Ep19: LAW AND ORDER: From the Coronavirus, the Tiger King Influence & Family, a One on One with State Attorney Andrew Warren
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Episode Summary:
Is there really a Tiger King influence on justice? In this Trailblazer podcast, Sarina Fazan and Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren discuss how Netflix is encouraging people to help the justice system, the history currently being made by the Office of the State Attorney for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, and the impact of the Coronavirus on the criminal justice system.
Born and raised in Gainesville, Florida, State Attorney Warren returned home to the Sunshine State after serving a federal prosecutor with the United States Department of Justice. He was elected as Hillsborough State Attorney in November 2016, and his office is responsible for prosecuting all criminal violations of state law that occur in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, including all of Hillsborough County and the incorporated cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City.
State Attorney Warren’s mission is to make Hillsborough County safer while promoting justice and fairness for everyone. Since his election, he has implemented a series of local reforms including prioritizing the prosecution of violent crime, serious fraud, and serial recidivism to keep dangerous individuals out of neighborhoods.
Recently, his office made history with the Tampa Bay area’s first Voting Rights Docket, which was held on Tuesday, June 2. The first of their kind in Florida, the purpose of these court hearing are to restore the voting rights to felons who have completed their sentences and are working to reintegrate into society.
It's been especially challenging to keep the wheels of justice turning during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the courts reopening and trials starting again in July, the judicial system will be tasked with getting through the backlog of cases efficiently - while still giving every case the attention it needs and ensuring that everyone’s rights are protected. State Attorney Warren says that high profile criminal cases, especially death cases, will be front and center.
But it’s unlikely that there will be a lot of criminal prosecution for stay-at-home order violations. State Attorney Warren says that compliance is the goal, and it is his office’s belief that addressing the underlying problem is a more effective solution for public safety than simply punishing offenders.
Domestic violence, however, is a growing concern. While the 13th Judicial Circuit has seen a drop in domestic violence cases and calls for help since the start of the pandemic, State Attorney Warren fears that victims of abuse may be suffering in silence. That’s why the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office and The Spring of Tampa Bay have teamed up with partners to launch the “We Are Open” campaign, spreading the message that help for victims of domestic violence never closes. Anyone needing support should call The Spring’s 24-hour crisis hotline at (813) 247-7233.
The Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office is also welcoming tips from the public in wrongfully convicted cases. While the stay-at-home orders were in effect over the past few months, lots of people have been binge watching shows on Netflix, including very popular Tiger King docuseries with its Tampa connection. State Attorney Warren is hoping that people also will watch Netflix’s new crime show “The Innocence Files,” which is about researchers exonerating innocent people. His office’s Conviction Review Unit is doing the same work here in Hillsborough County, recently launching the “Innocence Files Tampa” website at www.sao13th.com/conviction-review-unit-cru.
For more information about the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office, visit www.sao13th.com.