Darlene Farah: Prosecutors won't budge on death penalty

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A local mother said prosecutors are not budging after she asked them to take the death penalty off the table in the trial of her daughter Shelby's accused killer.

Darlene Farah said she wanted the death penalty off the table so her family could avoid going through a potentially lengthy appeals process.

Farah and prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda met for more than three hours. Farah walked into the State Attorney's Office Thursday afternoon with her son Caleb, their victim's advocate and her attorney. She had one thing on her mind.

“I'm exhausted emotionally I'm tired,” said Farah.

That was Farah’s immediate reaction after meeting with de la Rionda.

Farah said she spoke with de la Rionda more than three hours about the case and that he tried to get her to see his point of view.

“He brought up that he's worried about if he's in population what if he ends up killing another inmate, what if he ends up killing a guard,” said Farah.

Farah is talking about James Rhodes, who is accused of shooting and killing her 20-year-old daughter Shelby back in 2013.

Since then, Farah’s family tragedy has turned into a lengthy legal battle that she said only perpetuates her grief.

“I just want to try to get my family back together again and get things as normal as possible,” said Farah.

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According to Farah, the legal process could speed up if the state accepts the plea offer from Rhodes for life in prison without parole. She claims that if they seek the death penalty, it could open the doors to a lengthy appeals process.

“He says that even if he takes his offer, I would still have to go through the same thing,” said Farah.

But Farah stood firm on her position and maintains that the death penalty is not the way.

“I have to keep fighting, I'm not, I can't accept that,” said Farah.

Action News Jax Law and Safety Expert Dale Carson, who is also Farah's attorney, said the victim's wishes should be respected.

“I think it’s government overreaching. I think that we as citizens and as victims in this particular case should have a direct say in what the outcome of something like this should be,” Carson said.

“He needs to suffer the consequences, but I just don’t think the consequences should be death,” Farah said.

The State Attorney’s Office released the following statement:

“This case is currently pending and set for trial in May 2016. It would be inappropriate to comment at this time.”

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