Civic Engagement Project
Megan Burrier
POS 4284
University of Central Florida
As someone who has avidly followed notable criminal cases and trials in Florida since a
young age, I knew the path to my civic engagement exercise would be a clear one. I immediately
assumed I would be engaging in some part of a criminal trial. Throughout my years at UCF, I
have visited the courthouse many times to view many different stages of a criminal proceeding.
However, I have never been present for the sentencing of a trial, moreover a homicide trial. At
this point, I decided I was going to view a sentencing hearing of a murder case if possible.
Beginning in mid-September I spoke extensively on the phone with court administrations
of the Orange County Court House to work to find a sentencing trial for a major case. While
many sentences were being given, none of the cases sparked my interest quite like the one being
heard on November 18. While searching through the public docket online, I found the cases of
the State of Florida v. Jennifer Smedley and the State of Florida v. Jose Antonio Torres. Seeing
