Judge allows evaluation

Lawrence Smith, who faces trial in last year's slaying of a teenager, may have a mental profile done before trial begins.

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© St. Petersburg Times, published July 18, 2000

DADE CITY -- A judge on Monday agreed that the county should provide a psychologist to create a confidential mental profile of a man charged with killing one teenager and critically injuring another last year.

Circuit Judge Wayne Cobb said he would allow defense attorneys for Lawrence Joey Smith, 22, to hire a professional to examine their client before the case goes to trial. Smith is one of two men accused of kidnapping and shooting to death Robert Crawford, 17, and wounding Stephen Tuttle, then 16, in September along State Road 54 in Land O'Lakes after authorities say a drug deal went bad. No trial date is set for Smith, who is charged with murder and attempted murder. He remained in the Pasco County Jail in Land O'Lakes without bail Monday. He did not appear at the brief hearing.

A second man, Faunce Levon Pearce, 38, faces the same charges. Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty for both men.

Smith's attorney, Scott Robbins, said he does not plan to challenge Smith's competency to stand trial, but wants to have the evaluation prepared as a defense for the sentencing phase. That's when the state could argue for the death penalty if his client were convicted.

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