State attorney elect Jeff Ashton sends 'firing' letters to prosecutors

ORLANDO, Fla. — Just months before state attorney elect Jeff Ashton takes over the State Attorney's Office, letters were sent to the homes of prosecutors, telling them they would be fired.

WFTV learned that at least two of them supervised Ashton when he was an assistant state attorney and both had personnel issues with him, in one case for taking time off without getting permission.

Eleven prosecutors will be gone four months from now when Ashton takes over for his former boss, Lawson Lamar.

Ashton's former supervisor, Robin Wilkinson, a tough, long-time prosecutor who won a conviction last year against Isleworth millionaire developer Bob Ward for killing his wife, is one of the prosecutors who got the form letter.

Everyone got the same letter and they were sent to the prosecutors' homes.

The letters read, "After a thorough review of your employment history, as reflected in your personnel file, combined with my own personal familiarity with your work history, I have concluded that I will not be offering you employment with my administration."

Ashton's personnel file shows Wilkinson suspended him for two days for not getting permission to take time off.

Veteran prosecutor Dorothy Segwick also received the letter.

She is the wife of Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester, who recently recused himself from the Trayvon Martin case, after making disparaging comments about defendant George Zimmerman.

Ashton told WFTV he expects Lamar's No. 2, Bill Vose, and three others, including government corruption prosecutor Steve Foster, to leave voluntarily.

WFTV