Melissa Ross
The man hoping to unseat State Attorney Angela Corey says he’s doing it to restore public confidence in the leadership of Florida’s Fourth Circuit.
“Prosecutors have to work in the court of public opinion as well as the courtroom,” says challenger Wes White.
“And right now the state attorney’s office has failed largely in the court of public opinion. What we need to do is bring back trust in that office. And we need to address the rise in violent crime in Jacksonville.”
White, a 58-year-old former prosecutor who ran the Nassau County office during Corey’s first term, is a Republican who filed early in the 2016 contest as a way of introducing himself to voters before a formal announcement later this year.
He left his post in 2012 after what he called “disagreements” with Corey over the direction of the office.
“Her office is tough on crime, but we’re still not doing the job.
Violent crime and murders are going up in Jacksonville. And the public confidence in the State Attorney’s office has fallen precipitously over the years Ms. Corey has been in office. I’m not here to bash Ms. Corey. But I think we need a change,” he said.
A recent poll conducted by the UNF Public Opinion Research Laboratory found 51% of Duval County voters disapprove of the job Corey is doing as the region’s top prosecutor.
Corey has presided over several high-profile and controversial cases, including the trials of George Zimmerman, Michael Dunn and Marissa Alexander.
A statement from Corey’s office had this response:
“I am not concerned by this unscientific poll. The true measure of how this office is doing is evident every single day with the feedback we get from victims, Law Enforcement and members of our community from all three counties in the Fourth Judicial Circuit, which include not just Duval county, but also Clay and Nassau counties. I look forward to seeking re-election in 2016 and continuing to protect the citizens of the Fourth Judicial Circuit.”
White says he welcomes the debate- and thinks he can even pull coveted police and fire union endorsements away from the incumbent.
“I will seek them. I’ve got to tell you that a fair amount of people encouraging me to run are law enforcement personnel. They believe that the train has left the tracks,” he said.
During his appearance on First Coast Connect, White also took strong issue with the way the SAO has handled juvenile cases, such as the controversial murder prosecution of 12-year-old Cristian Fernandez.
“I don’t believe 12-year-olds can be charged with first degree murder as an adult. Children who cannot understand the gravity of what they’ve done, who cannot understand what the ramifications of a plea agreement are, children who cannot assist their counsel in their defense, they are too young to be charged with first degree murder as an adult,” he said.
White says he’d expand the use of civil citations for juveniles for nonviolent offenses in the 4th Circuit, something activists have been pressuring Corey to do.
“You need to make certain that these children who violate the law understand there’s some consequence associated with that. Civil citations don’t always work. But you need to be tough on crime but smart on crime too. There are plenty of monsters out there who need to be thrown into the pit and I will throw them in. But there are others who can be redeemed, or who should be punished but not condemned,” he said.
