State Attorney Aramis Ayala has faced reprisal for bold criminal justice reforms. The Aug. 18 election will determine whether her successor builds on her legacy or backtracks. In November 2016, Aramis Ayala was elected state attorney for the Ninth Circuit of Florida, becoming the first Black chief prosecutor in the state’s history. Three months after taking office, Ayala made national news by announcing that the circuit would stop pursuing the death penalty.
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