criminal justice

Featured image for “JSO’s new drones get to a crime scene before officers do”

Detectives Malik Daricaud, left, and Thomas Strickland pilot a drone in a re-creation Wednesday, July 22, 2026. The screen above them shows an officer finding a missing 15-year-old with autism. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today

JSO’s new drones get to a crime scene before officers do

The Sheriff’s Office is more than doubling the size of its drone fleet to 61, funded by the state.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “Jacksonville write-in candidate accused of threatening to kill Trump”

Discharged U.S. Marine William L. Upham, as seen in a Facebook video threatening President Trump. | William Upham, Facebook

Jacksonville write-in candidate accused of threatening to kill Trump

Prosecutors say discharged Marine William L. Upham posted a video calling President Trump “the enemy of God.”…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “Jacksonville police officer charged with punching handcuffed suspect”

Sheriff T.K. Waters announces the arrest of a Jacksonville police officer on a battery charge on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. | News4Jax

Jacksonville police officer charged with punching handcuffed suspect

Patrol Officer Shane Saydek faces termination after he was accused of hitting an extremely intoxicated suspect.…

By Scott Johnson - News4Jax, Ariel Schiller - News4Jax and Walter Pendergrass - News4Jax

Featured image for “Tractor-trailer hits and kills man running from ICE in St. Augustine”

Police investigate the death of a man on State Road 16 who was running from ICE agents. | St. Johns County Sheriffs Office

Tractor-trailer hits and kills man running from ICE in St. Augustine

The death came amid increased scrutiny of ICE after agents shot and killed two people in other states.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “Fire Rescue unit stolen from Main Street fire station in Jacksonville”

A Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department unit is parked at the scene of a traffic crash on Hogan Road. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today

Fire Rescue unit stolen from Main Street fire station in Jacksonville

Someone walked into the fire station, started up the rescue vehicle and drove off. Police stopped him 5 miles away.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “Can a prisoner be too old to execute? Average age on death row is rising”

Undated booking photos show, from left, Dusty Ray Spencer, Dennis Sochor and Dominick Occhicone. | Florida Department of Corrections via AP

Can a prisoner be too old to execute? Average age on death row is rising

The last person executed in Florida was 74 years old, and several on death row are in their 80s.…

By David Fischer - Associated Press

Featured image for “Q&A | Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters discusses the jail, police shootings and more”

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters speaks with Jacksonville Today on Thursday, July 9, 2026. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today

Q&A | Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters discusses the jail, police shootings and more

Sheriff T.K. Waters sat down with Jacksonville Today to talk about his department halfway through 2026.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “Cold case solved: 70-year-old man arrested in woman’s 1987 death”

Melissa "Missy" Ellison and her then-baby daughter, Casie, in a photograph taken just before she was murdered in 1987 in her Westside home. | Project Cold Case/Ellison family

Cold case solved: 70-year-old man arrested in woman’s 1987 death

Melissa Ellison was clubbed to death with a fire log in her Westside home. Her young daughter was uninjured.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “Former gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum faces drug charges in Alabama”

Former Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum speaks to supporters during a gathering at the Florida Democratic Party state conference, June 7, 2019, in Orlando. | John Raoux, AP file

Former gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum faces drug charges in Alabama

Police said they found marijuana cigarettes and suspected methamphetamine in Gillum’s car.…

By The Associated Press

Featured image for “Federal court halts Florida law banning ‘woke’ instruction in universities”

The full 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Florida's "Stop WOKE Act." | 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals

Federal court halts Florida law banning ‘woke’ instruction in universities

The court said the state’s “Stop WOKE Act” sought to ban unpopular ideas from public discourse.…

By Gray Rohrer - News Service of Florida

Featured image for “Duval Schools principal accused of failing to report child abuse”

Baldwin Middle-Senior High School. | Google

Duval Schools principal accused of failing to report child abuse

Principal Michael Aaron Townsend was charged in connection with the arrest of a teacher last month.…

By Dan Scanlan

Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice