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Florida primaries are next week (voting is well underway) & for anyone who cares about criminal justice, there are major battles on the battle that could upend policies around incarceration & policing.
I'm counting 7 prosecutor & sheriff races you should watch.
A brief thread.
I'm counting 7 prosecutor & sheriff races you should watch.
A brief thread.
1. Orlando elected the first black prosecutor in Florida's history in 2016. Then, state officials retialiated & drove her to history.
Progressive change against punitive norms is now at stake in the battle to replace her. @sdschuyler reports: https://theappeal.org/politicalreport/orlando-prosecutor-race-shadow-of-retaliation/
Progressive change against punitive norms is now at stake in the battle to replace her. @sdschuyler reports: https://theappeal.org/politicalreport/orlando-prosecutor-race-shadow-of-retaliation/
2. Broward Co. has had the same prosecutor for 44 years!
He's retiring—& some candidates say they'd curb his carceral policies. One candidate has staked a bold progressive platform, incl. not charging a range of low-level offenses, @jerryiannelli reports: https://theappeal.org/politicalreport/broward-county-elect-prosecutor-44-years/
He's retiring—& some candidates say they'd curb his carceral policies. One candidate has staked a bold progressive platform, incl. not charging a range of low-level offenses, @jerryiannelli reports: https://theappeal.org/politicalreport/broward-county-elect-prosecutor-44-years/
3. Miami's 27-year state attorney has long drawn criticism for not holding law enforcement accountable: https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/critics-eye-miami-dade-state-attorney-katherine-fernandez-rundle-11678508
She faces a reform-minded challenger, who used to work in her office and later at the @ACLUFL: https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/miami-prosecutor-candidate-melba-pearson-wants-bail-reform-police-misconduct-accountability-11432351
She faces a reform-minded challenger, who used to work in her office and later at the @ACLUFL: https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/miami-prosecutor-candidate-melba-pearson-wants-bail-reform-police-misconduct-accountability-11432351
4. Let's move on to sheriffs! In Pinellas County, Democrats will select their challenger against controversial GOP incumbent Bob Gualtieri, known for instance for wanting to arm teachers ( https://theappeal.org/americas-new-sheriff-of-the-year-pushed-to-allow-teachers-to-carry-weapons-in-school/).
And here's more on Democrats' primary: https://www.tampabay.com/news/pinellas/2020/07/11/why-are-out-of-state-donors-fueling-the-democratic-race-for-pinellas-sheriff/
And here's more on Democrats' primary: https://www.tampabay.com/news/pinellas/2020/07/11/why-are-out-of-state-donors-fueling-the-democratic-race-for-pinellas-sheriff/
5. In Clay County, a (GOP) sheriff "warned" BLM protesters in June that he may "make special deputies" out of gun owners to "handle" protesters: https://floridapolitics.com/archives/345399-deputize-gun-owners-clay
Now, an abuse of power scandal means he may lose next week's Republican primary: https://floridapolitics.com/archives/356159-money-dries-up-for-embattled-clay-county-sheriff-reelection-bid
Now, an abuse of power scandal means he may lose next week's Republican primary: https://floridapolitics.com/archives/356159-money-dries-up-for-embattled-clay-county-sheriff-reelection-bid
6. Alachua County's Dem Sheriff, Darnell, endorsed Rick Scott in 2018 & has been head of sheriffs association, which has fought reforms. A Dem lawmaker is now challenging her in the primary (against the backdrop of COVID-19 outbreaks in the county jail): https://www.alligator.org/covid-19/alachua-county/what-police-accountability-means-to-the-candidates-of-alachua-county-sheriff-race/article_d6235354-c48f-11ea-992f-77eaf9f6c55c.html
7. Back to Orlando (Orange County), where Sheriff John Mina faces a crowded field of challengers, two of which have staked reform positions: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/politics/2020-election/os-ne-2020-primary-election-orange-sheriff-20200721-zqrhtxyovvemldzbcau3i55jte-story.html
And @jerryiannelli just profiled Mina today: https://theappeal.org/orlando-sheriff-who-is-running-for-re-election-shot-a-teen-to-death-in-1999/
And @jerryiannelli just profiled Mina today: https://theappeal.org/orlando-sheriff-who-is-running-for-re-election-shot-a-teen-to-death-in-1999/
That's what I have my eyes on, but let me know if you're watching something else! ↓
And in the meantime, you can explore all the other DA/sheriff races that are upending the criminal legal system via The Appeal: Political Report's portal (more soon!) https://theappeal.org/political-report/criminal-justice-on-the-2020-ballot/
And in the meantime, you can explore all the other DA/sheriff races that are upending the criminal legal system via The Appeal: Political Report's portal (more soon!) https://theappeal.org/political-report/criminal-justice-on-the-2020-ballot/
These 7 elections will be fought in the same context of mass confusion and suppression resulting from the state’s 2019 poll tax taw as the presidential primary did in March, as @kira_lerner reported on then. https://theappeal.org/florida-primary-election-amendment-4-felony-conviction-voing-rights/
