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State Attorney Worrell Slams Gov. DeSantis with Facts on Keith Moses’ Mass Shooting

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State Attorney Monique Worrell speaks with the press at her office in Downtown Orlando Thursday, March 9, 2023. Photo: J. Willie David III / Florida National News.
State Attorney Monique Worrell speaks with the press at her office in Downtown Orlando Thursday, March 9, 2023. Photo: J. Willie David III / Florida National News.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) – Orange and Osceola County State Attorney Monique Worrell, in modern parlance, “brought the receipts” to Thursday morning’s press conference–sharing facts and figures to clear her and her office’s name against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s recent criticism of her office’s handling of the Keith Moses mass shooting in Pine Hills in February.

Update on Keith Moses’s Sentencing

State Attorney Worrell announced that Moses has been charged with second-degree murder in all three deaths, along with other charges. She preemptively explained that he’s been charged with second-degree murder instead of first-degree murder because a first-degree charge requires an indictment, which will take some time, so the second-degree charge is in place to keep Moses detained until he’s indicted.

Setting the Record Straight on Prosecuting Moses

State Attorney Worrell also went out of her way to clarify the truth of Moses’s history. She gave the caveat that she can’t speak at length about Moses’ juvenile record, but wanted to challenge the narrative presented thus far by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office that Moses has a history of violence. She explained that he has been charged with four felonies, only one of which was violent in nature.

Three involved auto theft, one in which there was no passenger in the vehicle; and for the case involving a gun, an armed robbery, Moses was not the one in possession of the gun. She also pointed out that in the case she referenced two weeks ago–the one involving Moses’s possession of marijuana–Worrell’s office didn’t prosecute the case due to legislation the governor himself signed, altering the legal marijuana possession amount to the point that “it became difficult to distinguish between legal hemp and illegal cannabis.”

The Problem Starts with Law Enforcement

State Attorney Worrell made an important distinction: her office cannot prosecute junk cases–in other words, cases in which law enforcement violates the law in the process of apprehending a suspect, such as unlawful search and seizure. She shared an example of a case in which a law enforcement officer put his hand in the pocket of a person of interest to retrieve the person’s key fob and walked the street to find the person’s vehicle, at which point the deputy found evidence, but once it reached her office, the case couldn’t go any further because of the unlawful seizure.

As a solution, she said she has met with Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith and they are now in talks to partner with her office so OPD officers can be better trained so they can help “make better cases” to prosecute the criminals.

Worrell’s Proposed New Law

Worrell said the solution for criminals like Moses would involve catching them at the juvenile level, by both extending the jurisdiction of juvenile crimes past 19 years old and foster the creation of and more funding for programs that reduce recidivism. She said she has spoken with newly elected State Representative LaVon Bracy Davis, who is sponsoring legislation to that effect: HB 1273 – Juvenile Justice.

In summary, the bill:

  • permits a juvenile with one prior sealing or expunction to obtain court-ordered expunction
  • provides a court may retain post disposition jurisdiction until child reaches age 21 for certain youth on post-commitment probation
  • revises provisions relating to disposition hearings
  • provides for tolling of a juvenile’s probation period when notice of affidavit of violation is filed until allegation is resolved
  • revises maximum amount of time juvenile may be committed to juvenile corrections facility
  • revises age ranges of juveniles who may be committed to such facilities; and
  • revises offenses that permit juveniles to be committed to such facilities.

When Florida National News asked Worrell if she would be willing to travel to Tallahassee to speak with the governor directly, she said she’s “willing to do whatever it takes,” noting that in the event her presence would hinder the progress of the bill, she was also willing to remove herself to ensure it moves forward.

Calling the Governor Out

Worrell seemed unsurprised by Governor Ron DeSantis’ choice to target her, stating that her office is providing documents as requested. She noted a key caveat: if her office were to provide information on all cases under her administration, that would amount to roughly 300,000 documents, which would cost taxpayers $800,000 in man hours to research and furnish.

