ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Supreme Court will hear the appeal of a former Florida A&M University band member who was convicted of killing a fellow band member.
Florida’s top court voted 4-1 on Friday to hear 30-year-old Dante Martin’s appeal from the 2011 death of Robert Champion. Martin was sentenced to more than six years in prison in 2014.
Court documents show Martin and his lawyers have until June 22 to file an initial brief on the merits of the case. He filed the appeal to the Florida Supreme Court in February after the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal rejected his appeal last November.
Martin was convicted of manslaughter and hazing in the death of Champion, who collapsed after being beaten by members of FAMU’s famed Marching 100.
