Investigative

Uncovering corruption, systemic failures, and hidden injustices to hold those in power accountable.

Influence & Injustice (June 21, 2018)

Our investigation into Duval County’s legal system revealed significant racial disparities in sentencing, with black defendants receiving sentences nearly four times longer than white defendants in drug cases prosecuted by Christine Bustamante. Systemic influences such as judicial decisions and policing practices impacted these outcomes, and the findings highlighted persistent racial bias in the criminal justice system. Read more here.

Jacksonville home for teen delinquents shut down after decade of criticism, 1,800 police calls (November 19, 2019)

My year-long investigation into Panama Youth Services involved analyzing over 1,800 police calls and obtaining records from the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Juvenile Justice. I revealed systemic failures in oversight and management at the group home. The investigation’s impact was significant, contributing to the eventual closure of the facility and prompting discussions about the need for improved care and supervision for troubled youth. Read more here.

Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams doesn’t live in Duval and might violate city law (May 27, 2022)

This investigative report uncovered that Sheriff Mike Williams moved out of Duval County over a year ago, potentially violating city law that mandates the sheriff reside within the county. Our reporting revealed the sale of Williams’ Jacksonville home and his move to Nassau County, which intensified public scrutiny and ultimately led to his resignation. Read more here.

Public Defender Matt Shirk has moved on from scandals and hopes voters have too (August 22, 2016)

Despite a grand jury investigation and ethics complaints, Matt Shirk sought re-election as Jacksonville’s public defender, banking on door-to-door campaigning to overcome his scandals. Shirk admitted past mistakes, including hiring women based on appearance and misusing office funds, but hoped voters would focus on his fiscal conservatism and veterans’ advocacy. The reporting dissected how he leveraged his connections and past campaign strategies while largely avoiding discussions of his controversies. Read more.

Matt Shirk's top assistant has been 'ineffective' four times, raising questions among experts (August 24, 2016)

I revealed that Jacksonville's chief assistant public defender, Refik Eler, had been ruled ineffective in multiple death penalty cases, leading to overturned sentences and costly retrials. Shirk defended Eler’s performance, raising questions about the office's handling of capital cases. The reporting connected Eler’s failures to broader systemic issues within the public defender’s office, highlighting the consequences of political hires over qualified legal representation. Read more.

After frequent scandal, is Jacksonville ready for a new Public Defender? Challenger Charlie Cofer hopes so (August 21, 2016)

As Jacksonville Public Defender Matt Shirk sought re-election, former judge Charlie Cofer challenged him, running on a platform of restoring integrity to the office. The reporting detailed Cofer’s record, Shirk’s scandals, and the reluctance of both candidates to directly address the controversies in campaign speeches. The analysis showed how Shirk’s tenure, marked by ethical violations and high staff turnover, fueled an unprecedented challenge in what had historically been a low-profile race. Read more.

Shirk gave away guns, money after failed reelection (August 1, 2019)

A state audit found that after losing his 2016 re-election bid, former Jacksonville Public Defender Matt Shirk misused office funds, gave away state-owned firearms to a motorcycle club without documentation, and attempted to delete public records. The investigation, which built upon previous reporting, revealed missing public records and raised new legal and ethical questions about Shirk’s tenure. Read more.

Public Defender Matt Shirk had lowest-paid attorneys, but paid friends generously (January 1, 2017)

Shirk’s budget priorities drastically reduced attorney salaries while funneling high salaries to political allies and friends with little legal experience. The investigative reporting exposed disparities in pay, high turnover rates, and questionable hiring practices, emphasizing how Shirk’s management led to one of the highest turnover rates among public defenders in the state. Read more.

Former Jacksonville Public Defender Matt Shirk disbarred (March 14, 2024)

Following years of scandals, grand jury investigations, and ethics violations, the Florida Supreme Court disbarred former Jacksonville Public Defender Matt Shirk. While his history of hiring based on appearance, drinking in the office, and deleting public records had already tarnished his reputation, it was his unlicensed practice of law that ultimately led to his downfall. The reporting synthesized years of investigative coverage, documenting the full arc of Shirk’s political rise and fall. Read more.

