Florida courts suspend trials to slow coronavirus, postponing Naomi Jones murder trial

To provide our community with important public safety information, the Pensacola News Journal is making stories related to the coronavirus free to read. To support important local journalism like this, please consider becoming a digital subscriber.

The chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court has temporarily suspended criminal and civil jury trials, grand jury proceedings and jury selection proceedings statewide in an effort to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus.

Florida Chief Justice Charles Canady authorized the suspension with an administrative order Friday. It will last from March 16 until March 27. Clerks of court and trial court administrators throughout the state will notify all citizens who have been called for jury service during that time frame.

“Florida’s Clerks will continue to issue summonses to avoid delay to future court processes once the suspension of all jury trials is lifted," Stacy Butterfield, president of the Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers, said in a statement. "If you receive a summons, Florida’s Clerks recommend contacting the respective Clerk’s office to confirm whether you are required to appear.”

Most day-to-day business in court such as hearings, filings and violation of probation hearings will continue as normal. Additional orders extending or modifying these measures could be issued as warranted by changing circumstances during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Coronavirus cancellations: Here's a list of Pensacola area events, activities canceled/rescheduled

Locally, attorneys were scheduled to begin jury selection Monday in the first-degree murder trial of Robert Howard, an Alabama man suspected of strangling 12-year-old Pensacola girl Naomi Jones and throwing her body off a bridge.

State prosecutors initially announced their intention to seek the death penalty in the case. On Wednesday, they announced that the imposition of the death penalty was "no longer appropriate" because of recently uncovered evidence and witness information.

With word of the cancellations Friday, attorneys and the trial judge reconvened and set a tentative new trial date for March 30.

More: State no longer seeking death penalty for Naomi Jones murder suspect

In his administrative order, Canady authorized local judges to use remote electronic means of conducting legal proceedings whenever possible.

Ahead of the announcement, two Okaloosa County defense attorneys, Glenn M. Swiatek and Stephen G. Cobb, wrote a letter to the First Judicial Circuit chief judge suggesting the courts work to limit the exposure of clients and the legal community.

"The local jails as well as Florida’s prisons are a breeding ground for a disaster that could negatively affect our substantial incarcerated jail and prison populations," Swiatek wrote. "Attorneys and the legal community who visit incarcerated clients will also be placed at high risk for exposure to the virus. For people like myself that are over the age of 60, exposure could very well result in death."

Swiatek suggested that video conferencing be implemented at no cost to clients and attorneys, the pre-trial conferencing occur via telecommunications or other electronic means and that all sentencing hearings involving incarceration be postponed until after the COVID-19 threat passes.

In his administrative order implementing the suspensions, Canady wrote, "during the duration of this order, the chief judge of each judicial circuit is authorized to establish temporary procedures for the use, to the maximum extent feasible, of communication equipment for the conducting of proceedings by remote electronic means, as are necessary in their respective circuits due to the public health emergency."

Kevin Robinson can be reached at krobinson4@pnj.com or 850-435-8527.