DeSantis Removed State Attorney Soft On Crime. Convicted Felon Whose Case She Handled Wants Her Back.

 Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis removed State Attorney Monique Worrell, citing her “dereliction of duty” in prosecuting criminals — and now a felon whose case Worrell handled is trying to get her back on the job.

Melizaire Dorsica, who had already been convicted of a felony when he was charged with the felony of carrying a concealed weapon, would fall under the rubric of defendants whose sentences Worrell commonly reduced. He petitioned Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit court on Wednesday to revoke DeSantis’ executive order that removed Worrell from office, arguing the order was unconstitutional.

“All of the grievances cited in support of [DeSantis’ order] are attributable to DeSantis’ dissatisfaction with Worrell’s exercise of prosecutorial discretion, not a ‘blanket policy,’” the petition reads, according to Fox News.

“During Worrell’s tenure in office, the administration of criminal justice in the Ninth Circuit has been so clearly and fundamentally derelict as to constitute both neglect of duty and incompetence,” DeSantis’ executive order stated.  “Worrell has authorized or allowed practices or policies that have systematically permitted violent offenders, drug traffickers, serious-juvenile offenders, and pedophiles to evade incarceration, when otherwise warranted under Florida law.

“Despite the Legislature’s policy … to subject felons who use a firearm in the commission of a violent felony to minimum mandatory sentences, assistant state attorneys in the Ninth Circuit have been prevented or discouraged from pursuing such minimum mandatory sentences… Worrell’s practices or policies of evading minimum mandatory sentences for gun crimes are corroborated by her prosecutorial record,” the order declared.

“Worrell’s practices or policies of evading minimum mandatory sentences for gun crimes are further corroborated by data from the Florida Department of Corrections. With respect to prison admissions from January 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023, the Ninth Circuit, on a per capita basis, had among the lowest prison admission rates relative to the other circuits for the following crimes: robbery with a weapon, armed burglary, and weapons possession,” the order noted.

 

“It is my duty as Governor to ensure that the laws enacted by our duly elected Legislature are followed,” DeSantis stated. “The people of Central Florida deserve to have a State Attorney who will seek justice in accordance with the law instead of allowing violent criminals to roam the streets and find new victims.”