florida state's attorney who won't seek death penalty
by Prof. Marcelle Hoppe
Published 3 years ago
Updated 2 years ago
5 min read
On Monday afternoon, State Attorney Aramis Ayala of the 9th Judicial District in Osceola County, Fla., filed a notice of intention not to seek the death penalty in the case.Jan 5, 2021
Who was Ayala Payne accused of murdering?
Ashton pointed out that Ayala was previously assigned the capital murder case of David Lewis Payne, who’s accused of abducting his ex-girlfriend, putting her in the trunk of her car then killing her in 2015.
Who is the chief of police in Orlando?
Both Orlando’s chief of police, John Mina , and Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings expressed their disappointment in Ayala’s decision. Mina told the Sentinel the death penalty is a deterrent for crime.
Who took away Markeith Loyd?
Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday issued an executive order, taking away from Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala the case of accused cop killer Markeith Loyd after she announced that she would not pursue the death penalty in his or any other case, reported Orlando Sentinel.
Who did Ayala beat?
Ayala defeated her former boss, incumbent Jeff Ashton in the primary election. She has been in office since Jan. 3. Listening to Ashton, politics appear to be driving this decision.
Who is Jeff Weiner?
Jeff Weiner is the editor for the Orlando Sentinel's Justice & Safety team, which covers the criminal justice system and law enforcement agencies. He is a recipient of the Society of Professional Journalists' James K. Batten Award for Public Service and a University of Central Florida graduate.
Where is Joe Pedersen?
Joe Mario Pedersen is a member of the Sentinel's Breaking News team. He's a native of Florida, the home of the Florida Man . Originally from Fort Lauderdale, Joe is a University of Central Florida graduate with a major in Radio & Television. He worked for four years at The Villages Daily Sun, including on the newsroom’s multimedia story projects.
Florida Legislators Propose Cuts To Prosecutor
On Monday Republicans in the Florida House proposed cuts to the budget of an Orlando prosecutor who has announced she will no longer seek the death penalty in cases handled by her office.
Background On Aramis Ayala And Her Decision To Not Seek The Death Penalty
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Florida prosecutor who thrust herself into the forefront of the anti-death penalty movement is a political novice who was elected just seven months ago.
Governor’s Executive Order
Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday issued an executive order, taking away from Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala the case of accused cop killer Markeith Loyd after she announced that she would not pursue the death penalty in his or any other case, reported Orlando Sentinel. Gov. Scott called upon Lake County State A…
There were many disappointed people when Ayala announced earlier in the day that she would not seek the death penalty against Loyd, or anyone else for that matter. Her controversial declaration created a firestorm of criticism. “I have determined that doing so is not in the best interest of the community or the best interest of justice,” she said. Her announcement was a surprise since it w…
Conversely, death penalty opponents with the NAACP and a coalition of Orlando-area civil rights activists and religious leaders applauded the move. State law does not require Ayala to seek the death penalty. But on egregious cases such as this, there is an expectation that prosecutors would pursue this option under the law.
Ayala defeated her former boss, incumbent Jeff Ashton in the primary election. She has been in office since Jan. 3. Listening to Ashton, politics appear to be driving this decision. According to the Sentinel report, Ayala received $1.4 million in donations from a political action committee with ties to billionaire George Soros, a liberal activist. Since no Republican entered the race, the prima…
Both Orlando’s chief of police, John Mina, and Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings expressed their disappointment in Ayala’s decision. Mina told the Sentinel the death penalty is a deterrent for crime. “In the heat of the moment is the person thinking about that, probably not,” he said. “But in society there has to be consequences for heinous crimes and the death penalty is one of those …