Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier calls out state attorney over murder sentencing

Añadido: 2026-05-16

[00:00:00]I'm Attorney General James Uthmeier.

[00:00:03]Florida law is clear that the primary purpose of sentencing is to punish the offender and that rehabilitation is subordinate to the goal of punishment.

[00:00:13]But in Florida's 9th Judicial Circuit, the law does not appear to be the mandate.

[00:00:18]State Attorney Monique Worrell is giving violent criminals and murderers, who have no business being in our community, youthful offender status.

[00:00:29]For example, Marcus Anderson, who was 18 years old when he was indicted by a grand jury for first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm, and should have been eligible for the death penalty, had his charges downgraded to second-degree murder and given only 4 years in prison.

[00:00:49]Yaciel LeBron Flores ran a ran a red light in a stolen car without a license and killed an innocent man returning home from work.

[00:00:58]He was facing 15 years in prison, but Worrell's office agreed to another sweetheart deal and he will serve fewer than 6 years.

[00:01:07]Julian Vincent was charged with 25 counts of unlawful possession of child sex abuse material, material showing the rape and torture of infants and toddlers, scoring more than 27 years in prison.

[00:01:21]But Vincent won't serve a single day in prison because Worrell's office stood by as he was given youthful offender status unopposed.

[00:01:31]And most recently, her office agreed to a plea deal with Xavian Lambert.

[00:01:35]Lambert, while in possession of a weapon, committed a carjacking, but was allowed probation, yes, as a youthful offender.

[00:01:44]While Lambert was out on probation, he was arrested for manslaughter after shooting and killing Carlos Perez.

[00:01:51]Lambert claimed it was an accident, but only after dumping Perez's body out of the car, driving down the road to throw the firearm out of his vehicle, and returning to the scene momentarily only to run and hide.

[00:02:05]Worrell's office is asking the court to approve a plea deal, a deal the victim's family opposes, that will result in Lambert spending only 20 years in prison. That's not enough.

[00:02:15]There must be legitimate accountability.

[00:02:18]There must be punishment. Monique Worrell's misjudgments are far too numerous, and her conduct is not beyond oversight by the state or the public.

[00:02:29]State Attorney Worrell's obvious pattern or practice of leniency on violent and deadly criminals must end.

[00:02:35]Thank you.