Busloads of people from all corners of Florida descended on the state capitol in Tallahassee this morning for a “Rally in Tally” to show their support for State Attorney Aramis Ayala. Ayala announced earlier this month that she will not seek the death penalty during her tenure as the head prosecutor of Orange and Osceola Counties.
Following a rally on the capitol steps, leaders delivered over 130,000 petition signatures to the office of Governor Rick Scott. Scott filed for the removal of Alaya from a high profile murder case in Orlando, overstepping his authority and undermining her discretion as a prosecutor.
Ayala is fighting back, and people throughout Florida and around the country are standing with her.
“The rally was empowering, energetic, and engaging,” said Mark Elliott, Executive Director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. “EJUSA’s Christine was spectacular.”
EJUSA Organizer Christine Henderson (pictured above at the podium) was the emcee of the event, which featured speakers such as civil rights activists, faith leaders, legislators, a murder victim’s family member, and a death row exonoree, to name just a few. Watch this video to see her fire up the crowd:
Let us continue to #StandWithAramis. She isn’t afraid to tell the truth about how broken the death penalty really is. Let us too speak truth and continue to fight to end the death penalty in Florida and throughout the country.
Photo credit: Mark Elliott
