Prosecutors seek death penalty against Sanford man facing child sex crimes charges

[00:00:01]KIDS WORKING TWO JOBS AND WAS STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEMINOLE COUNTY, PROSECUTORS WILL SEEK THE DEATH PENALTY AGAINST A MAN ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ABUSING A CHILD, A STATE LAW PASSED IN 2023 AND THEN EXPANDED IN 25, ALLOWS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AGAINST CHILD SEX CRIMES.

[00:00:19]TONIGHT, ONLY WESH TWO’S PATTRIK PEREZ IS TALKING TO SEMINOLE COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY ABOUT THIS CHOICE.

[00:00:25]PATRICK.

[00:00:25]YEAH, HE SAYS THIS CASE WENT UNDER INTENSE REVIEW.

[00:00:28]IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY TAKE LIGHTLY, BUT ULTIMATELY, PROSECUTORS HAD ENOUGH TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SEEKING THIS PENALTY.

[00:00:35]THE CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST 35 YEAR OLD DANIEL RODRIGUEZ WILL BE THE FIRST IN THE 18TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT TO TEST A 2023 FLORIDA LAW ALLOWING PROSECUTORS TO SEEK THE DEATH PENALTY IN CERTAIN CAPITAL.

[00:00:48]SEXUAL BATTERY CASES.

[00:00:49]THIS IS THE FIRST ONE THAT WE’VE HAD IN OUR CIRCUIT.

[00:00:53]THERE ARE OTHERS ACROSS THE STATE, STATE ATTORNEY WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, WHOSE OFFICE SERVES SEMINOLE AND BREVARD COUNTIES, FILED A NOTICE OF INTENT TO SEEK THE DEATH PENALTY.

[00:01:02]IN RODRIGUEZ’S CASE LAST THURSDAY.

[00:01:04]IT’S A VERY PARTICULAR REVIEW.

[00:01:06]IT’S A VERY INTENSIVE REVIEW THAT’S MADE WITHIN 45 DAYS.

[00:01:11]AND THIS ONE, THIS ONE FITS THE.

[00:01:14]A DESERVES IT BEST.

[00:01:16]ACCORDING TO THE STATE ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, RODRIGUEZ RECORDED HIMSELF RAPING, MOLESTING AND EXPOSING HIMSELF TO TWO CHILD RELATIVES, INCLUDING A SIX YEAR OLD GIRL.

[00:01:23]HE’S FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES, INCLUDING TWO COUNTS OF SEXUAL BATTERY ON A CHILD YOUNGER THAN 12, WHICH IS A CAPITAL FELONY AND SIX COUNTS OF LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS MOLESTATION OF A CHILD YOUNGER THAN 12.

[00:01:36]CAPITAL, SEXUAL BATTERY.

[00:01:36]AND MOST PEOPLE WILL PROBABLY AGREE WITH ME WHEN I SAY THIS IS A PARTICULARLY HEINOUS CRIME IN AND OF ITSELF.

[00:01:41]RIGHT?

[00:01:43]AND I THINK THAT’S WHY THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR SAID WE NEED TWO AGGRAVATING FACTORS IN ORDER TO PURSUE THIS.

[00:01:50]IN THIS CASE, THE TWO AGGRAVATING FACTORS THE STATE INTENDS TO PROVE BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT ARE THAT THE DEFENDANT WAS PREVIOUSLY CONVICTED OF ANOTHER CAPITAL FELONY OR OF A FELONY INVOLVING THE USE OR THREAT OF VIOLENCE TO THE PERSON AND THE VICTIM OF THE CAPITAL.

[00:02:04]FELONY WAS PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE DUE TO AGE OR DISABILITY, OR BECAUSE THE DEFENDANT STOOD IN A POSITION OF FAMILIAL OR CUSTODIAL AUTHORITY, OVER THE VICTIM.

[00:02:13]STEINER HOPES PROSECUTORS PURSUIT OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN THIS CASE SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE.

[00:02:17]AND AND THE HOPE IS, IS THAT IF SOMEONE’S GOING TO ENGAGE IN THIS, THEY’RE GOING TO DO IT IN SOME OTHER STATE, OR THEY’RE NOT GOING TO DO IT AT ALL.

[00:02:27]SO IF CONVICTED OF THOSE CAPITAL SEXUAL BATTERY CHARGES, A SEPARATE PENALTY PHASE WOULD DETERMINE WHETHER RODRIGUEZ IS ELIGIBLE FOR THIS DEATH SENTENCE UNDER FLORIDA LAW.

[00:02:35]BUT OF COURSE, THIS CASE IS STILL IN ITS VERY EARLY STAGES.

[00:02:38]RODRIGUEZ, BY THE WAY, DOES REMAIN IN THE SEMINOLE COUNTY JAIL WITH NO BOND.