WFTV speaks to woman at center of case where judge yelled at prosecutor

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Channel 9 spoke to the woman at the center of a case in which a judge berated a prosecutor. That case has been thrown out of court.

The public defender’s officer believes Circuit Judge Frederic Schott was angry about a Sanford police officer’s questionable testimony that no one from the Sheriff’s Office was able to do a breathalyzer test on Licette Gonzalez.

Gonzalez insists she's innocent and is grateful for the judge's decision, but said the whole thing was upsetting.
"I didn't know what was going on. All I know is I was crying," she said.

The officer said he didn’t ask her to do a breathalyzer test because no one from the Sheriff’s Office was available to do it.

He indicated in reports she had an unlawful blood or breath-alcohol level, which automatically suspended her license for six months.

The jury found her guilty, but Schott threw out the verdict and went on a tirade accusing the officer of lying, and possibly breaking the law.

Raw: Seminole County judge gets angry with prosecutor

"Are you going to nolle pros that case? Or am I going to get mad at you today?" Schott asked Assistant State Attorney Diana Miers.

The judge and Miers got into a heated argument because the judge wanted the police officer to be charged with lying.

"I want you taking him up on perjury," Schott said.

"He admitted it was a mistake, your honor," Miers said.

After the exchange, Schott decided to reverse the jury's verdict to not guilty.

The public defender’s office said the Sheriff’s Office refuted the officer’s claim about the breath test.

“The evidence showed there are breath test operators always available to give a breath test and that this officer said there is not, which is not true,” said spokesperson Blaise Trettis.

Sanford police said body camera video of the arrest shows the officer asking for an operator and being told it would be about three hours.

The state is appealing the decision.

A hearing is set for May, but the public defender’s office plans to file a motion arguing the case is over.

WFTV