STATE BRIEF BRIEFS

Volusia Sheriff’s Offices launches ‘Connect Volusia’

The Volusia Sheriff’s Office has launched Connect Volusia, a platform that lets residents and businesses add their security cameras to a countywide database to help detectives quickly track down video evidence, Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood announced on March 30.

“Video cameras are helping solve crimes every day, from a theft at Walmart to a shooting in a residential neighborhood,” Chitwood said.

“With Connect Volusia, detectives will have one more tool to find crucial evidence and solve cases fast.”

Powered by Fusus, the camera registry serves as an online portal for citizens to register their security cameras. Registration does not give VSO access to live video. It only provides location information to track down cameras when an incident occurs. Those who want to be able to send live video to VSO during emergencies can upgrade their camera system to do so by installing a small device on their network. Register at connect.volusiasheriff.gov.

Hammock Dunes Cares donates $100,000 to PAL

Hammock Dunes Cares has donated $100,000 to the Flagler Sheriff’s Police Athletic League.

The money was donated after the FSPAL’s annual fundraising event, The RALLY, which is held in the first quarter of every year, according to a press release from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.

Hammock Dunes Cares was the sponsor of the 2023 RALLY event and raised over $120,000 for FSPAL and other local charities.

The $100,000 will go toward the league’s new facility, the press release said. To donate for the facility, make checks payable to the Flagler Sheriff’s Police Athletic League and mail them to FSPAL/ FCSO District 2 at 14 Palm Harbor Village Way W., Palm Coast, 32137, or donate in person between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Senate passes major death penalty change

In an issue that emerged after Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz was sentenced to life in prison, the Florida Senate on Thursday approved eliminating a requirement for unanimous jury recommendations before judges can impose death sentences.

“Nikolas Cruz acted as judge, jury and, unfortunately, executioner also,” Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, said. “If a monster like that, who commits heinous crimes like that, does not deserve and get the death penalty, then what do we have a death penalty for?”

The Senate voted 29-10 to pass a bill (SB 450), sponsored by Ingoglia, that would allow death sentences to be imposed based on the recommendations of eight of 12 jurors. Judges would have discretion to sentence defendants to life in prison after receiving jury recommendations of death sentences. But in such instances, the judges would have to explain in written orders their reasons for deviating from the death-sentence recommendations.

Thursday’s vote in the Republicancontrolled Senate was mostly along party lines. Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Plantation, Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Hollywood, and Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, crossed party lines to vote for the bill. Sen. Ileana Garcia, R-Miami, and Sen. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, joined most Democrats in voting against it.

If the Legislature and DeSantis move away from a unanimous-jury requirement, the change likely will face a constitutional challenge. During a committee meeting this month, Aaron Wayt, who represented the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, pointed to recent rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court and said he thinks the change would be found unconstitutional.

— JIM SAUNDERS, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA