Appeals Court Upholds Conviction Of Molino Robber That Wore Underwear On His Head

The Florida First District Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of a Molino man that robbed a local pharmacy in 2010 while wearing underwear on his head.

Joseph Daniel Flowers, now 60, was sentenced in November 2012 by Judge Gary Bergosh to a mandatory minimum 25 years in state prison. Flowers was convicted in October 2012 by an Escambia County Jury of robbery with a firearm, three counts of trafficking in illegal drugs, and three counts of possession of controlled substances for the September 20, 2010, holdup of Scott’s Pharmacy on Highway 29.

Flowers’ attorneys sought to have the conviction tossed because the Escambia County Court only issued an oral finding that he was competent to stand trial but no written order was every issued.

The District Court of Appeals found that the trial court should have issued a written competency order and ordered the lower court to do so; however, the conviction and sentence were upheld. Further, the appeals court found that the court was not required to conduct a second competency proceeding, and nothing was presented to the trial court which could raise any doubt as to his competency at the time of his trial or sentencing.

Flowers robbed the pharmacy at gunpoint while wearing a blue bathrobe, slippers, yellow kitchen gloves and boxer shorts on his head.

During the course of the robbery, Flowers took more than 80 prescription bottles containing thousands of dollars worth of narcotics. After he exited the pharmacy, he ran behind the building where he was picked up by co-defendant Krystal Lynn Collins.

Witnesses inside the store were able to identify Flowers based on the fact that he was a frequent customer of the pharmacy.

Collins, the getaway car driver in the robbery, was previously found guilty in July 2011 of armed robbery with a firearm and a half dozen felony drug charges. She was sentenced to 25 years in prison. She unsuccessfully appealed her conviction in 2013.

Pictured top: Joseph Daniel Flowers is detained by an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office shortly after the robbery of Scott’s Pharmacy in Molino. Pictured below: Scott’s Pharmacy in Molino was robbed September 20, 2010. NorthEscambia.com exclusive file photos, click to enlarge.