Thread by @willchamberlain

Earlier today we highlighted some individual prosecution decisions made by the now-suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell.

Now, let’s take a broader look at @GovRonDeSantis’ executive order to see how Worrell was derelict in her duty.

We’ll start with gun crime.

Florida has mandatory minimum sentences for gun crimes.

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office referred 58 non-homicide Robbery with a Firearm cases to Worrell’s office in 2021 and 2022.

As of May 2023, only one mandatory minimum sentence had been imposed in any of those cases.

That Sheriff’s office also referred 11 non-homicide Carjacking with a Firearm cases and 14 non-homicide Home Invasion Robbery with a Firearm cases during that period.

Out of those arrests, only one resulted in a mandatory minimum sentence being imposed.

Finally, of the 130 cases involving Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon referred to Worrell’s office in 2021 and 2022 by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, only five resulted in a mandatory minimum sentence.

Worrell also limited the number of charges for Possession of Child Pornography on which the attorneys in her office could obtain a conviction, even when additional counts could be charged and proven at trial.

Consequently, the Ninth Circuit had among the lowest prison admission rates, on a per capita basis, for crimes involving lewd and lascivious behavior, which includes Possession of Child Pornography and other sex crimes against children.

Worrell also worked to avoid obtaining minimum mandatory sentences for drug trafficking offenses.

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office referred 32 drug trafficking cases to Worrell’s office in 2021; as of March 2023, only three have resulted in a mandatory minimum sentence.

In 2022, 64 drug trafficking cases were referred to her office; none have resulted in a mandatory minimum sentence.

On a per capita basis, Worrell ranked last among state’s attorneys in the number of people incarcerated for drug trafficking.

Further, under Worrell’s direction, her office used a variety of techniques to allow serious juvenile offenders to evade incarceration where it would otherwise be appropriate.

Her attorneys were generally prevented or discouraged from “direct filing”: charging juveniles as adults.

During her tenure, the Ninth Circuit was dead last in Florida in the percentage of juvenile felony cases that were “direct filed” based on the most serious offense disposed.

Worrell’s office was also uniquely slow in processing cases for juvenile offenders.

Her office took twice as long to process juvenile cases than the Florida average, ranking dead last among Florida districts.

Worrell’s office also prevented or discouraged prosecutors from seeking sentencing enhancements for prison release reoffenders and habitual violent felony offenders.

Finally, Worrell’s subordinates have permitted or required prosecutors to seek the withholding of adjudication in cases where Florida law does not allow that.

Today, @GovRonDeSantis explained that “it is [his] duty as Governor to ensure that the laws enacted by our duly elected Legislature our followed.”

His actions today ensure just that.

For the first thread that went over individual charging decisions, check it out here:

https://twitter.com/willchamberlain/status/1689292509086724096?s=20