Matt Shirk

A decade of scandals, ethical breaches, and mismanagement at Jacksonville’s Public Defender’s Office.

Interactive: Legislative Compass (August 2024)

This news app allowed reporters and the public to see every vote legislators took.

Duval County Judge Leading Vote-Counting Board Donated to Trump 12 Times. That’s Not Allowed. (October 29, 2020)

I uncovered that Duval County Judge Brent Shore, who was leading the county’s vote-counting board, made 12 donations to President Trump’s campaign, violating state law and judicial rules against political donations. This revelation prompted a major outcry over the board’s lack of transparency and Shore’s partisan actions, leading to his resignation. Read more here.

Money and Politics: Jacksonville’s Mayoral Race Exposes Lax Campaign Finance Laws (June 7, 2022)

My in-depth analysis of Jacksonville’s mayoral campaign finance showed candidates raised over $8.6 million in a race nearly a year away, significantly exceeding past records due to Florida's lax campaign finance laws. This investigation revealed the influence of money in local politics, where top donors often made contributions exceeding $100,000 to political committees, obscuring the sources of funding and hindering transparency. Read more here.

Before next governor is chosen, Florida Supreme Court hopefuls face ideological test (November 4, 2018)

A judicial nominating commission, dominated by Gov. Rick Scott’s appointees, fast-tracked the selection process for three Florida Supreme Court vacancies before knowing which governor would make the final picks. My reporting exposed how this politicized process restricted judicial diversity and left little room for ideological balance. Even if a Democrat had won the governorship, they would be limited to choices shaped by Scott’s allies. The commission’s questioning further emphasized partisan priorities, reinforcing concerns about judicial independence and fairness in Florida’s courts. Read more here.

Trump's winning Florida strategy: Forget the cities, show me the suburbs (November 9, 2016)

Hours after calling the election in Florida in 2016, I examined Donald Trump’s unexpected victory, attributing his success to a focused strategy that prioritized suburban voters over urban strongholds. By analyzing demographic shifts and voting trends, I illustrated how this approach enabled Trump to capture critical electoral support and reshape the narrative of Florida politics. Read more here.

How candidates for governor would address Florida's Prisons (October 19, 2018)

As Florida faced an election for governor, I uncovered the paradox of rising prison costs amid decreasing crime rates. An analysis of the state’s budget revealed a looming $2.4 billion shortfall, forcing policymakers to confront whether Florida’s harsh penal system warranted reform. Key gubernatorial candidates diverged sharply on this issue. Read more here.

How did Andrew Gillum win the Democratic nomination? Look to Duval County (August 29, 2018)

My exploration into Andrew Gillum's primary victory revealed how pivotal Duval County was for his campaign. By securing nearly 22,000 more votes than his closest opponent, Gillum capitalized on strong turnout in predominantly black neighborhoods. This analysis of voting patterns illustrated the shifting political landscape in North Florida and underscored the importance of local demographics in statewide elections. Read more here.

Politics

Digging into elections, campaign finance, and political maneuvering that shape governance in Florida.

Editing

Investigative stories I edited, ensuring deep accountability reporting and impactful storytelling.

Red Lights, Green Cash: How a Florida Legislator Boosted School Bus Cameras and Benefited Her Family (October 24, 2024)

An investigation into how Florida state Rep. Vicki Lopez helped pave the way for BusPatrol, a controversial school bus camera vendor, to make millions—while her family members secured lucrative positions with the company. Lopez co-sponsored legislation enabling school bus cameras, and soon after, her son became a top executive at BusPatrol. The company poured nearly $800,000 into political contributions while benefiting from policies Lopez supported. Ethics experts questioned whether Lopez should have disclosed potential conflicts of interest. Read more here.

Jacksonville's Jail Death Rate Tripled After Privatizing Medical Care (July 25, 2023)

After Jacksonville privatized jail medical care, deaths in custody surged from an average of four per year to more than 13 annually. A Tributary investigation found repeated failures by the for-profit provider, Armor Correctional Health Services, including delayed or denied medications that may have contributed to deaths. Local officials canceled the $98-million contract following our reporting. Read more here.

