JACKSONVILLE, Fla — State Attorney Melissa W. Nelson sent a letter to Florida Gov. DeSantis requesting a court circuit reassignment for activist Ben Frazier on Jan. 6.
The Northside Coalition Founder received a criminal citation for trespassing in Jacksonville on January 4, according to the letter.
Frazier was escorted out in handcuffs ahead of Gov. Ron DeSantis' scheduled news conference on January 4. He was asked to leave as he was not a member of the media to which he argued he had a right to peacefully assemble in a public building and ask DeSantis questions.
In the letter to the governor, Nelson explains that she is writing to request an executive assignment of Frazier's case as he has an established relationship with her office.
The Jacksonville community activist has a history of acting as an advocate, concerned citizen and adversary to members of the State Attorney's Office, according to the letter.
Frazier says he was held in the back of a JSO cruiser outside the Florida Department of Health in Duval County for 45 minutes and given a citation for trespassing after a warning. The citation said he has to appear before a judge within 10 days.