Nationwide — Florida has been proudly touted or boasted as being a “law and order” state by its governor, Ron DeSantis. However, the story of a black family exposes the unpleasant, darker side of Florida’s political and legal system.Patricia Ann Washington died on May 8, 2023, from sepsis, being left in a horrific condition with an open chest wound. By his own admission, the doctor, a part of USF Health of the University of South Florida and its long-standing partnership with Tampa General Hospital, performed a “dirty surgery”.
On October 21, 2021, her sister, LaShawn Washington, died from an IV overload that was given in the span of one day. The IV increased LaShawn’s weight from 155 pounds to 185 — a 30-pound positive weight gain at the time of her death.
Litigation has been filed in both cases by the family, seeking justice for the two sisters. However, lawyers for the University of South Florida Board of Trustees claim that Florida judges, Melissa Polo and Steven D. Merryday, issued orders that prevent the estates’ personal representative, Angela Washington DeBose, from suing USF Health for the wrongful death of Patricia and LaShawn.
State officials and the judiciary have also used the order to block complaints of employment discrimination at Florida’s public universities. Angela DeBose sued the University of South Florida, its representatives Greenberg Traurig, P.A., and Florida Polytechnic University for entering an agreement paid for with state funds to unlawfully oust her from her job.
In the suit against the universities, pattern and practice evidence involving 5-10 women, predominantly of color, has been submitted. The political and judicial machinery that operates in shadows has prevented the story of these women from coming to light.
Despite the law and order claim, the Florida judiciary is not a stranger to accusations of corruption. As part of a docuseries, BlackNews.com will at least inform its readers of the extreme and unusual measures taken against this black family.