Mark Sievers’ attorneys likely to file appeal if death penalty chosen

Mark Sievers was found guilty of first-degree murder for the vicious killing of his wife, Dr. Teresa Sievers, at their Bonita Springs home in 2015. Former best friend Curtis Wayne Wright and hired killer Jimmy Rodgers carried out Teresa’s murder. With the conviction, Mark now faces the death penalty.

The penalty phase for Mark Sievers will be held Tuesday. Afterward, Mark’s defense team will decide whether to appeal the potential ruling in favor of the death penalty.

We spoke to attorneys, who aren’t affiliated with the trial, about what this next phase means for Mark’s case.

“There was a lot of hullaballoo about not getting discovery about 500 pages of discovery being given,” attorney Peter Dennis said.

The first thing that is almost certain is the defense will appeal. Attorneys say, at this point, there is nothing for the defense team to lose by making an appeal.

Next, if Sievers gets the death penalty, a notice of appeal will automatically be reviewed by the Florida Supreme Court. That’s the law.

An appeal will generally argue a procedural error in court. The defense team may look for evidence that was withheld by prosecutors and if witnesses were properly disclosed.

“There were lots of objections on the part of the defense,” attorney Pamella Seay said. “Every time they raised an objection, they raised an opportunity for an appeal.”

Mark’s team will have to wait until after sentencing to file an appeal, but attorneys say they’re already working on that now.