DeSantis suspends Orlando state attorney over 'dereliction of duty' on crime

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Ron DeSantis suspends Orlando state attorney over 'dereliction of duty'

Ron DeSantis announces the suspension of Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Monique Worrell.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Monique Worrell for "dereliction of duty" on crime via an executive order on Wednesday.

DeSantis' office says that Worrell, whose jurisdiction includes Orlando, has routinely allowed murderers and other violent offenders to "escape the full consequences of their criminal conduct." The governor is tapping Florida judge Andrew Bain to replace Worrell as the state attorney for the 9th Judicial Circuit.

"The practices and policies of her office have allowed murderers, other violent offenders, and dangerous drug traffickers to receive extremely reduced sentences and escape the full consequences of their criminal conduct. In some cases, these offenders have evaded incarceration altogether," DeSantis' office wrote in a statement. 

"State Attorney Worrell’s practices undermine Florida law and endanger the safety, security, and welfare of the communities that Ms. Worrell was elected to serve," it continued.

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell for "dereliction of duty" on crime via an executive order on Wednesday. (SOPA Images/Contributor/Getty Images | Orlando Sentinel/Contributor/Getty Images)

DeSantis highlighted the move in a news conference Wednesday morning alongside several other Florida officials. The officials, who included Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, stated that Worrell routinely avoided mandatory minimum sentencing for gun crimes and drug trafficking offenses, as well as allowing juvenile offenders to avoid serious charges and incarceration.

She also allegedly limited charges against child pornography offenders and avoided sentencing enhancements such as those based on prior offenses.

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Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd holds up an internet meme depicting State Attorney Monique Worrell ignoring clear problems.

The governor went on to tell reporters that he was confident the Florida constitution granted him authority to remove Worrell.

This is the second time DeSantis has taken drastic action against a Florida prosecutor who he says failed to do their jobs. He also suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren in August 2022 for refusing to enforce the state's abortion ban.

That suspension was upheld in court in a January decision from a federal judge.

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Ousted Florida State Attorney Andrew Warren holds a press conference in Tampa, Florida, on Aug. 17, 2022, after Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended him of his duties, in part for refusing to enforce abortion laws. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

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Worrell fired back after the announcement, calling the suspension "a smoke screen for Ron DeSantis failing and disastrous presidential campaign," in which the governor is trailing behind former President Donald Trump.

"He needed to get back in the media in some positive way in a way that would be red meat for his base and he will have accomplished that today," Worrell said. "He will be in the news nationally and internationally for the individual who has single handedly destroyed democracy in the state of Florida."