'My Heart Will Be Rejected': Jacksonville Man Dies After Missing Doses in Jail (May 23, 2023)

Dexter Barry, a heart transplant recipient, told jail staff that he needed his life-sustaining medication—but he never received it. Days after being released, his body rejected the transplant, and he died. Records show the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office knew Barry required his medication but failed to provide it. The case has sparked outrage and renewed scrutiny of medical neglect inside the jail. Read more here.

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Strip-Search Called 'Outrageous, Unwarranted, Embarrassing' (April 17, 2023)

Police stripped a man on a public street in Jacksonville in an invasive search that legal experts say violated his constitutional rights. The search was not recorded in the arrest report, and prosecutors have continued the case against him despite the lack of evidence found. The Sheriff’s Office launched an internal investigation only after The Tributary exposed the incident. Read more here.

Redistricting

Examining how electoral maps are drawn, who benefits, and the legal battles over fair representation.

Interactives:

For Decades, Jacksonville City Council Packed Black Voters Based on 'Misinformation' (July 21, 2022)

My months-long dive into Jacksonville archives showed the city had packed Black voters into four districts for decades based on a misunderstanding of legal principles. The practice, driven by an erroneous belief in a 60% threshold for minority voting districts, had diluted Black political power while preserving incumbency and limiting competitiveness. Read more here.

Jacksonville’s Redistricting Plan Risks Racial Gerrymandering Claims, Experts Say (January 11, 2022)

Jacksonville’s City Council used race as a predominant factor in redistricting without conducting the necessary legal analyses to justify its decisions. Experts said that by maintaining or increasing Black majorities in certain districts without proper justification, the city risked violating the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. A federal court later cited this reporting and ruled Jacksonville’s redistricting plan was unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. Read more here.

Jacksonville Redistricting Plan Splits Dozens of Neighborhoods (February 15, 2022)

Jacksonville’s redistricting proposal split 47 neighborhoods across multiple districts, raising concerns about representation. Critics argued that dividing communities weakens their political influence and makes it harder for neighborhoods to advocate for resources. The City Council prioritized incumbency protection and racial gerrymandering over neighborhood representation. Read more here.

Experts: Florida Redistricting Faces Legal Risks Without Racial Analyses (December 6, 2021)

The Florida Legislature failed to conduct racial voting analyses to determine whether districts meet legal requirements under the Voting Rights Act. The lack of statistical analysis left the state vulnerable to legal challenges, experts told me, as courts require more than just demographic data to determine if minority voters can elect their candidates of choice. Read more here.

Ron DeSantis' redistricting court strategy: attack the Voting Rights Act (August 22, 2023)

For a collaboration with the Miami Herald and the Tampa Bay Times, I distilled a complex constitutional battle to explain Gov. Ron DeSantis' attempt to dismantle voting protections. My reporting cut through legal jargon and political spin, revealing how Florida admitted in court that its congressional map diminished Black voting power—yet argued those voter-approved protections should be struck down as unconstitutional. Read more here.

The Anatomy of a Wrongful Conviction: A Four-Decade Struggle for Justice (March 29, 2019)

My investigation into the wrongful conviction of Clifford Williams and Nathan Myers uncovered the tragic errors that led to their 43-year imprisonment for a murder they did not commit. The story, rooted in an unreliable eyewitness account and questionable police practices, illustrates failures in the legal system. Through interviews, trial transcripts, and evidence reviews, I traced the journey from initial arrest to exoneration. Read more here.

Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office: 59 Employees Arrested, but Few Consequences (July 11, 2020)

My thorough investigation revealed a disturbing trend within the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, where 59 employees have been arrested since Sheriff Mike Williams took office. Alarmingly, nearly all managed to avoid jail time through plea deals and diversion programs, raising questions about accountability within law enforcement. Despite public claims of holding officers accountable, the investigation showed a lack of significant repercussions for serious offenses, including allegations of violence and corruption. Read more here.

