ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — An association of Florida prosecutors says Gov. Rick Scott can legally take away almost two dozen cases from the state attorney in Orlando for refusing to seek the death penalty.
The Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association filed a friend-of-the-court brief Wednesday in the legal fight between Scott and State Attorney Aramis Ayala.
The prosecutors association says Ayala is attempting to legislate from her office in violation of the Florida Constitution.
The controversy started in March when Ayala said her office would no longer seek the death penalty since the process was costly and dragged on for the victims’ relatives. It began when she said she would not seek the execution of the alleged killer of a police officer.
Scott responded by reassigning the cases to a prosecutor in a neighboring district.
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