House Speaker Richard Corcoran is doubling down on tough talk about Orange County State Attorney Aramis Ayala. Corcoran says her blanket decision not to seek the death penalty crosses a line and he urges Florida Governor Rick Scott to suspend the prosecutor.
“So she has that right to say in this particular case for these reasons we’ve decided not to seek the death penalty,” Corcoran says.
“That’s not what she’s said,” he goes on, “She has said I do not believe in the death penalty—which is in our constitution. I wouldn’t seek it for the victims of Pulse, I’m not going to seek for this individual case, and won’t seek it at all in all cases.”
“That’s violating the constitution.”
Ayala’s refusal to seek the death penalty has riled Republicans across the state and prompted the governor to assign a new prosecutor to Markeith Loyd’s murder trial. Loyd led police on a nine day manhunt and stands accused of murdering his pregnant ex-girlfriend and a police officer.
