Bass v. State of Florida
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
Date FiledOctober 2, 2026
Docket2D2025-0626
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA
SECOND DISTRICT
JERMAINE LAVANDA BASS, JR.,
Appellant,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA,
Appellee.
No. 2D2025-0626
October 2, 2026
Appeal from the Circuit Court for Hillsborough County; Samantha Ward,
Judge.
Blair Allen, Public Defender, and Maura J. Kiefer, Assistant Public
Defender, Bartow, for Appellant.
James Uthmeier, Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Sonia C. Lawson,
Assistant Attorney General, Tampa, for Appellee.
LaROSE, Judge.
Jermaine Lavanda Bass, Jr., appeals his judgment and sentences
for first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and two counts of
felony aggravated child abuse. We have jurisdiction. See Fla. R. App. P.
9.030(b)(1)(A).
Mr. Bass presents three issues: (1) the trial court erroneously
denied his suppression motion; (2) the prosecutor's improper comments
deprived him of a fair trial; and (3) his conviction by a six-person jury
violated his constitutional rights.
The first and second issues lack merit. The third issue also lacks
merit under current precedent. See Williams v. Florida, 399 U.S. 78, 86
(1970); see also Serrano-Delgado v. State, 392 So. 3d 251, 253-54 (Fla.
2d DCA 2024). But see Kian v. Florida, 421 So. 3d 439 (Fla. 4th DCA
2025) (table decision); Petition for Writ of Certiorari at ii, Kian v. Florida,
No. 25-6623 (U.S. Jan. 9, 2026) (presenting the Court with the question
of whether petitioner "was derived [sic] of his right, under the Sixth and
Fourteenth Amendments, to a trial by a 12-person jury when the
defendant is charged with a serious felony"), cert. granted, 2026 WL
1718018 (U.S. June 15, 2026) (No. 25-6623).
Affirmed.
NORTHCUTT and SLEET, JJ., Concur.
Opinion subject to revision prior to official publication.
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