FL: New Hillsborough state attorney reverses Andrew Warren, seeks death penalty in teacher slaying

[In It to Win It]

Tampa Bay Times via Yahoo News

In one of her first acts in office, newly appointed Hillsborough State Attorney Susan Lopez reversed a decision by the man she replaced, former top prosecutor Andrew Warren, and will seek the death penalty against the suspect in a killing of a Hillsborough elementary school teacher.

Prosecutors will seek a death sentence for Matthew Terry, who is charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of Kay Baker. The third grade math and science teacher at Cypress Creek Elementary in Ruskin was stabbed to death near her home. Terry, who was her boyfriend at the time, was previously convicted in 2017 of stabbing his ex-girlfriend in Michigan.

Florida court rules require prosecutors to file a notice of intent to seek the death penalty within 45 days of a defendant’s arraignment. Terry was arraigned June 21, which made Friday the deadline. Prosecutors filed their death penalty notice that day.

The decision was one of the first moves by Lopez, who was appointed the day before to take over for Warren, the elected state attorney who was ousted by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

DeSantis said he booted Warren from office because the then-state attorney had pledged not to enforce new abortion legislation and because local police complained that he was soft on crime.

[dsc]

1. I would have to think this will be grounds for appeal

if the DP is obtained. Clearly this was a political move on DeSantis part and reverses a well reasoned decision not to pursue the DP.

[FBaggins]

2. I can't see why

The prosecutor doesn't get to award the death sentence. If the decision was indeed well-reasoned then I would assume that a judge and jury would not award the DP. If the judge/jury do award the DP then it will be hard to argue that the prosecutor shouldn't have asked for it.

I certainly wouldn't try to argue that there's a political witchhunt targeting people who stab their girlfriends. I presume that the new SA and/or the governor would love to agree with that.