WWE Hall of Famer Tammy “Sunny” Sytch currently serving 17 years in prison following a series of charges in March 2022 This led to the death of 75-year-old Julian Lasseter, who died in a traffic accident in Ormond Beach, Florida. However, Sitch recently filed a motion to have his conviction vacated PWInsider: providing a summary of key details.
In his motion, Sitch argued that his defense counsel provided “ineffective assistance” by failing to investigate whether Lasseter’s pre-existing medical conditions played a role in his death. Because the incident involved a low-speed collision, Sitch explained that Lasseter did not suffer significant physical injuries in the collision that could have resulted in his death, and his lengthy medical history, which included serious cardiovascular and internal health problems, was not fully investigated. The motion also stated that Lasseter’s broken ribs were actually consistent with CPR administered at the scene and not the collision itself.
Saitch argued that by not fully investigating Lasseter’s past problems, and by not having a medical expert involved in his trial guide the jury on Lasseter’s medical history, he would have been acquitted of murder. This would have resulted in Sytch receiving a less severe sentence or even avoiding jail time altogether if Lasseter had been fully investigated.
Sytch’s plea also involved a potential conflict of interest when it comes to the prosecution. A review of her case revealed that Assistant Attorney General Ashley Terwilliger was married to Zachary Terwilliger, the doctor who pronounced Lasseter dead, and that their relationship had not been disclosed. The petition argues that his defense should have investigated the relationship and whether it not only should have been disclosed during his trial, but whether it actually contributed to his conviction.
The relationship between the Terwilligers and Lasseter’s pre-existing medical history was cited as omitted and new evidence in Sytch’s motion, leading to an inaccurate trial and harsh verdict that must be explored further.
Petition denied, but will Tammy Sitch continue to act?
Tammy Sitch concluded her petition by asking Florida State to follow certain steps to get a possible trial down the road. He asked that the state respond, conduct an evidentiary hearing and, if a hearing is necessary, provide his new defense attorney. If all of these are met, Sytch would like the new trial to focus on allowing a process where relevant records, such as Lasseter’s medical and toxicology reports, are properly reviewed. The overall outcome that Sitch would like is for his current conviction and sentence to be overturned or other post-conviction relief to help him through this.
Unfortunately for Sytch, the petition has already been denied by Volusia County Circuit Court Judge Christian Miller, who filed an interim injunction due to the petition’s essentially “failure.” This is because no formal facts have been presented and Sytch is advancing more theories than anything else while revealing that Sytch did not comply with the requirements of a criminal trial in filing the plea.
Sytch may appeal this decision or even file a motion to dismiss the current claims he filed in his previous motion. This is something that Miller himself warned Saitch about, because if his original conviction is thrown out and he is retried, he could face a much longer sentence than he already has. At the original trial, prosecutors had sought a 26-year sentence for Sitch, who pleaded nolo contendre, meaning he never confessed or pleaded guilty but accepted the conviction, which resulted in his sentence being reduced to his current term of 17 years and 6 months. Sytch is set to release in December 2039, though it’s unclear if that will stick if he intends to stick with the petition.
