On Monday, William Dillon’s special claims bill was before a hearing at the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) in Tallahassee, where lawyers for the Florida Legislature are considering compensation for the 27 years Dillon spent in prison before his release last year after DNA testing excluded him from a key piece of evidence.

Though the “clean hands” provision of the compensation law that necessitated this hearing is a disgrace in and of itself, the most troubling thing, to me, in the post-exoneration saga of William Dillon is the way in which key leaders in positions of power and influence in Florida’s government, namely Governor Charlie Crist, Attorney General Bill McCollum, and Brevard-Seminole County State Attorney Norman Wolfinger, have responded to Dillon’s case and the documented systematic abuses of the justice system in Brevard County during the 1980s. Despite repeated calls from lawyers, politicians, journalists, justice advocates, and others across the political spectrum for some sort of investigation—any sort, for crying out loud—into the police and prosecutorial misconduct that landed three individuals (going on four and counting) in prison for crimes they did not commit, these career politicians continue to demonstrate to the citizens of this State that they are spineless and ethically vacuous leaders without an iota of concern for doing what is right. Political expediency, apparently, wins out in the battle between justice and injustice.

While Crist and McCollum are perhaps guilty of only acts of omission by hiding their heads in the sand, Wolfinger, on the other hand, has earned a special place atop the hierarchy of the ethically untethered. He has gone out of his way to contest compensation for a man who spent 27 years of his life in prison for a crime he did not commit. Wolfinger has denied Dillon’s innocence despite scientific proof to the contrary and has written a letter to the Florida Legislature claiming his office only dropped charges against Dillon because they could no longer present enough evidence to convict him. Is this guy serious?

We should also keep in mind that Crist, McCollum, and Wolfinger are all bar licensed attorneys in Florida. They are officers of the State of Florida sworn not only to uphold the laws of the State as required by their respective offices, but also to uphold the “dignity and esteem” of the “the law, the judicial system, and the legal profession.” Attorneys, notwithstanding the unfortunate (but likely deserved) public perception to the contrary, are bound to “be guided by a fundamental sense of honor, integrity, and fair play.” A requirement for admission to the Florida bar is that an individual be of “good moral character.” Crist, McCollum, and Wolfinger have demonstrated that they have forgotten their oaths and their obligations and have revealed the shallowness of their commitment to justice. I can hardly think of anything more disappointing from our Governor, our Attorney General, and one of our State Attorneys.

All three of these men have shown us the true quality of their character (or, as I believe, lack thereof). The citizens of Florida deserve better, and we have the opportunity, and I believe the duty, to take a stand against career politicians—indeed charlatans—posing as leaders of character. Since Crist and McCollum are so concerned with advancing their political careers, and are both running for office, we should let them know that we have higher standards for the leaders in our government and cast our vote for leaders who have some sense of decency and who take their ethical and professional duties seriously.

Related posts:

1. Another Man Convicted by Preston’s Dogs
2. Bill Dillon Compensation Hearing This Morning
3. Florida Today Calls for Investigation into Brevard County
4. DNA Testing Demonstrates William Dillon is Innocent
5. Well Said: Florida Today Questions Legitimacy of Wolfinger Investigation
6. Brevard County Drops Charges Against William Dillon