Prosecutor suspended by DeSantis loses bid to get job back
A federal judge has ruled that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis violated the First Amendment and the Florida Constitution by removing an elected state prosecutor, but that the federal courts lack the power to reinstate him because the case centered on state law.
Trial over Florida Gov. DeSantisโ removal of prosecutor on abortion ends
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wasnโt seeking political retaliation when he removed a prosecutor over abortion and transgender views, but simply wanted to ensure state law would be enforced, the governorโs attorney told a federal judge Thursday.
DeSantis seeks dismissal of suit by suspended prosecutor
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants a federal judge to throw out a free speech lawsuit filed by a Democratic prosecutor he suspended from office over statements about not pursuing criminal charges in abortion, transgender rights and certain low-level cases.
Non-prosecution of low-level offenses dropped in Tampa following state attorneyโs suspension, replacement
In a story published Aug. 21, 2022, The Associated Press reported on how the successor to suspended state attorney Andrew Warren in Tampa has dropped her predecessorโs practice of not prosecuting many misdemeanors.
Tampa teenager accused in Twitter hack pleads not guilty
TAMPA, Fla. A Florida teen identified as the mastermind of a scheme that gained control of Twitter accounts of prominent politicians, celebrities and technology moguls pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to multiple counts of fraud. Graham Ivan Clark, 17, is accused of using the hijacked Twitter accounts to scam people around the world out of more than $100,000 in Bitcoin. Clark was arrested on Friday in Tampa, and the Hillsborough State Attorney's Office is prosecuting him as an adult, a news release said. The documents do not specify Kirks real identity but say he is a teen being prosecuted in the Tampa area. Im sure this is a mix up.Federal court records didnt list attorneys for Sheppard or Fazeli.
Twitter says hackers used phone to fool staff, gain access to high-profile accounts
Twitter previously said hackers used the phone to fool the social media company's employees into giving them access. The hackers targeted 130 accounts. They managed to tweet from 45 accounts, access the direct message inboxes of 36, and download the Twitter data from seven. British cybersecurity analyst Graham Cluley said his guess was that a targeted Twitter employee or contractor received a message by phone asking them to call a number. Its also possible the hackers pretended to call from the companys legitimate help line by spoofing the number, he said.
3 charged in massive Twitter hack, Bitcoin scam
Two men accused of benefiting from the hack Mason Sheppard, 19, of Bognor Regis, U.K., and Nima Fazeli, 22, of Orlando were charged separately in California federal court. The hack alarmed security experts because of the grave potential of such an intrusion for creating geopolitical mayhem with disinformation. The court documents released Friday show how federal agents tracked down the hackers through Bitcoin transactions and by obtaining records of their online chats. Internal Revenue Service investigators in Washington, D.C., identified two of the defendants by analyzing Bitcoin transactions on the blockchain the universal ledger that records Bitcoin transactions that they had sought to make anonymous, federal prosecutors said. ___This story has been corrected to show that participants in the operation, not the hacker identified as Kirk, discussed it with The New York Times.
Florida prosecutor wont file charges against protesters
TAMPA, Fla. More than five dozen peaceful protesters in Florida who were arrested earlier this month for unlawful assembly while demonstrating against police abuse following the death of George Floyd in Minnesota won't be prosecuted, a state attorney said Monday. State Attorney Andrew Warren in Tampa said his office won't be filing charges against 67 protesters who were arrested two weeks ago in downtown Tampa. The prosecutor's office will also work to expunge the arrest records of the protesters who were taken into custody, he said. In these unlawful assembly cases, there is no value in filing charges," Warren said at a news conference. Prosecuting people for exercising their First Amendment rights creates problems rather than solving them.
The Latest: Warren won't prosecute peaceful protesters
Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren, right, speaks during a news conference Monday, June 15, 2020, in Tampa, Fla. Warren announced his decision not to prosecute dozens of protesters arrested on charges of unlawful assembly during a Black Lives Matter march on June 2. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)TOP OF THE HOUR: Florida state attorney won't prosecute peaceful protesters. State Attorney Andrew Warren in Tampa said that his office wont be filing charges against 67 protesters who were arrested two weeks ago in downtown Tampa. The prosecutors office will also work to expunge the arrest records of the protesters who were taken into custody, he said. In these unlawful assembly cases, there is no value in filing charges, Warren said at a news conference.