Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken action against Monique Worrell, State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit, suspending her for dereliction of duty and incompetence on Wednesday.
#BREAKING: Gov. Ron DeSantis suspends Democratic State Attorney Monique Worrell, effective immediately, citing lack of mandatory minimum sentencings for various crimes, neglect of duty, and abusing discretion pic.twitter.com/O0Pe1UbTVH
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) August 9, 2023
The decision comes after mounting concerns about Worrell’s lenient approach towards criminal offenders, which DeSantis argues has allowed dangerous individuals to evade justice.
Supported by a group linked to Democrat billionaire George Soros, Worrell’s policies have come under fire for granting reduced sentences to murderers, violent offenders, and drug traffickers, allowing them to escape the true consequences of their actions.
The executive order detailing Worrell’s suspension highlights a series of problematic practices, such as avoiding mandatory minimum sentences for gun crimes and drug trafficking offenses.
Additionally, the order points to instances where juvenile offenders escaped serious charges and even incarceration. Further concerns include the seeking of lenient sentences in cases where Florida law explicitly forbids such actions.
DeSantis’ office presented several instances illustrating the impact of these lax policies. In one case, Daton Viel, previously arrested for sexual battery on a minor, was released on bond and later shot two police officers. Another tragic incident involved 17-year-old Lorenzo Larry, who killed his pregnant girlfriend despite multiple prior arrests.
Worrell’s office failed to act on these charges until it was tragically too late.
The case of Keith Moses, who had a history of arrests including violent offenses, is equally troubling. Despite his criminal record, no charges were pursued in his drug possession case, leading to a tragic outcome where he shot and killed an innocent bystander and a young girl.
In another case that attracted controversy, Worrell’s office inexplicably sought to reduce first-degree murder charges to firearm possession, leaving a potentially dangerous individual on probation after a video-documented shooting.
“The state of Florida is a law-and-order state. Refusing to faithfully enforce the laws of Florida puts our communities in danger and victimizes innocent Floridians,” DeSantis said as he announced his decision.
Worrell has defended her approach, asserting that she acted “unconventionally” and “differently.” In a press conference following her suspension, she went so far as to label Governor DeSantis a “dictator” responsible for undermining democracy in Florida.
“I am your duly elected State Attorney, and nothing done by a weak dictator can change that,” she stated.
She also lashed out at law enforcement, suggesting they had provided information to facilitate her removal due to her insistence on holding them accountable.
