Worrell’s Misconduct Enabled Murder of Young Women and Children, Governor’s Office Says

ORLANDO, FLORIDA — The governor’s office has provided details on ten cases that motivated Worrell’s suspension. Several of them detail tragic consequences of dangerous criminals being allowed to roam free despite prior felonies, only to cause more murder and mayhem.

Two of the most heinous crimes that the perpetrators were able to commit as a direct result of Worrell’s failure to prosecute involve young men murdering their partners.

In November 2022, 17-year-old Lorenzo Larry shot and killed his pregnant girlfriend, De’Shayla Ferguson. Larry had previously been arrested in May 2022 on several charges, including carrying a concealed firearm, possession of a firearm on school property and criminal possession of a firearm by a minor. But he was released after all these arrests. Worrell’s office did not act on any of these charges until after he killed his girlfriend and their unborn child.

In 2020, Kaylan Vega was arrested for possessing a weapon near the scene of a shooting. The following year, he pled no contest to possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of drug paraphernalia. There is a three-year mandatory sentence for actual possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, but Vega was able to plead down and was ultimately given probation. Shortly after his release, he was arrested for shooting and killing his girlfriend. Worrell’s office has not pursued prosecution for the murder.

According to documents obtained by The Florida Standard, Worrell has also allowed pedophiles to get away with lesser sentences.

Randall Fredericks was arrested in 2020 for possession of child pornography. In August 2022, he was charged with 45 counts, but by February 2023, Worrell’s office amended the charges to charge the pedophile with only ten counts. Each count carried a 15 year sentence. Fredericks got off with 130 months that will run concurrently.

“Central Florida has been exposed to a state attorney that ignored her oath. A state attorney that ignored being the voice of the victims,” Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said at a press conference on Wednesday.

“And today, Governor DeSantis… is the voice for those victims,” Sheriff Ivey added.

Worrell, on her part, argues that her suspension is the result of the “end of democracy” and “dictatorial” practices by Governor DeSantis.

“I am your duly elected state attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit. And nothing done by a weak dictator can change that,” Worrell said at a press conference on the eve of her suspension.

Many voices on the Left chimed in with that interpretation:

“Gov. DeSantis’ removal of the Orlando State Attorney is a brazen and petulant act of a flailing presidential candidate whose disregard for democracy and the rule of law is deeply troubling,” U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) states in a press release in support of Worrell.

Some commentators have insinuated that Worrell’s suspension is an expression of racism. However, that argument falls on its face, since her DeSantis-appointed replacement, Judge Andrew Bain, also happens to be black.

The Florida Constitution’s Article IV § 7(a) stipulates that “the governor may suspend from office any state officer not subject to impeachment, any officer of the militia not in the active service of the United States, or any county officer, for malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties, or commission of a felony” – regardless of whether the official in question is elected or appointed.