She presented a spreadsheet with statistics from her current administration (two years in thus far) and the previous three administrations, addressing the concern of dropped cases. She pointed out that so far she is within one percent of her predecessors in the total number of dropped cases. Additionally, she asserted that her administration does not have a policy for dropped cases as was alleged, but that there are other prosecutors who do.

Worrell also called out the governor’s silence to the families of the three victims and two survivors in the Pine Hills shooting despite his sharp criticism and call for accountability.

Selective Criticism/Enforcement

Speaking of accountability, Worrell noted that not long after the Pine Hills mass shooting, there was a similar crime in Brevard County and that prosecutor, State Attorney Phil Archer, was in the exact same situation she’s in. Archer, who serves in a red county, however, has yet to receive any public records requests from the governor.

Florida National News asked Worrell if she ahs spoken with her fellow prosecutors on this. She confirmed the Florida Prosecting Attorneys Association has already met and discussed this, and that not only were they all concerned about the juvenile crime issue, but that they too have already sought out their respective lawmakers to draft legislation.

Worrell was asked about whether she’s aware that her job is now in jeopardy. She said she knew her job was in jeopardy the moment her colleague in Tampa, former State Attorney Andrew Warren, was targeted by Governor DeSantis and removed from his job. She said she knows he’s targeting her simply because she doesn’t abide by his wishes or match his political ideology, but instead “follow[s] the law.”

When asked about the governor’s push for constitutional carry, she called it “catastrophic,” saying that such legislation will lead to even more shootings, especially since many criminals use stolen guns.

This is an ongoing story. Bookmark FloridaNationalNews.com for more updates.

_______________________________

Mellissa Thomas is Editor for Florida National News. | mellissa.thomas@floridanationalnews.com

Central Florida News

Florida Puerto Rican Parade & Festival Organizers Announces The 2024 Theme “Civic Engagement and Responsibilities”

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Florida Puerto Rican Parade Chairman Ralph Morales (center) parade Grand Marshal Betsy Franceschini (left) and parade Godfather Marcos Vilar (right) spoke about the parade's preparations during the press conference. Photo by Florida National News

ORLANDO, Fla. ( FNN) – On Tuesday, Florida Puerto Rican Parade & Festival organizers held a press conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel at SeaWorld to provide details about the 2024 parade and festival, and related events across Orlando.

The Parade

The annual parade will kick off April 27th at 11:00 am, at Rosalind Avenue and Robinson Street, ending at Orange Avenue and Amelia Street, Downtown Orlando.

Organizers are hoping the appointment of Dr. Arcilio Alvaradoa as Ambassador of Latin America communities can also help increase attendance from last year’s 25,000 attendees to 50,000 this year.

 

Florida Puerto Rican Parade Chairman Ralph Morales (center) parade Grand Marshal Betsy Franceschini (left) and parade Godfather Marcos Vilar (right) spoke spoke about the parade’s preparations during the press conference. Photo by Florida National News

Ralph Morales, Chairman of the Florida Puerto Rican Parade announced the names of key individuals who will have a major role in the parade this year.

  • Grand Marshal
    Betsy Franceschini is the former Florida Director, Hispanic Federation, former Florida Regional Director, Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration, former District Deputy Director, former US Congressman Alan Grayson, and Central Florida Hispanic Outreach Director, Florida Democratic Party.
  • Parade Godfather
    Marcos Vilar is the chairman of United for Progress PAC, Principal of Vilar Strategy Group, LLC, President of Alianza for Progress and Alianza Center, former National Field Director of Mi Familia Vota, and former Political Director of SEIU.
  • Parade Godmother
    Angélica Torres Figueroa is a social media influencer. She’s better known as Candy Lover who garnered over 5.4 million Facebook followers.

Morales also announce that the 2024 Parade will be dedicated to the municipality of Juncos, Puerto Rico.

The Puerto Rican Parade and Festival are the signature events of the FLPRP organization and provide our residents with an opportunity to highlight the rich Puerto Rican community culture, heritage, and contributions to the state of Florida, according to a news release issued by the Organizers.

This year’s festivity’s theme is “Civic Engagement and Responsibilities,” which encourages our community to get involved in local and national elections, give back to the community through volunteerism in nonprofit organizations, participate in government politics, and hold leadership positions in government, the news release stated.

