Courtney Schulhoff

Courtney Schulhoff
Born	December 27, 1987 Washington, D.C.
Charge(s)	First-degree murder
Conviction(s)	First-degree murder
Penalty	Life without parole
Status	Incarcerated at the Lowell Correctional Institution in Ocala, Florida
Occupation	Inmate

Courtney Christine Schulhoff (born December 27, 1987^[1] in Washington, D.C.) is an American female prisoner who bludgeoned her father to death in their Altamonte Springs, Florida apartment when she was 16 years old^[2] She was convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in September 2006.^[3] In 2009, Courtney was interviewed at the Lowell Correctional Institution in Ocala, Florida by RTL, a German news show, about the punishment of life without parole for juvenile offenders.^[4]

Background

Courtney Schulhoff lived in Altamonte Springs, Florida with her father after her parents divorced.^[5] She attended Lyman High School, but had dropped out and was pursuing her GED.^[6] It was there where 15 year-old Courtney met her 20 year-old boyfriend Michael Morin.^[6] Michael was on probation for car theft,^[7] and Courtney's father did not approve of their relationship. The two however, continued to date.^[8] Courtney had told Michael that her father had physically abused her.^[8]

Murder

During the early morning hours of February 10, 2004, Courtney Schulhoff's father, Stephen Schulhoff, was beaten to death inside his apartment.^[9][10] After the murder, Courtney and Michael reportedly drove to a McDonald's 20 miles away in Orlando, Florida using Stephen's truck.^[11] Later in the afternoon, Courtney and Michael returned to the apartment. Michael had later said that he and Courtney had planned to take Stephen's body to Brevard County and throw it off a bridge.^[12] Shortly after the murder, Courtney and Michael were apprehended after Stephen Schulhoff's girlfriend, Elaine Bouck, had called 911.^[12]Courtney stated to police that she waited at the apartment complex tennis courts while Michael committed the murder, and she admitted to leaving the Louisville Slugger baseball bat outside the bedroom door.^[13] Michael claimed that he had tried to talk Courtney out of killing her father, to no avail.^[12]

Trials

Courtney was the first of the defendants to stand trial. Her trial began on September 26, 2006.^[14] Prosecutors alleged that although Michael Morin had committed the murder, Courtney had made it all happen.^[15] She did not testify in her own defense at the trial. The next day, she was found guilty of first-degree murder.^[3] Because she was only 16 when the murder was committed, she was ineligible for the death penalty; on September 27, 2006, she was sentenced to life without parole.^[3] After the judge handed down the obligatory sentence, Courtney Schulhoff spoke out in open court, stating: "Your Honor, I would like to openly admit in court that Michael Morin is not the person who killed my father. I was. So, I accept full responsibility, and I accept the verdict."^[3]

Michael Morin's murder trial began in 2007. Unlike his former girlfriend, he was facing a death sentence if convicted.^[16] During his testimony, he admitted killing Stephen Schulhoff but expressed regret for the action.^[16] At the trial, Courtney also testified in Michael's defense. She had given a new deposition after her conviction, and stated that she was the one who had bludgeoned Stephen Schulhoff to death with the baseball bat.^[17] However, on April 26, 2007, Michael Morin was convicted.^[18] He was sentenced to life in prison without parole, and is serving his sentence at the Taylor Correctional Institution.^[19]

Aftermath

In May 2009, Courtney Schulhoff's case was used by RTL in a study of juvenile life without parole.

Her case was profiled on Snapped in April 2011.

See also

• Sara Kruzan
• Rachel Wade

References

1. ^ "Inmate Population Information Detail". Dc.state.fl.us. http://www.dc.state.fl.us/activeinmates/detail.asp?Bookmark=1&From=list&SessionID=673144287. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
2. ^ [1]^{[dead link]}
3. ^ ^{a b c d} POSTED: 10:50 am EDT September 27, 2006 (September 27, 2006). "Convicted Teen Says She's Responsible For Dad's Murder - Orlando News Story - WESH Orlando". Wesh.com. http://www.wesh.com/r/9945609/detail.html. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
4. ^ "Juvenile Life Without Parole - Blog". Jlwop.com. http://www.jlwop.com/blog/?currentPage=19. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
5. ^ "Courtney Schulhoff Murder Trial on truTV.com's Crime Library". Trutv.com. http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/photogallery/courtney-schulhoff.html?curPhoto=5. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
6. ^ ^{a b} "Courtney Schulhoff Murder Trial on truTV.com's Crime Library". Trutv.com. http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/photogallery/courtney-schulhoff.html?curPhoto=2. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
7. ^ "Courtney Schulhoff Murder Trial on truTV.com's Crime Library". Trutv.com. http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/photogallery/courtney-schulhoff.html?curPhoto=3. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
8. ^ ^{a b} "Courtney Schulhoff Murder Trial on truTV.com's Crime Library". Trutv.com. http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/photogallery/courtney-schulhoff.html?curPhoto=4. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
9. ^ "Courtney Schulhoff Murder Trial on truTV.com's Crime Library". Trutv.com. February 10, 2004. http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/photogallery/courtney-schulhoff.html?curPhoto=1. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
10. ^ "Courtney Schulhoff Murder Trial on truTV.com's Crime Library". Trutv.com. February 10, 2004. http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/photogallery/courtney-schulhoff.html?curPhoto=7. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
11. ^ "Courtney Schulhoff Murder Trial on truTV.com's Crime Library". Trutv.com. http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/photogallery/courtney-schulhoff.html?curPhoto=9. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
12. ^ ^{a b c} "Teen and her Boyfriend arrested for her Father's Murder - MediaBlvd Forums". Mediablvd.com. February 19, 2004. http://www.mediablvd.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11478. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
13. ^ "Courtney Schulhoff Murder Trial on truTV.com's Crime Library". Trutv.com. February 9, 2004. http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/photogallery/courtney-schulhoff.html?curPhoto=8. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
14. ^ "Trial to begin in Seminole slaying - Orlando Sentinel". Articles.orlandosentinel.com. September 25, 2006. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2006-09-25/news/BAT25_1_morin-courtney-altamonte-springs. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
15. ^ POSTED: 11:24 am EDT September 26, 2006 (September 26, 2006). "Trial Starts For Teen Accused In Father's Death - Orlando News Story - WESH Orlando". Wesh.com. http://www.wesh.com/news/9936906/detail.html. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
16. ^ ^{a b} POSTED: 4:35 pm EDT April 23, 2007 (April 23, 2007). "Morin Testifies In Trial Of Girlfriend's Father's Death - West Palm Beach News Story - WPBF West Palm Beach". Wpbf.com. http://www.wpbf.com/news/12926709/detail.html. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
17. ^ "Daughter changes story, says she killed dad - Orlando Sentinel". Articles.orlandosentinel.com. April 4, 2007. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2007-04-04/news/BAT04_1_morin-courtney-altamonte-springs. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
18. ^ "Boyfriend convicted in slaying - Orlando Sentinel". Articles.orlandosentinel.com. April 26, 2007. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2007-04-26/news/BAT26_1_morin-schulhoff-girlfriend. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 
19. ^ "Inmate Population Information Detail". Dc.state.fl.us. http://www.dc.state.fl.us/activeinmates/detail.asp?Bookmark=11&From=list&SessionID=673154934. Retrieved November 6, 2011. 

Persondata
Name	Schulhoff, Courtney
Alternative names
Short description	Comvicted murderer
Date of birth	December 27, 1987
Place of birth	Washington D.C.
Date of death
Place of death