Hillsborough County lead death penalty prosecutor shares knowledge with next generation of attorneys

On June 29, 2010 Tampa Police Officers David Curtis and Jeffrey Kocab were murdered as they made a traffic stop. Their deaths shook the Tampa Police Department.

After an intense four day search, Tampa Police Officers arrested Donate Morris for the murders of Kocab and Curtis and would eventually charge him for killing three other people during a 42-day period of violence in 2010.

Hillsborough County Assistant State Attorney Scott Harmon prosecuted the case.

“Scott’s been a homicide prosecutor for over 25 years and so the depth and breadth of knowledge that he brings to every case, especially death penalty cases is just unmatched,” said Hillsborough County State Attorney Susan Lopez.

Wednesday, Harmon shared his knowledge with interns and new attorneys, teaching them the anatomy of a major criminal prosecution and hoping they would see just how important the job is.

“These are significant jobs,” he said. These are significant roles in the criminal justice system, that we really help these families that have lost these loved ones. We give them justice.”

He also prepared them for the realities of the job, and the fact they will see graphic evidence in many cases that the average person would never see.

“It’s just something that is just part of our job,” Harmon said. “This is just one of those things where you have to decide early in your career that this is something that is going to be a part of my job and it’s something I’m just going to have to deal with.”

He said he does the job because he believes in it and he believes in the death penalty.

“This gives the ultimate justice to the next of kin who’ve lost their families to these horrific crimes and I really believe in the value of the death penalty,” Harmon said. “I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t.”

Dontae Morris was sentenced to death for the murders of officers Curtis and Kocab. He remains on death row as his case goes through appeals.

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