The Festival

Morales also announce the artists who will participate in the festival are Hip hop El Jibarito, Victoria Sanabria, Nino Segarra and “Yomo”.

For more information about the 2024 Florida Puerto Rican Parade & Festival, please visit floridapuertoricanparade.org

Stay connected with Florida National News and FNN NEWS en Español as we cover the 2024 Florida Puerto Rican Parade & Festival.

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Central Florida News

Orlando Dinner Entertainment introduces NEW spring offerings

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Orlando, Fla. (March 18, 2024) – Spring has officially arrived in Central Florida and that means the kids are home and more visitors are making their way to the Sunshine State in search of adventure. Lucky for them, Orlando Dinner Entertainment is offering new immersive experiences for both kids and kids at heart. Not to mention, something for the grown-ups as well.

“Bunnies and Bubbles” at Teatro Martini & Jewel

While the kids are waiting for the Easter Bunny to visit, the adults can celebrate the holiday with a new take on Teatro Martini’s classic, 18+ dinner show. On March 28, 29 & 30, Teatro Martini will present “Bubbles and Bunnies,” a new overlay inspired by the iconic Playboy Bunnies, featuring world-class performers in a variety of arts including aerial, comedy, magic and more.

And the party continues in the speakeasy lounge, Jewel. For $35, guests will receive entry to the speakeasy, 100 chips for the charity gaming tables, a specialty cocktail and an Easter egg with a special prize upon entry.

Guests must be 18+ to attend Teatro Martini shows and 21+ to enter Jewel. Jewel is open Friday and Saturday from 7:00 PM to Midnight. To reserve your experience, call 407-206-5100 or click here to book.

“Revenge of the Dreadful” at Pirates Dinner Adventure

This spring, the crew at Pirates Dinner Adventure is coming back to settle the score. Pirates Dinner Adventure will highlight a different one of their fan-favorite characters, with themed merchandise and a specialty cocktail at the bar.

Ticket prices for the Pirates Dinner Adventure are $72.95 for adults and $46.95 for children ages three to 10. Children ages two and under are free. To reserve your experience, call 407-206-5102 or click here to book. Parental discretion is advised.

 

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Central Florida News

Representative Susan Valdés Opens Doors for Puerto Rican Citizens to Access Vital Documents in the Tampa Bay Area

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TALLAHASEE, Fla. Representative Susan L. Valdés (D- Tampa) is continuing an initiative aimed at easing access to essential government documents for Puerto Rican citizens residing in the Tampa Bay area. On March 18th, Representative Valdés will host the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA) at her district office, continuing a temporary setup to provide constituent services to the Puerto Rican community in Tampa.

This marks the third event of a concerted effort between Representative Valdés and PRFAA. The PRFAA temporary office will offer assistance in obtaining vital documents, including birth, marriage, death, and Administration for Child Support (ASUME) certificates, as well as drivers records, and apostille services, streamlining the process for those in need. The Government of Puerto Rico invalidated all Puerto Rican birth certificates issued prior to July 1, 2010, and is replacing them with more secure versions.

“I am proud to open my office to the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA) to provide these vital government services to the Puerto Rican Community in Tampa. I encourage all individuals with their original Puerto Rican birth certificate to attend this event and receive their updated version. Our office has fielded many cases where an individual was denied entry to cruises or trouble obtaining their driver’s license for presenting their outdated Puerto Rican birth certificate. Having the proper documentation for Puerto Rican citizens is essential and this effort is aimed at easing access to such services” said Representative Valdés.

Building on PRFAA’s commitment to serving Puerto Ricans across the United States, this collaboration echoes the recent establishment of their full-time office in Kissimmee, Florida. The initiative represents a significant step in extending these vital services to the Tampa Bay area.

The event is scheduled to be held at Representative Valdés‘ district office, located at 2221 N Himes Ave, Suite B, Tampa, FL 33607, on March 18th, 2024, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information regarding the services offered and to book an appointment please go the PRFAA’s website: https://prfaafl.simplybook.me/v2/ or by calling the district office at 813-673-4673.

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