ORLANDO, Fla. — Former Ninth Circuit Court Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. will be running for State Attorney in Central Florida.
- Former Judge Belvin Perry Jr. now a candidate for State Attorney
- He's vying for State Attorney Aramis Ayala's seat
- Perry presided over the Casey Anthony murder trial
According to election records, Perry is vying for current Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala's seat. Ayala announced last May that she would not be seeking re-election.
As a chief judge, he presided over the 2011 Casey Anthony murder trial in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court.
Perry is currently on the board of trustees for Bethune-Cookman University as the school looks to get out of financial trouble.
The former judge is facing three other opponents: Chief Assistant State Attorney Deborah Barra, criminal defense attorney Kevin Morenski, and prosecutor Ryan Williams.
Barra released the following statement regarding Perry entering the race:
"While I respect Mr. Perry, it’s been more than 30 years since he has worked as a prosecutor. Our community shouldn’t look to the past; we need to focus on the future. With my prosecutorial and managerial experience, I am the only candidate who knows what it will take to get the job done and bring justice to crime victims."
During Ayala's role as State Attorney, she had been removed from several high-profile cases — most recently the Nicole Montalvo murder.