*UPDATE APRIL 20th*: DeSantis signs law eliminating need for unanimous jury decisions

“Once a defendant in a capital case is found guilty by a unanimous jury, one juror should not be able to veto a capital sentence,” DeSantis said in a news release. “I’m proud to sign legislation that will prevent families from having to endure what the Parkland families have and ensure proper justice will be served in the state of Florida.”

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The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board called today for Jack Tuter to move Liz Scherer to the civil division, in an editorial entitled A Broward judge’s hug raises real bias questions.

From the editorial:

“Broward Chief Judge Jack Tuter has a decision to make. Scherer was a prosecutor in the Broward state attorney’s office before becoming a judge 11 years ago. She should have forsaken any sympathies long ago. Tutor (sic) should reassign her, at least for now, to civil trials that don’t involve Broward state attorneys and public defenders.”

Previously, the Fourth DCA denied blanket efforts to have Scherer disqualified from criminal cases. The issue in Tundidor, of course, involves a specific hugged ASA from the Parkland case who also factors prominently in the Tundidor matter. But does the Sun Sentinel’s position, coupled with the DCA’s recent actions, change anything?

Should Tuter, now that Broward’s most read newspaper has weighed in, move Scherer? Should the actions of the DCA in Tundidor be cabined strictly to that single case, or should the chief judge now be concerned regarding all criminal cases? Or should Tuter continue to ignore the previously voiced concerns of various defense bars, the Public Defender, and now those of the Sentinel, and leave her in criminal?

YOU MAKE THE CALL!

COMING SOON – Long Live Norm!; Old Friends: