Rebecca Falcon was a fifteen year old living in Florida when she would murder a taxi cab driver in the middle of a robbery
According to court documents Rebecca Falcon and Cliffton Gilchrist decided to rob a taxi cab driver. In the middle of the robbery Falcon would fatally shoot the driver Richard Phillips
Rebecca Falcon would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to life in prison
Rebecca Falcon was eligible for resentencing due to her young age at the time of the murder. However due to the brutality of the crime she would be resentenced to life in prison
Rebecca Falcon Current Information
| DC Number: | Q03851 |
|---|---|
| Name: | FALCON, REBECCA L |
| Race: | HISPANIC |
| Sex: | FEMALE |
| Birth Date: | 12/24/1981 |
| Initial Receipt Date: | 05/20/1999 |
| Current Facility: | HOMESTEAD C.I. |
| Current Custody: | CLOSE |
| Current Release Date: | SENTENCED TO LIFE |
Rebecca Falcon Case
The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on July 21, 2020, Judge Brantley Clark, Jr. resentenced Rebecca Lee Falcon to life in prison.
Rebecca Falcon, a fifteen-year old at the time, murdered cab driver Richard Phillips by shooting him in the back of the head on November 19, 1997. A Bay County jury found Falcon guilty of First Degree Murder and she was sentenced to life in prison on May 11, 1999.
In 2012, the Florida Supreme Court remanded the case back to Bay County for an “individualized sentencing hearing” in conformity with United States Supreme Court’s decisions holding that juveniles who are sentenced to life in prison are entitled to present evidence regarding their immaturity and other factors relevant to adolescent behavior. Judge Clark conducted a new sentencing hearing on March 2-3, 2020, where both the state and the defense presented evidence directed towards Florida’s new juvenile sentencing factors.
Falcon could have received a sentence of “time served”, life in prison, or a term of years short of life. Judge Brantley Clark filed a twenty page written order detailing the factors that justified a life sentence for Rebecca Falcon for the pre-meditated murder of Richard Phillips. “I am relieved for the surviving family of Mr. Phillips. Having to relive this experience has been extremely hard on them.” said prosecutor, Bob Sombathy.
Under Florida law, Rebecca Falcon will be entitled to a sentence review fifteen years from the date of her sentence.
Falcon Resenteced to Life in Prison – Larry Basford | State Attorney
Rebecca Falcon News
Judge Brantley Clark Jr. upheld the sentence of life in prison for Rebecca Falcon.
Falcon was 15 when she murdered cab driver Richard Phillips by shooting him in the back of the head on November 19, 1997.
Falcon and a friend got into Phillips cab and told him to drive down a dark street in Callaway. Falcon pulled out a gun and shot Phillips in the head, ultimately killing him.
In May of 1999, a Bay County jury found Falcon guilty and she was originally sentenced to life in prison.
In 2012, the Supreme Court ruled mandatory life without parole sentences for juveniles violated the Eighth Amendment. This ruling requires judges to take into account the characteristics of a juvenile in order to issue a fair sentence.
Because of the Supreme Court ruling, the Florida Supreme Court brought the case back to Bay County for an “individualized sentencing hearing”.
Rebecca Falcon received a new sentencing hearing on March 2-3, 2020.
After the hearing, Judge Clark upheld the life in prison sentence and filed a 20 page written order justifying his sentence.
“I am relieved for the surviving family of Mr. Phillips. Having to relive this experience has been extremely hard on them.” said prosecutor, Bob Sombathy.
Rebecca Falcon will be entitled to a sentence review 15 years from her sentencing date, July 21, 2020.
