CNN | Citing abuse, Florida prosecutor stops pursuing most resisting arrest charges, sparking police concerns

(CNN) – Weeks after Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed a crackdown on civil disobedience and protesters who target police, a Florida prosecutor has instructed her staff to stop pursuing resisting arrest charges in many cases.

Police have used resisting arrest charges to stifle protests and free speech, said State Attorney Aramis Ayala, whose jurisdiction covers almost 1.8 million people in Orange and Osceola counties.

She’s tangled with DeSantis and his predecessor before over her refusal to seek the death penalty. The state Supreme Court backed former Gov. Rick Scott’s decision to re-assign such trials. DeSantis may challenge her again, she suspects.  —read more—