Rally, protest held over State Attorney Aramis Ayala

Events take place in Tallahassee, Orlando

Two separate events for State Attorney Aramis Ayala were held Thursday -- one supporting her decision to not pursue the death penalty while in office and one demanding that she be removed from her position.

Supporters organized a "Ride for Aramis" event designed to bring busloads of people from Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Miami-Dade, Broward and Pensacola to the Florida state capitol to give Gov. Rick Scott a petition demanding that he allow Ayala to do her job.

"It's disheartening to know that she is being bullied, she is being discriminated against and she's being downright disrespected," Jasmine Burney-Clark said.

Scott issued an executive order March 16 removing Ayala as prosecutor in the trial of accused double murderer Markeith Loyd after she announced that she wouldn't be seeking the death penalty in that case or any other case.

Ayala is also facing a $1.3 million budget cut, which would force her office to remove 21 jobs. Those resources would instead be allocated to state attorneys who are willing to prosecute capital cases.

Fewer than .01 percent of cases handled by the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court State Attorney’s Office are death penalty cases, Ayala said in a statement.

More than 99 percent of cases in Ayala's office are non-capital homicides, sexual battery, sex crimes against children, domestic violence and other cases that would not result in capital punishment.

"Those are the most vulnerable individuals who are going to suffer, like domestic violence victims, victims who are related to homicide cases, rape cases, any sexual assault cases," Burney-Clark said. 

Ayala critics who support Scott's executive order came out to the Orange County Courthouse Thursday morning to insist that the state attorney be removed from office.

Families of murder victims and former law enforcement officials were included among the protesters.

"I hope he removes her not only from the case, does remove her from office," former Orange County sheriff Kevin Beary said. 

Ayala plans to take her fight with the governor to the Florida Supreme Court. In the meantime, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Brad King will be prosecuting Loyd.