Florida governor replaces anti-death penalty prosecutor

“But I have learned that the death penalty traps many victims, families in a decadeslong cycle of uncertainty, court hearings, appeals and waiting”.

“I have determined [the death penalty] is not in the best interest of this community or best interest of justice”, she said. She said she reached out to Clayton’s husband on Wednesday, but has not yet spoken to every victim’s family. Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican who is a former prosecutor, told The News Service of Florida on Thursday.

Ayala’s office participated in the conference call but did not vote, a source with the prosecutors said. “We can’t dictate to them what charges are appropriate for certain crimes”.

King serves as state attorney for the 5th Judicial Circuit, representing Hernando, Citrus, Marion, Lake, and Sumpter counties.

“I want to be very clear, Lt. Debra Clayton was executed while she was laying on the ground fighting for her life”.

The unusual and firm stance against capital punishment by State Attorney Aramis Ayala in Orlando surprised and angered many law enforcement officials, including the city’s police chief, who believed suspect Markeith Loyd should face the possibility of execution. Anthony was acquitted of murder in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. I look forward to working with Representative Spano on a variety of criminal justice issues: “from the death penalty, to the unsafe and irresponsible Stand Your Ground legislation now pending that makes it harder to prosecute violent criminals, to cost-effective programs that increase public safety while reducing long-term recidivism”.

On Monday, Scott signed a bill that required a unanimous jury recommendation to hand down the death penalty.

She instead emphasized during her campaign that she would engage with average citizens if elected. She made history this time for a different reason.

Her decision not to seek a death sentence was praised by groups that have opposed the death penalty.

In Denver, Beth McCann, a recently elected district attorney, said in January that she would refuse to pursue the death penalty.

For much of previous year, executions in Florida were on hold. The committee gave Ayala’s campaign nearly $1 million, as well as millions of dollars to candidates in local races around the nation. Still, bitter reaction was swift among local police and state officials, including Gov. Rick Scott.

Florida has 381 inmates on death and shows no sign of slowing down future prosecutions.

She spoke at a news conference outside the Orange County Court along with other supporters of State Attorney Aramis Ayala’s decision. She isn’t a prosecutor. Bessman Okafor was convicted of Alex Zaldivar’s murder in 2015 and sentenced to death.

State Attorney Aramis Ayala blindsided voters in her Orange-Osceola circuit, and wrongly substituted her judgment for their elected representatives in Tallahassee, when she declared Thursday that she wouldn’t seek the death penalty against accused cop-killer Markeith Loyd or any other defendants during her time in office.

“The death penalty has no public safety benefit, there’s no evidence death sentence cases actually protect the public”, Ayala said.

Ron Daniels, the father of pregnant murder victim Sade Dixon, said, “Life, no chance of parole, we get closure, but now if you give him the death penalty, he comes back”.

“It borders on dereliction of duty”, he said of Ayala’s decision.

Florida’s governor is reassigning a case involving the killing of a police officer after an Orlando prosecutor said she no will longer seek the death penalty.

Florida is one of the most bloodthirsty US states when it comes to capital punishment.