Gov. Scott strips more cases from State Attorney Ayala

30 cases total reassigned to neighboring state attorney

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday stripped two more first-degree murder cases from Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala.

Executive orders were issued regarding the prosecution of Robert Joseph Cardin, who is accused of killing his mother and brother in May; and for the postconviction relief filed for Jermaine Foster, a man who was convicted for killing two men and attempting to kill a woman in 1993.

Those cases have been reassigned to neighboring State Attorney Brad King, whose office has now received 30 cases from Ayala's office since she announced in April that she would not seek the death penalty against accused double murderer Markeith Loyd or any other case her office tries.

Scott and Ayala are currently entangled in a legal battle to determine whether or not the governor has the legal authority to take cases from Ayala against her will. The Florida Supreme Court heard oral arguments in that case June 28. A ruling is forthcoming.

It's unclear if King's office will seek death against Cardin, who is facing two first-degree murder charges. A jury unanimously sentenced Foster to death in 1994 and he is legally challenging that sentence.

 


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