Why Can’t the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Stop Violent Officers Before Crisis? (July 7, 2017)

In examining the case of Officer Tim James, whose violent behavior went unchecked until he assaulted a handcuffed teenager, I uncovered shortcomings in the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office's disciplinary system. Despite a history of complaints and investigations, James received minimal penalties, which exemplifies the broader issue of officer misconduct within the department. This investigation highlighted the failures of progressive discipline policies. Read more here.

Calls for Transparency Amid Protests: Jacksonville’s Struggle for Police Accountability (June 12, 2020)

As Jacksonville navigated the dual crises of police violence and the COVID-19 pandemic, my investigation into the Sheriff’s Office's lack of transparency revealed a startling reluctance to publicly share information about officer-involved shootings. Despite numerous incidents, the office’s refusal to release body camera footage or even the number of people held in jail intensified public outrage during ongoing protests. Read more here.

A Nightmare in Jail: Sexual Assaults in Jacksonville's Detention Facility (April 19, 2015)

My analysis of the Jacksonville jail system exposed a chilling reality for inmates, as over 100 sexual assault allegations had been reported from 2005 to 2014. The investigation centered around the harrowing experience of Mark Baker, who was sexually assaulted after being placed in a cell with a known sex offender. This report led to enhanced protections for vulnerable populations within the jail system, particularly following Baker's case. Read more here.

Judicial Discretion Under Fire: Jacksonville’s Protesters Demand Fair Treatment in Court (June 17, 2020)

In my report on the treatment of peaceful protesters in Jacksonville, I examined the actions of Duval County Judge Michael Bateh, who denied almost all requests for release without bond following the recent protests. This investigation revealed that arbitrary bond increases and a lack of due process were prevalent, raising significant concerns about judicial accountability and fairness. Read more here.

Jacksonville police union tells judges to fall in line or ‘find a new line of work’ (May 11, 2020)

My investigation into the actions of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office police union, just weeks before the murder of George Floyd, revealed a troubling campaign to influence judicial decisions, particularly regarding bond amounts. The union's public statements and pressure tactics raised serious ethical questions about the independence of the judiciary. Read more here.

Policing & Prosecuting

Investigating law enforcement, judicial misconduct, and the justice system’s failures.

Human Interest

Stories of people navigating hardship, resilience, and the societal forces shaping their lives.

Raines High School Students Hope Football Can Save Them from Jacksonville's Dangerous Streets (January 31, 2016)

At Raines High School, football is more than a game—it’s a lifeline. In a neighborhood long segregated and neglected, young athletes pin their hopes on scholarships, using the sport to escape the violence surrounding them. Players like Bishop Bonnett, who left a gang to focus on football, and quarterback Augie DeBiase, who transferred from a wealthy school to prove himself, see the game as their shot at a better future. But their journey isn’t just about winning; it’s about survival, discipline, and proving they are more than the circumstances they were born into. Read more here.

‘Cheese’ Heroin Led Dallas 13-Year-Old to a Life on the Edge (December 30, 2012)

At just 13, Mariela Torres was introduced to "cheese" heroin—black tar heroin mixed with crushed pills—inside her middle school bathroom. What started as peer pressure quickly turned into addiction, dealing, and desperate attempts to stay high. In a neighborhood where drugs were inescapable, she had to choose between her friends and her future. Her descent into addiction nearly consumed her. Read more here.

A Mother's Grief in the Week After 8-Year-Old Cherish Perrywinkle’s Death (June 30, 2013)

Rayne Perrywinkle lost her daughter, 8-year-old Cherish, to a brutal crime that shattered her world. In the week after, she cycled through grief, disbelief, and blame, struggling to reconcile the loss with the harsh judgment from the public. She clung to memories—Cherish’s laughter, her love for movies, her kindness—and vowed to fight for justice. Read more here.

Business

Revealing corporate and financial decisions that shape communities, for better or worse.

