Jeff Ashton's son found guilty in DUI case

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla.,None — Jeff Ashton's son Alexander Ashton has been found guilty of drunken driving, and sentenced to a year of probation and six months without a license.

Earlier this week, WFTV was the first to report that Ashton was defending his son in the case.

The same fiery Ashton who prosecuted the Casey Anthony murder trial was present in the courtroom Thursday, but instead of trying to convince jurors to convict, he was trying to keep his 21-year-old son from getting convicted of drunken driving in Seminole County.

"You have to be sure and confident, there has to be no doubt in your mind," Jeff Ashton said. "We want you to draw your conclusion on what happened that night. Deputy Loride would like you to just rubber-stamp this."

The jury saw dash cam video from from the night last October that Alexander Ashton was pulled over in Longwood.

The deputy said the younger Ashton was clearly intoxicated and driving 68 mph in a 45 mph zone. The video shows him stumbling during field sobriety tests.

"The defendant couldn't stand still with his feet together," state attorney Kelly Jo Hines said.

A Breathalyzer test showed his blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit, but because the test is considered unreliable, that evidence was not allowed.

Ashton, who is running for state attorney in Orange/Osceola County, played the defense side, but said he does not think this will impact his campaign.

He got the deputy to admit that impairment is subjective, and hammered that home with jurors.

"I ask you to return a verdict of not guilty," Ashton said.

Jurors were not told the relationship between Ashton and his son. At one point, prosecutors slipped and said it doesn't matter "who he is or who his dad is."

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