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Fewer Face Death Penalty In Hillsborough County

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
AndrewWarrenFl.com
/
The Florida Channel
Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren

Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren has withdrawn pursuit of the death penalty in five of 24 cases he inherited when he took over the office in January, The Tampa Bay Times reported. A sixth defendant avoided death row with a guilty plea.

Seventeen of the cases await review.

Only once, so far, has Warren affirmed the prior administration's decision to seek death, although he also elected to seek it once in a more recent case.

"These decisions are the most serious and sobering decisions you make as state attorney," he says. "And it's different academically than it is when you're sitting in a chair as the one to make the decision."

The threat of capital punishment should not be used to coerce guilty pleas, he told the Times. He spoke of seeking death only if defendants exhibit what the Supreme Court has called "a consciousness of guilt materially more depraved."

Originally founded in December 2006 as an independent grassroots publication dedicated to coverage of health issues in Florida, Health News Florida was acquired by WUSF Public Media in September 2012.