C.1. Randy Wilkinson/Billy Townsend to share resolution for a new trial for Leo
Schofield.
Minutes: Billy Townsend said he is a former Polk County School Board member. He
said the jurors of Polk County made a terrible mistake in 1989 when Leo Schofield was
sentenced to life in prison for a crime that another man committed. He said the jurors
made this error because they were given bad information at the trial. He said a
convicted murderer confessed to killing Michelle Schofield after Schofield's conviction.
He discussed the evidence in this case. He encouraged everyone to listen to the Bone
Valley pod cast about this case. He said he and Mr. Wilkinson are not part of Leo
Schofield's defense team or acting on behalf of anyone's request. He said the Board
represents the people of Polk County and they should use their voice to help correct
this error with the new available information. He said he and Randy Wilkinson are very
different people but they do agree that Leo Schofield is an innocent man who was
wrongly convicted.
Randy Wilkinson discussed the death penalty being reinstated in Florida. He said 33
death row inmates have had their sentences overturned. He discussed Sheriff Judd's
interview on the Bone Valley pod cast. He said the investigation into this case was very
shoddy. He said the Innocent Project is involved in this case. He said he cannot say for
sure that Leo Schofield did not kill his wife but there is a lot of doubt. He discussed the
errors that were made in the Schofield trial. He said the main eyewitness was not
reliable in this case. He said there is evidence that Leo Schofield did not commit this
crime. He thanked the Board for their time and said he hopes the Board will
recommend parole for Leo Schofield.
Chair Lindsey discussed Mr. Wilkinson's initial presentation. He said he has reviewed
the court files and records in this case. He reviewed Mr. Schofield's appeal timeline and
the evidentiary hearing. He said Judge Spoto denied the appeal and said it was also
denied by the Second District Court of Appeals and they deferred to the findings in
Circuit Court. He discussed Judge Spoto's multiple rulings and said he went into great
detail about the facts, testimony and evidence in the case. He discussed Jeremy
Scott's confession to Michelle Schofield's murder and other murders in Polk County. He
said there is no doubt in his mind that there was no miscarriage of justice and the
system worked the way it was supposed to work. He said this issue is far outside the
Board's lane of responsibility and they have no standing to intervene in this matter.
Jacob Orr, Chief Assistant State Attorney, said he is here in response to the Schofield
case being on the Agenda. He said this case has been reviewed by multiple
prosecutors, judges and appellate courts. He said each review has been based on the
actual evidence and testimony in the case. He said each of these reviews has
determined that there is no reason to disturb this verdict. He invited anyone who has
concerns about this case to come to the State Attorney's office to review the actual
evidence and testimony. He thanked the Board for their time.
Commissioner Combee discussed his time as a member of the Legislature working
with people who were sentenced under 10-20-Life. He said Mr. Wilkinson said it best
when he said no one knows for sure if Leo Schofield is innocent. He said he respects
Mr. Wilkinson and Mr. Townsend and said he has listened to the pod cast. He said this
is not the place for these issues. He said Mr. Schofield does have a parole hearing