Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is spearheading efforts to impeach a Miami-Dade Circuit Court judge following the acquittal of Precious Bland, a woman charged in the death of her infant daughter and the stabbing of her husband and another child. Bland was acquitted by Judge Miguel de la O on a historic COVID-related insanity defense.
Bland's defense team argued that she experienced a psychotic break attributed to COVID-19, leading to hallucinations and a belief she was being instructed to baptize her family. During the 2021 incident, Bland reportedly told her husband she was going to baptize everyone in the bathtub, according to an arrest report. Her husband and four children fled the residence after Bland allegedly stabbed him and attempted to stab another child who tried to intervene.
Officers responding to the scene found the 15-month-old child unresponsive in a bathtub. Bland was taken into custody without further incident.
Judge de la O sided with the defense, acquitting Bland on all counts in a bench trial. The judge's decision allowed Bland to return home pending a future hearing to determine her treatment options. Uthmeier condemned the ruling, stating that an acquittal based on an insanity defense linked to COVID-19 in such a case is unacceptable.
"I believe we have impeachment provisions in our state constitutions for a reason," Uthmeier told Fox News Digital. "So, I believe this is wrong. We're going to be pushing hard to work with our legislature to hold some of these judges accountable. I believe they're violating their oath and endangering our citizens."
Uthmeier indicated that he is exploring impeachment proceedings for other judges as well, citing instances where judges have allegedly released dangerous individuals. These include a judge in Tallahassee who released a convicted child predator who subsequently murdered his stepdaughter, and a Miami judge who allowed a defendant out on bail after a brutal assault.
Bland's attorney, Larry Handfield, suggested the ruling may be the first successful COVID-related insanity defense. He described Bland as a U.S. Navy veteran whose life was disrupted by the pandemic.
Uthmeier expressed skepticism about the application of the insanity defense in this context, arguing that it should pertain to confinement for treatment, not a release from legal consequences. "To the extent that insanity is going to weigh in on things, I believe it should factor into where you are housed for your incarceration, not give you a ‘get out of jail free’ card where you're just allowed to walk scot-free and put other people in danger," he said.
The attorney general characterized the ruling as part of a concerning national trend of judicial overreach. He stressed the importance of impeachment as a constitutional mechanism to address judicial misconduct and abuse of authority.
Precious Bland is scheduled for another hearing on July 6 to determine her treatment options. The 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida, where Judge de la O presides, stated that judicial ethics canons prevent comment on pending cases.