ORLANDO, FL – The outgoing State Attorney reviewed decisions made by her employees who worked under her supervision and informed us of the following:

“Making the decision on how to charge cases involves a variety of factors and numerous other considerations—particularly—as it relates to cases where the death penalty is being contemplated. I have personally reviewed each of the three cases and provided a specific rationale for my decision. As is our protocol, we notified the families of the victims in advance of each filing. The pursuit of real justice has always been a priority for me, right up until my last day in office. Difficult decisions like these are made with the utmost concern for all involved.”

It is important to note—my administration did not coordinate with the outgoing State Attorney on this decision. We will establish our own review panel to examine the individual circumstances of every capital eligible case before rendering any final determinations on the matter. The most important thing we want to communicate is that our focus will always be on the safety of our community and the citizens of the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Orange and Osceola Counties. Our charge is to uphold the law and operate within the confines of justice, and that will never change.