Law enforcement investigations and criminal prosecutions can be stymied by the reluctance of witnesses to come forward with information. State Rep. Ed Narain, D-Tampa, has proposed a bill for the current Florida Legislative Session aimed at addressing the problem. Narain says he’s tired of reading about homicides that go unsolved because witnesses are afraid to come forward with information that could lead to arrests. His proposal would exempt the identities of witnesses in felony investigations from public records requirements in an effort to help more witnesses feel safe coming forward.
One local instance of witness reluctance includes the October 2014 shooting death of five-year-old Andrew Faust in Fort Myers. Two men were arrested on second degree homicide charges after being named by a witness. However, the State Attorney’s Office had to drop those charges after the witness recanted her story. We’ll explore the impact of witness reluctance, the pervasive “no-snitch” culture and possible solutions to combat the problem.
Guests:
Hon. Archie Hayward, Lee County Judge, 20th Judicial Circuit
Florida Rep. Ed Narain, D-Tampa
Mike Scott, Lee County Sheriff
