by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
It was an unprecedented election year for the State Attorney’s Office as three prosecutors were elected to the Fourth Judicial Circuit’s bench. Those new judges — who will begin their new careers in January — left three holes in State Attorney Harry Shorstein’s office.
Monday, Shorstein filled those spots with three members of his staff who have a combined 44 years of experience.
Stephen Bledsoe joined the office 1979 and has been a division chief since 1981 in each of the felony circuit divisions. Bledsoe is the new director of the State Attorney’s Nassau County Office.
Mose Floyd, who has applied for judicial vacancies in the past, is the new director of the County Court Division. Floyd joined the State Attorney’s Office in 1999 after a more than 20-year career as a member of the United States Marine Corps.
Julie Schlax joined the office in 1996 and has been a division chief since 2002. Schlax was promoted to director of the Special Assault Division and will oversee the department that focuses on crimes against women, the elderly and children — a job Shorstein has great respect for.
“I have always considered this the toughest position in the office. It’s very different and it’s very taxing on the individual,” he said. “I promise you, I couldn’t do the job they do.”
Leaving the office are Dawn Hudson, Libby Senterfitt and Granville Burgess, all of whom were recently elected judge. Senterfitt — who is being succeeded by Schlax — beat Jeff Morrow in September to win the Circuit Judge Group 33 seat. Hudson beat Virginia Norton of the Office of General Counsel on Nov. 7 to with the County Court Group 17 seat. And, Burgess — who goes by “Doc” — beat Fernandina attorney Clyde Davis to win the County Judge Group 1 seat.
“This is a proud and important day in the State Attorney’s Office. This is my first opportunity to promote three new directors at one time and also celebrate the reason for those promotions which is seeing three assistant State Attorneys get elected to the bench. It’s unprecedented to have three assistants run for the bench at the same time. All three had tough opponents and all three won handily,” said Shorstein. “It’s a monumental achievement and a testament to the work all of you did for the State Attorney’s Office.
“They all ran on what they did as members of the State Attorney’s Office. I felt like a proud father when all three were elected. It’s a great way to lose employees. Nothing makes a State Attorney prouder than to have to replace staff because they are moving to the bench.”
Hudson, Burgess and Senterfitt will stay with the office through the end of the year. Shorstein joked that he is going to require them to call him “Sir” until they leave, “then the tables turn” once they become members of the bench when he’ll have to address them as “Your honor.”
Shorstein said several others were considered for the three promotions and any of them would have been solid selections.
“I have been anguishing over these tough decisions,” he said. “There are a number of very well-qualified division chiefs. There are at least six others I would have been happy with.”
Bledsoe went to college at the University of South Florida and law school at Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans. In addition to heading each of the office’s felony divisions, Bledsoe has also led the Special Operations and Environment and Arson divisions of the Special Prosecution department. He’s been a member of the Homicide Unit since it was created where has tried hundreds of cases and several homicides.
Floyd went to the United States Naval Academy and got his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern California. He earned his Master of Science degree from the Marine Corps University and got his law degree from Georgetown University. He’s been a felony division chief since 2003 and is currently the division chief of Circuit division CR-G.
Schlax went to Purdue University for her undergraduate degree and got her law degree from Florida State. She’s been a division chief since 2002 and is currently the division chief in the Special Assault division.