Corey Smith — the reputed leader of a notorious Liberty City drug gang who was convicted of multiple murders and sentenced to death two decades ago — got a reprieve Sunday when prosecutors said they would no longer ask for the death penalty at his re-sentencing.
It’s a case that has been in limbo for almost a year as attorneys first grappled with the difficult task of changes to the death penalty law in Florida. They were also forced to navigate through the removal of the two lead prosecutors in the case for alleged misconduct. That was followed by moves from Smith’s defense attorneys to have the case tossed altogether.
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Then Sunday, after a series of controversial texts between the Miami-Dade state attorney and the appellate judge who originally prosecuted the case and who testified at re-sentencing were publicized, the state said it would no longer seek death for Smith because too much time had passed and witnesses had dried up or died.