Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell for allegedly failing to pursue appropriate charges in serious cases. Worrell, who serves as the elected prosecutor for Orange and Osceola counties, faced criticism from law enforcement officials in Central Florida for declining to bring more serious charges in high-profile shootings and other violent crimes.
Governor DeSantis made a rare appearance at the state Capitol to announce Worrell’s suspension, accompanied by Attorney General Ashley Moody and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass. Speaking at the press conference, DeSantis emphasized the duty of prosecutors to faithfully enforce the law, stating that political agendas should not override this solemn responsibility.
In Worrell’s absence, Andrew Bain, an Orange County judge, was appointed by DeSantis to serve as the state attorney for the 9th Judicial Circuit. The suspension of Worrell follows DeSantis’s removal of State Attorney Andrew Warren, a twice-elected Democrat from Tampa, who had pledged not to pursue criminal charges related to abortion or gender transition treatments and supported policies that minimize charges for certain low-level offenses.
However, Warren challenged his removal from office through a federal lawsuit, which resulted in U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruling in January that the suspension violated both the Florida Constitution and the U.S. Constitution. Despite the ruling, Judge Hinkle did not have the authority to reinstate Warren as the prosecutor.
Monique Worrell was elected with 67% of the vote in 2020 in Orange and Osceola counties, succeeding Aramis Ayala, the first Black state attorney ever elected in Florida. Ayala previously clashed with DeSantis’s predecessor over her refusal to seek the death penalty in capital cases, leading to the reassignment of over two dozen cases. Ayala, who is also a Democrat, ran an unsuccessful campaign against Attorney General Moody, a Republican.
During the press conference, Attorney General Moody highlighted that Worrell had dismissed over 16,000 charges against defendants in the past year, a significantly higher number compared to other state attorneys in Florida. Moody described these dismissals as incredibly dangerous, especially in the 9th Circuit, where nearly half of the cases did not result in any consequences for the defendants.
This is a developing story, and further updates are expected. The suspension of State Attorney Monique Worrell has raised questions about the power dynamics between prosecutors, law enforcement officials, and political leaders in Florida. The case also highlights the challenges faced by elected officials when navigating the delicate balance between candidate promises, public expectations, and the duty to uphold the law.
