Florida prosecutor to stand trial after TV attack

Having just fired one Democratic prosecutor, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is eyeing another for her handling of cases involving a suspect charged with the fatal murder of a television reporter, a 9-year-old girl and a woman last week.

Earlier this week, DeSantis General Counsel sent a letter to State Attorney Monique Worrell asking for documents and emails regarding previous arrests and court decisions against 19-year-old Keith Moses, both a juvenile and an adult. Juvenile records in Florida are generally kept private.

The request from the governor’s office comes at a time when DeSantis is fighting what he calls “awakened” prosecutors while bolstering his conservative criminal justice platform ahead of an expected run for president.

Last year, DeSantis fired Tampa’s two-time Democrat-elected State Attorney Andrew Warren for signing pledges that said he would not pursue criminal charges against individuals seeking or providing abortion or sex reassignment treatments, and for policies that prohibiting the filing of charges in certain cases. low crimes.

In a letter to Worrell, whose jurisdiction extends to the Orlando area, DeSantis General Counsel Ryan Newman said her office was unable to prosecute Moses “despite his extensive criminal history and gang affiliation.”

The letter noted that Moses was arrested during a traffic stop in November 2021 for possession of cannabis. According to a police report, the deputy witnessed a gun being thrown from a car window as it was stopped. Three of the passengers had ski masks and past firearms charges, including Moses, who was on probation for felony juveniles.

An Orange County sheriff’s deputy charged Moses with a drug-related crime, not a firearm. The case was dropped the following month after prosecutors concluded it could not continue.

“Moses should never have been able to commit these senseless crimes last week,” Newman’s letter says.

In response, Worrell said the letter from the governor’s office was full of misconceptions. According to Worrell, there was no conclusive evidence that Moses possessed marijuana illegally.

“Assumptions and accusations that my office’s ‘policy’ is conducive to crime are empty political statements not backed by real facts,” Worrell said in a statement.

Moses faces three charges of first-degree murder in connection with last week’s Spectrum News 13 deaths of Dylan Lyons, Natacha Augustin and 9-year-old T’yonna Major. The girl’s mother and Spectrum News 13 photographer Jesse Walden were also shot dead.

In his executive order to remove Warren, the Tampa attorney, DeSantis cited state law that allows him to fire officials for dereliction of duty and incompetence.

Warren said the promises amounted to personal political positions, and that his office exercised prosecutorial discretion over whether to bring charges in all cases. He started a legal battle in federal and state courts to get his job back.

Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.