TAMPA, Fla — In a final bid to pursue a sentence reduction, attorneys for Cameron Herrin are citing an old voicemail from recently suspended Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren in which he allegedly called the ruling "excessively harsh" following Herrin's 24-year sentence for the deadly 2018 Bayshore street racing crash.
Attorneys are tying in a voicemail Warren left the attorney's office the day after Herrin's sentencing, according to court documents.
"I tell ya, I was, uh, surprised and even disappointed by the sentence," court documents say Warren said over the phone. "I thought it was excessively harsh, um, but just wanted to follow up with you when you get a chance."
Herrin was 18 at the time of the crash. His attorneys argue that if he serves his 24-year sentence, he will be in his 40s when he is released but with a shorter sentence he could have hope for a future, court documents say.
Attorneys for Herrin continue saying in the follow-up conversation with Warren that Warren allegedly said it was "terrible sentencing," and thought it was "crazy" and that the prison term was "egregiously high," court documents show. The attorneys claim Warren thought a 10-to-12-year sentence would have sufficed for the crime and said Warren stated 10 years would have been "OK," according to the documents.
Prior to the sentencing date, the defense asked the State during plea negotiations for a sentencing cap of 10 years, which was declined, then 15, also declined, then 18.5, which was also rejected, the documents showed. Herrin reportedly entered a guilty plea to all counts and was later sentenced to 24 years in prison as he is presently incarcerated.
Following his sentencing on April 8, 2021, Herrin filed an appeal in May 2022. However, an appeals court decided to uphold Herrin's sentence.
As the timeline shortens for Herrin to have a final opportunity at a sentence modification, his attorneys are asking that the court consider Warren's opinion in reducing their client's sentencing, stating "it is troublesome that at sentencing court, the court never heard these views," further adding Warren was the state attorney and "Hillsborough County's chief law enforcement officer" at the time, making his point of view "exceedingly important," court documents say.
During a news conference Wednesday, Warren made a comment about Herrin's sentencing.
"So it’s no secret that I was surprised by the judge’s sentence because he went above the statutory guidelines," Warren said. "But, at the end of the day, my job as state attorney was to hold the defendants accountable, to fight for the victims’ family and to deliver the justice that Jessica and Lillia deserved and that’s exactly what we did."
Gov. Ron DeSantis said he suspended Warren from his role as Hillsborough State Attorney this month for signing a national pledge to not prosecute women and doctors for violating state abortion laws or families seeking treatments for transgender minors.
