Death penalty on the table for Matthew Terry after acting Hillsborough state attorney questioned under oath
TAMPA, Fla. - Acting Hillsborough State Attorney Suzy Lopez took the stand Friday to defend her decision to seek the death penalty in the case of accused murderer Matthew Terry.
After hearing hours of arguments Tampa judge Michael Williams dropped a bombshell ruling Friday morning.
"I’m going to deny the motion to quash Ms. Lopez. I will hear from her first," Williams stated.
That ruling meant newly appointed Hillsborough State Attorney Suzy Lopez was in the hot seat answering questions on the witness stand.
The Hillsborough public defender’s office is accusing Lopez of playing politics with the life of their client Matthew Terry.
Terry is accused of stabbing his girlfriend, Kay Baker, to death during an argument in May.
Acting Hillsborough County State Attorney Suzy Lopez takes the stand ahead to defend her decision to seek the death penalty in the case of accused murderer Matthew Terry.
The defense wants Lopez to explain why she decided to pursue a death sentence in the Terry case just 24 hours after she was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis.
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Lopez defended her decision. She explained she was shown an 81-page PowerPoint presentation by lead prosecutor Justin Diaz.
"It was after I reviewed Mr. Diaz's thorough PowerPoint and had a discussion with the homicide committee that I made my decision," explained Lopez.
Accused murderer Matthew Terry could be sentenced to death is he's found guilty of murdering his girlfriend following a fight.
Lopez testified she was made aware of the Terry case the first day she took office and immediately reviewed the case with her homicide team.
She said Terry's action were cruel and heinous.
"Miss Baker was nearly decapitated with a knife that Mr. Terry plunged into her throat," she recalled.
Terry, who is set to go to trial at the end of the month, thought he was off the hook on a death sentence after Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren declined to seek it.
Full press conference: Florida Gov. DeSantis announces suspension of Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody announced the suspension of Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren, effective immediately, for refusing to enforce Florida law.
But then, on August 4, the governor suspended Warren, for not following the law and refusing to prosecute cases involving abortion and transgender health care.
Warren is now suing in Federal court to get his job back.
The governor appointed Lopez as the new state attorney. The very next day Lopez filed her intent to seek the death penalty in the Terry case, just under the 45-day deadline.
Hillsborough public defender Jamie Kane accused Lopez of trying to score political points.
"Democratic state attorney makes one decision and 24 hours later a Republican state attorney makes a different decision and we’re going to say that it’s not political? How is that possible? When according to Ms. Lopez the facts haven’t changed the only fact that changes in the case is the person making this decision," argued Kane.
The Hillsborough public defender’s office is accusing Lopez of playing politics with the life of their client Matthew Terry.
During Kane's questioning of Lopez, he asked if she had done her own research on the Terry case before she decided to seek death.
"No, sir," replied Lopez.
Kane pressed Lopez on whether she was offered any promises or favors by the governor or his staff if Warren would be re-instated as state attorney, but prosecutors objected to the questions and the judge agreed it was irrelevant to the Terry case.
Later, Hillsborough state prosecutor Jay Pruner asked Lopez if she was pressured by the governor or any source to seek the death penalty in the Terry case.
"No, sir," replied Lopez.
Judge Williams believed Lopez and said the defense failed to meet its burden.
Williams ruled the death penalty will remain in the Terry case.
The trial is set to begin on October 31, 2022.