ORLANDO, Fla. – Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell held a news conference Thursday morning in Orlando to share her “quarterly update.”
The event was held outside the Sam Ash on East Colonial Drive, which is near the location of a road rage murder case that was recently tried by her office.
[Watch video below to see Worrell tout her success]
Worrell said 61 felony cases have gone to trial since she took office in January, resulting in a 70% conviction rate.
“We’ve made significant progress in advancing our mission to serve justice and protect our community,” Worrell said.
Among the convictions was Nicholas Carrasquillo, who was arrested in the Jan. 22, 2024, shooting death of David Alexzander Sligh.
Sligh’s family said he had been driving to his first day in a full-time role at his job when he was killed.
“A jury found the defendant in this case guilty, and he is facing 25 years to life in prison for second-degree murder,” Worrell said.
According to the state attorney’s office, the conviction rate is five points higher than 2024, but 20% lower than the rate during Worrell’s first quarter during her first term in 2023. It’s an issue she hopes to resolve through policy changes from her predecessor.
“It’s the difference between selecting the appropriate cases to go to trial on and not just throwing things to the wall to see what sticks,” Worrell said. “It’s making sure that we don’t gamble on holding someone accountable by forcing a case to trial that should actually be a plea.”
Last week, Worrell was the focus of a visit to Orange County by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.
Joined by Orange County Sheriff John Mina and statewide prosecutor Nick Cox, Uthmeier said the Florida Attorney General’s Office was there to offer additional prosecutors to help Worrell take care of what’s said to be thousands of backlogged non-arrest cases.
This followed the Orange-Osceola state attorney’s implementation of a new policy that prohibits law enforcement agencies from forwarding certain criminal cases — those that lack enough admissible evidence to justify an arrest — to her office.
During Thursday’s update, Worrell said six new statewide prosecutors have been brought onboard.
“They’re experienced and they know what they’re doing,” Worrell said. “They are currently working diligently to help us clear that backlog.”
As casework is happening, Worrell said her focus is holding gun violence offenders accountable and is also pushing for new gun legislation.
“If we truly care about law and order and public safety, then we need to legislate in a way that reflects that and we need to ensure that there are regulations that are going to keep us safe as a community,” Worrell said.
[Watch video below to see how Florida is offering to help State Attorney Monique Worrell]