Florida State Attorney Aramis Ayala filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday claiming Gov. Rick Scott violated her constitutional rights by removing her from 23 murder cases after she chose not to seek the death penalty, reports The Huffington Post.
From The Huffington Post:
Ayala is the first elected African-American state attorney in Florida history. She was elected to serve a four-year term in November. “The Governor did not take this drastic step because of any misconduct on Ayala’s part, but simply because he disagreed with her reasoned prosecutorial determination not to seek the death penalty under current circumstances,” said Ayala’s federal complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
Ayala made waves in March when she concluded that she would not seek a death sentence for Markeith Loyd, who was indicted for the murders of a pregnant 24-year-old and a police officer in separate incidents in December and January…
Ayala’s lawsuit seeks a declaration that Scott violated the Constitution and that she is the rightful elected prosecutor with discretion to manage these capital prosecutions. Ayala also seeks an order reinstating her to oversee these prosecutions.
Ayala — who based her decision to not seek the death penalty in recent cases including Loyd because of research that it is “racially discriminatory” among other negative things — and her attorney are challenging whether Scott has the legal right to reassign the cases, reports the Orlando Weekly.
SOURCE: The Huffington Post, Orlando Weekly
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Photographic Proof Not Much Has Changed In Ferguson Since Michael Brown's Death
Photographic Proof Not Much Has Changed In Ferguson Since Michael Brown's Death
1. 2014: Michael Brown's lifeless body was left in the streets of Ferguson for more than four hours after he was killed by Officer Darren Wilson on August 9.
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2. 2015: Tyrone Harris, 18, was shot in Ferguson Sunday night by police for allegedly attacking them with a firearm. He remains in critical condition and is facing four charges of first-degree assault on law enforcement, five counts of armed criminal action, and one count of discharging a firearm at a motor vehicle.
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3. 2014: Unrest in Ferguson plagued the city after police officers clashed with protesters.
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4. 2015: Police stand to maintain the crowd after shots rang out on the anniversary of Mike Brown's death.
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5. 2014: An unarmed protester was approached by police during protests in Ferguson. The image became one of the most memorable of the city's uprising.
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6. 2015: A woman stands before police with her hands up in the air.
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7. 2014: After the shooting of Mike Brown and the death of Eric Garner, unrest continued to rise in Ferguson. After it was determined that Darren Wilson would not be indicted in the fatal shooting of the teen, protesters took to the streets.
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8. 2015: Since the death of Brown, over 100 men, women, and children of color have been killed by police. Worldwide protests have continued advocating for better training for police officers.
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9. 2014: A woman hit with pepper spray is doused with milk. Ferguson police issued curfews for protesters after incidents of arson and looting occurred during peaceful protests in the city.
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10. 2015: A year later, protesters say they too were hit with tear gas while protesting in the streets.
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11. 2014: The National Guard was called into Ferguson to "control" protests.
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12. 2015: A teen is caught in the crossfire during a shooting that took place in Ferguson on the anniversary of Mike Brown's death.
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13. 2014: Army tanks filled the streets of Ferguson after protests turned violent in the city.
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14. 2015: St. Louis police with army gear arrive in Ferguson Sunday night.
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Florida Prosecutor Sues Gov. Rick Scott After Being Removed From Murder Cases was originally published on newsone.com