Edward Waters University Shuts Down Faculty Union, Citing Religious Exemption (November 28, 2022)

Edward Waters University abruptly announced it would no longer recognize its faculty union, citing its Christian values and a 2020 legal precedent allowing religious schools to bypass federal labor laws. The decision stunned faculty members, including Felicia Wider-Lewis, a longtime professor and faculty union leader, who ultimately resigned in protest. The move came just weeks after EWU launched an institute honoring A. Philip Randolph, a pioneering Black labor leader, prompting accusations of hypocrisy. Faculty members argue the university's actions threaten academic freedom and job security. Read more here.

Reverse Mortgages Were Supposed to Help the Elderly. For Some, They Destroyed Their Retirements. (November 16, 2014)

For Mamie Rose, a reverse mortgage promised financial security in her later years. Instead, it became a nightmare. At 90, she now faces foreclosure after unknowingly violating the loan’s terms by failing to maintain homeowners' insurance. Her story reflects a growing crisis among elderly homeowners, who are often unaware of the strict conditions that can lead to eviction. Despite federal protections, lenders aggressively pursue foreclosures, leaving seniors like Mamie struggling to keep the homes they spent their lives building. Read more here.

They Followed All of Their Reverse Mortgage's Rules. The Lender Kicked Them Out Anyway. (November 16, 2014)

Jimmie Thompson and his longtime partner, Carrie Smith, thought they had done everything right with their reverse mortgage—until they were evicted. Despite making all required payments, their lender, Nationstar Mortgage, claimed they had vacated the property. Neighbors, utility bills, and their own presence at the foreclosure summons contradicted the claim, yet they were still forced from their home. Read more here.

A Bank’s Error Leaves a Jacksonville Woman Out of Her Home (July 1, 2014)

Frenchise Young paid her mortgage on time. But due to a clerical mistake—her payments being credited to her daughter’s account—U.S. Bank claimed she was delinquent and foreclosed on her home. For six years, she fought a legal battle that drained her finances, health, and peace of mind. Despite admitting the error, the bank refused to fully rectify the damage done to her credit and future. Read more here.

Last-minute maneuvers allow Jacksonville lawyer to become judge without an election (April 24, 2020)

Through detailed document analysis and interviews with legal experts, I uncovered how a Jacksonville lawyer secured a judicial seat without facing an election due to a last-minute maneuver. My reporting revealed that Circuit Judge Tyrie Boyer withdrew just before the qualifying deadline, allowing Michael Kalil—son of a wealthy attorney and cousin to two judges—to file at the last moment, blocking any competition. The story exposed how legal insiders manipulated the system to consolidate power, sparking outrage among legal professionals and calls for an ethics investigation. Read more.

Oft-criticized lawyer running for judge unopposed (May 3, 2018)

I uncovered how Collins Cooper, a prosecutor with a long history of documented performance issues, was running unopposed for a circuit judge seat. Through a deep dive into personnel records and interviews with colleagues, I exposed concerns about his legal competence, missed deadlines, and past arrests that had been overlooked due to his influential family connections. My reporting highlighted the lack of competition in judicial elections and how power and money often outweigh qualifications. Read more.

Man shouldn’t have gone to jail for getting a job at Michael’s instead of Home Depot, court rules (August 14, 2018)

My reporting showed how a Jacksonville judge unjustly sentenced a man to 90 days in jail for taking a job at Michael’s instead of Home Depot—despite the man working 60 hours a week. I scrutinized court transcripts, examined the judge’s inconsistent rulings, and highlighted his history of appellate reversals for judicial overreach. Read more.

Court: Woman who stole $17 in food shouldn’t have been declared a danger to society (May 7, 2017)

By analyzing court rulings and interviewing legal experts, I showed how the same Jacksonville judge sentenced a woman to state prison for shoplifting $17.19 worth of food—ruling her a “danger to society.” My reporting unpacked the misuse of a 2009 law meant to keep nonviolent offenders out of state prison, revealing how judicial discretion was being used to disproportionately punish minor offenses. Read more.

Judges

Scrutinizing judicial ethics, sentencing disparities, and the power of Florida’s courts.