ORLANDO, Fla. — Belvin Perry Jr., the former chief judge of Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit, entered the Orange-Osceola state attorney’s race Thursday.
Republican Kevin Morenski and Democrats Deborah Barra and Ryan Williams have already declared their candidacy.
Read: ‘Time for me to move forward': State Attorney Aramis Ayala won’t run for re-election
Current State Attorney Aramis Ayala announced in May that she would not run for reelection.
Ayala became Florida's first African American state attorney when she took office in January 2017.
She announced two months later that she would not seek the death penalty in murder cases, which sparked a statewide controversy.
Perry, who served as a WFTV legal analyst, gained national attention when he oversaw the Casey Anthony trial. He discussed the case in detail with Channel 9 anchor Greg Warmoth in 2018 on “Central Florida Spotlight.” Click here to watch the episode.
Read: Former Judge Belvin Perry Jr. answers questions in Reddit AMA
Perry, 70, grew up in Orlando during the 1950s. His mother was a teacher and his father was one of the Orlando Police Department’s first two black officers.
He described to Channel 9 in 2017 what it was like growing up in a segregated Orlando. Click here to watch that interview.
Perry previously served as chief assistant state attorney. Click here to read more about his career.
Read: ‘Spotlight’: Casey Anthony judge discusses trial 10 years after Caylee’s disappearance
Editor’s note: Perry previously served as a WFTV legal analyst.
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