First day off death row full of ordinary errands

Rudolph Holton shopped for a Bucs jersey and threw coins in a fountain, with a wish for other inmates.

©Associated Press
January 26, 2003

TALLAHASSEE -- Rudolph Holton tossed a few pennies in a shopping mall fountain Saturday, his first full day of freedom after 16 years on death row. He made a wish as he threw.

"For guys on the row who are left, trying to get help," he said as he walked on.

Holton, 49, was released Friday after prosecutors determined they didn't have enough evidence to retry him for the 1986 murder of a Tampa teen. He was the 25th Florida death row inmate to be freed in the past 30 years.

At Governor's Square Mall on Saturday, Holton alluded to other inmates being freed from Florida's death row.

"Too many people getting off death row," he said. "That should be telling them something, that the system's got a lot of holes in it."

Holton had been convicted of raping and killing Katrina Graddy, a 17-year-old prostitute, and then setting her on fire in an abandoned drug house in Tampa.

About 10 days before she was murdered, Graddy told police another man raped her. But Holton's defense attorney was never given that report. Also, prosecutors said a hair in Graddy's mouth came from Holton; DNA testing later determined it was Graddy's. And a jailhouse witness recanted his testimony against Holton.

Last month, the state Supreme Court upheld a lower court's decision that Holton deserved a new trial.

Holton arrived at the Tallahassee mall with his two children Saturday.

"I don't even know what I'm looking for," he said as he read down the list of stores.

But he knew he wanted a Tampa Bay Bucs jersey, a hat and dress shoes. He also wanted to get an adjustment made to the watch his son gave him Friday.

As he tried on the red football jersey, his daughter gave her approval.

"Oh, Daddy, that's fine," said Sontrivette Daniels, 31, of Lakeland. "You look awesome."

Rudy Holton Jr., 28, of Inverness, gave his father advice in the selection of his shoes.

Holton got everything on his list except for the hat. He also said he would like to find an hourglass.

"I wouldn't mind having one of those," he said.

As he left the mall, he said hasn't made a lot of decisions about his future.

"One day at a time," Holton said as he walked across the parking lot. "I want to go to church and give my testimony."

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