{cite web|author=Slideshow |url=http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/photogallery/last_words.html?curPhoto=18 |title=Last Words Photo Gallery - - Crime Library |publisher=Trutv.com |date=2010-05-13 |accessdate=2012-08-24}}</ref> He was pronounced dead at 6:19 p.m. Park's mother, sister, and brother traveled from out of state to witness the execution.<ref name="Bay News 9" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h9phXQSniGZ83AWPQhGhgbCTaZ4QD9DTIIG02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220095818/http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h9phXQSniGZ83AWPQhGhgbCTaZ4QD9DTIIG02 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 20, 2010 |title=Fla. executes 45-year-old inmate for 1984 slaying|author=Sarah Larimer |date=16 February 2010|agency=Associated Press|accessdate=16 February 2010}}</ref> Grossman was the 69th inmate executed in Florida since the United States Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fdc.myflorida.com/institutions/death-row/execution-list-1976-present |title=Execution List: 1976 - present |publisher=Florida Department of Corrections |accessdate=22 May 2026 }}</ref>
==See also== * List of people executed in Florida * List of people executed in the United States in 2010
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== * [http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?s=grossman Theyeshivaworld.com] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100218154546/http://www.chabadbeaches.com/templates/page_cdo/aid/1125119 Chabadbeaches.com]
{{s-start}} ! colspan="3" | Executions carried out in Florida {{s-bef|before=John Marek|before2=<div style="font-weight: normal">August 19, 2009</div>}} {{s-ttl|title=Martin Grossman|years=February 16, 2010}} {{s-aft|after=Manuel Valle|after2=<div style="font-weight: normal">September 28, 2011</div>}} |- ! colspan="3" | Executions carried out in the United States {{s-bef|before=Mark Aaron Brown – Ohio|before2=<div style="font-weight: normal">February 4, 2010</div>}} {{s-ttl|title=Martin Grossman – Florida|years=February 16, 2010}} {{s-aft|after=Michael Adam Sigala – Texas|after2=<div style="font-weight: normal">March 2, 2010</div>}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grossman, Martin}} Category:1965 births Category:2010 deaths Category:20th-century American Jews Category:21st-century American Jews Category:21st-century executions by Florida Category:21st-century executions of American people Category:American people convicted of burglary Category:American people executed for murdering police officers Category:People convicted of murder by Florida Category:People executed by Florida by lethal injection Category:Place of birth missing Category:People from Pasco County, Florida