ORLANDO, Fla. — State Attorney Aramis Ayala's strong views on the death penalty sparked controversy and led to some showdowns with then-Gov. Rick Scott.
- Ayala said her views on death penalty shaped her decision
- Ayala was elected to State Attorney's Office in 2016
- Came into conflict with Gov. Rick Scott over death penalty views
Those views are also why the state attorney for Florida's Ninth Judicial Circuit announced she would not run for re-election on Tuesday.
Speaking one-on-one with Spectrum News 13, Ayala stood firm on her death penalty views.
"When I would be re-elected — raising my hand and taking an oath to administer justice — and to the [Florida] Supreme Court, it means death," Ayala said. "There is no justice in death."
In the wake of the first showdown with Scott, over the Markeith Loyd case, the former governor reassigned many of her death penalty cases. Gov. Ron DeSantis extended the executive order for another year, until March 2020.
Ayala, meanwhile, set up a panel to review future cases to determine if they could seek the death penalty.
Ayala says she's sought to approach the topic outside of the emotional impact, based on her education, experience and understanding of the nuances of the law.
"When a person commits a horrific crime, they already have shown us a lot about who they are," Ayala said. "And our response to that is what defines who we are."
Among Ayala's concerns about the death penalty are the resources that go into it.
"In the state of Florida, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, we're looking at $51 million every single year that we have to budget to enforce and to execute death penalty law," Ayala said. The statistic was confirmed by a Florida public defender in 2010, according to The Florida Bar.
Ayala also says studies show the death penalty does not work as a crime deterrent.
"When you look at the deterrent impact, it's not there," Ayala said.
"So the truth is, in the United States, 80 percent of executions come from the south, southern states in the United States, yet we have the highest murder rate," Ayala said. "I think we have to ask the question, at what price are we going to pay for revenge. The reality is when we only do what we've always done, we're going to continue to get what we've always had."
Ayala says victims' family and friends have every right to feel the way they do.
"It doesn't mean that I disagree with the pain, and the hurt, and the angst, and the trauma that a person goes through," Ayala said. "But if we are really interested in supporting and protecting and healing victims, then why aren't we putting resources behind their healing?"
So what's next for Ayala, a married mother of two? She won't say, but points to the fact that her term doesn't end until January of 2021.
"I'm not gone yet," Ayala said. "This is an announcement so that the people in this community can begin to explore their options."
There are two others interested in her job, according to Florida's Division of Elections: Ryan Williams and Kevin Morenski. Former Chief Judge Belvin Perry said on Tuesday that he's considering a run for state attorney.
Ayala told us what her biggest regret is.
"Not understanding the level of vengeance in the Florida legislature," she said, "To try to aim at me personally. They disagreed and made a decision to cut our budget $1.3 million, losing 21 positions."
She says despite that, public safety for the 1.4 million residents in Orange and Osceola counties were not impacted.
"People talk. 'Oh, you're the first African-American to be state attorney,' so let's not be surprised when I bring a diverse thought as it relates to justice, as it relates to the death penalty," she said. "If the status quo of our laws were never challenged, then guess what? Segregation would still exist. We wouldn't be able to marry who we want to marry."
Ayala also is proud of the job she's done so far, including the ability, she says, to balance needed reform without compromising public safety. Ayala says the conviction rate for murders and violent crime are past 80 percent, which is consistent with her predecessors.
She also says for domestic violence trials, it's increased more than 20 percent.
Ayala says she's proud of, "the ability to keep this community safe while still doing the things that I am proud about: reforming our bond policy, by creating a conviction integrity unit, giving juveniles an opportunity, our training programs, allowing our staff to become bilingual, and adding both Spanish and Creole to the training process, better recruitment, and a much more diverse office that reflects the community that we serve."