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Features
2 Tampa Attorneys Among 12 Disciplined By Florida Bar
Serial Killings Dominated News For 51 Days
The Florida Bar, the state’s guardian for the in- tegrity of the legal profession, announces that the Florida Supreme Court in recent court orders disciplined 12 at- torneys – disbarring three, re- voking the licenses of two, suspending six and publicly reprimanding one. Three at- torneys received more than one form of discipline. One was placed on probation and two were ordered to pay resti- tution to clients.
As an official arm of the Florida Supreme Court, The Florida Bar and its Depart- ment of Lawyer Regulation are charged with administer- ing a statewide disciplinary system to enforce Supreme Court rules of professional conduct for the 106,000-plus members of The Florida Bar. Information on the discipline system and how to file a com- plaint are available at www.floridabar.org/attorney- discipline.
Patricia Anne Horal,
20016 Nob Oak Ave., Tampa, suspended for 90 days, effective Nov. 29, fol- lowing a Nov. 9 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2007)
While working as an inde- pendent contractor for an- other attorney, Horal met a non-lawyer who was an inves- tigator and paralegal for the same attorney, and the two entered into an improper business partnership. Horal then permitted a situation to exist in which the non-lawyer improperly solicited clients and engaged in professional activities that constituted the unlicensed practice of law. (Case No. SC17-399)
George John Francis Werner, 1016 E. 15th Ave., Tampa, suspended for one year, with proof of rehabilita- tion required prior to rein- statement, effective 30 days from a Nov. 16 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1984) In a two-count complaint, Werner neglected a matter by failing to provide services he agreed to provide quid pro quo, and failing to properly and timely communicate about the representation. He also helped a non-lawyer commit unlicensed practice of law in several personal injury cases and made misrepresen- tations to others. (Case No. SC16-1731)
HOWELL DONALDSON, III
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
For fifty-one days, the news of a serial killer preying on the population of Seminole Heights dominated the news. The entire city breathed a sigh of relief after 24-year-old Howell Emanuel Donald- son, III, was arrested and no other murders related to the serial killings took place.
There had been several murders of young, Black men throughout the year, both in Tampa and in Hillsborough County. So, when the news that 22-year-old Benjamin Mitchell was shot and killed didn’t raise too many eye- brows.
Mitchell was walking near N. 15th Street and E. Frierson, when he was shot. He died at a local hospital.
Four days later, a city em- ployee discovered the body of Ms. Monica Hoffa, 32, of Tampa. Her body was discov- ered on the morning of Octo- ber 13th, in a vacant lot in the 1000 block of East New Or- leans Avenue. She had last been seen walking through the neighborhood on October 11th, en route to meet a friend.
It was after her murder that Mayor Bob Buckhorn and Police Chief Brian Dug- gan notified the city of a pos- sible serial killer in the area. They felt residents, especially in the Seminole Heights area, should be alerted.
The next murder came about on October 19th, shortly before 8 p.m. Anthony Nai- boa, 20, a young adult with Autism, had gotten off the bus at the wrong stop. He was walking north on 15th Street in the area of Wilder Avenue when he was killed.
Although officers were in the area and heard the gun- shot, the suspect slipped through their grasp.
With the help of several law enforcement agencies, po-
BENJAMIN MITCHELL ... Died October 9th
ANTHONY NAIBOA ... Died October 19th
lice blanketed the Seminole Heights area. A reward was offered and continued to in- crease along with tension and fear.
The suspect waited for nearly a month before he took the life of 60-year-old Ronald Felton. Felton was near the intersection of N. Ne- braska Avenue and E. Cara- cas. Felton was approached from behind. His death is unique in that the killer struck at 4:50 a.m., instead of at night as he had in the previ- ous cases.
By the time Felton was killed, the reward had reached $110,000.
Law Enforcement organi- zations contributed $50,000, from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; $10,000 from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; $20,000 from ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explo- sives); and $5,000 from Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay.
David A. Straz, Jr., of- fered $10,000 and business- man Richard Gonzmart, added $9,000 to bring the of- fering to $100,000. The com- munity has donated remainder of the reward.
The Arrest Howell Emanuel Don-
aldson, III, reportedly walked into the McDonald’s Restaurant in Ybor City. He is said to have given a bag to the
MONICA HOFFA ... Died October 11th
RONALD FELTON ... Died November 14th
manager and advised her not to look in the bag. He al- legedly left the restaurant and returned a short time later.
During his absence, the manager, later identified as Ms. Delanda Walker, told an officer inside the restau- rant about the gun. When Donaldson returned, he was taken into custody.
Ms. Walker received the $110,000 reward for the tip leading to the arrest.
Donaldson admitted to law enforcement that he pur- chased the gun linked to the murders. Records show he took possession of it on Octo- ber 7th, two days before the first murder took place.
Forensic evidence linked the gun in Donaldson’s pos- session to the murders. Police also retrieved clothing that appeared to have blood stains on them from his vehicle and his cell phone records showed that he was in the area when three of the four murders took place.
He was arrested on No- vember 28th and charged with four counts of first-degree murder.
Donaldson did not con- fess to the murders. He is cur- rently being held at the Hillsborough County Jail without bond. He declined making an appearance at his arraignment hearing, but en- tered a plea of not guilty through his legal representa- tives.
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