State Attorney's ‘list' could stop law enforcement officers from testifying during trials

ORLANDO, Fla. — 9 Investigates found out a push by State Attorney Aramis Ayala could stop law enforcement officers from testifying during a trial.

It's known as a Brady List, and it's something prosecutors all over the country use. But some law enforcement officers say being on it ends careers.

The list covers the reporting of those officers and deputies to the state attorney by their departments, but exactly what is happening is still unclear.

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It's a list no law enforcement officer wants to be on because their job is to see their cases all the way through.

But sometimes their conduct doesn't allow that to happen.

Prosecutors across the country have established Brady Lists that show officers could be impeached at trial based on investigations for truthfulness, bias or even use of force.

WFTV reported last year about a letter from Ayala to her staff about Orlando police officer Robert Shellhorn.

She told her office to use caution when reviewing his cases after he called people savages once on Facebook and then again on body camera video.

But an email from Ayala to law enforcement heads last week said there is more to her policy when it comes to notifying the state attorney about those officers who are relieved of duty.

Orange County Sheriff John Mina said the list is OK, but wanted to make sure their violation was sustained first before being made public.

“It's our position, on that and always have been, that there should be a full and thorough investigation first before that deputy’s name is blasted out there and that may have a deputies name tainted unnecessarily,” said Mina.

It’s unclear how many officers have made their way onto the list.