State Attorney Ayala won't be temporarily reassigned murder cases, court rules

Sources: Final decision will likely be made after May 3

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The 23 first-degree murder cases that were stripped from State Attorney Aramis Ayala and reassigned to a neighboring state attorney will not be given back to Ayala while she continues her legal battle with Gov. Rick Scott, the Florida Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

Ayala filed a federal lawsuit earlier this month, alleging that Scott violated the U.S. Constitution and “deprived voters in the Ninth Judicial Circuit of their chosen State Attorney,” by removing Ayala from the cases after she announced that her office would no longer seek the death penalty.

She filed a petition to have the cases temporarily reassigned to her office pending the court's final decision. The Florida Supreme Court denied that request.

"To the extent that the petition seeks a stay of criminal prosecutions in the Ninth Circuit, the petition does not demonstrate a stay to be appropriate at this time as to any case," the unanimous ruling issued Tuesday reads.

The judgment means the prosecution of the first-degree murder cases will remain in the hands of State Attorney Brad King, who Scott also assigned to prosecute accused double murderer Markeith Loyd.

Sources told News 6 that the Florida Supreme Court will likely issue its final ruling after May 3 on whether or not Ayala will regain the cases on a permanent basis.