Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Florida's state attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit, Monique H. Worrell, effective immediately for "dereliction of duty." The firing comes after DeSantis' office accused the state prosecutor of lowering sentences for several offenders, allowing them to "escape the full consequences of their criminal conduct," as the governor's own cabinet assured in a statement:
The practices and policies of her office have allowed murderers, other violent offenders, and dangerous drug traffickers to receive extremely reduced sentences and escape the full consequences of their criminal conduct. In some cases, these offenders have evaded incarceration altogether. State Attorney Worrell’s practices undermine Florida law and endanger the safety, security, and welfare of the communities that Ms. Worrell was elected to serve.
Monique H. Worrell accused of reducing sentences for violent criminals
Among the evidence that can be read in Worrell's executive order of dismissal are reductions to the sentences of several offenders guilty of crimes of child sexual assault, lewd abuse, murder, grand theft assault and carrying firearms. Accusations that Governor DeSantis spoke about during a press conference in which he confirmed the dismissal of the state attorney general:
It is my duty as Governor to ensure that the laws enacted by our duly elected Legislature are followed. The people of Central Florida deserve to have a State Attorney who will seek justice in accordance with the law instead of allowing violent criminals to roam the streets and find new victims.
Ron DeSantis was accompanied during his appearance by several state attorneys general. Among them was Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, who spent a few minutes praising DeSantis' work:
We are fortunate to have a Governor committed to the rule of law and holding officials — especially those elected to protect the public — accountable for not doing the jobs they swore an oath to do. Ms. Worrell abdicated her responsibility as the circuit’s top prosecutor and her actions undermine the safety and security of our state and Floridians.
The governor used the press conference to announce that Florida Judge Andrew Bain would replace Worrell as state attorney for Florida's Ninth Judicial Circuit, which includes Orange, Osceola and Orlando counties.
