For the first time in eight years, Brevard County will cast their vote for sheriff.
Sheriff Wayne Ivey, who was first elected in 2012, is facing a Democratic challenger this year after running unopposed in 2016.
Alton Edmond, a criminal defense attorney, explained why he decided to run for sheriff on “The Weekly on ClickOrlando.com with Justin Warmoth.” “As a public figure it’s important to understand who you answer to and who your bosses are, and those bosses are the taxpayers of Brevard County,” Edmond said. “For whatever reason, our current sheriff has lost track of that, and some would say he’s gotten too big for his britches.”
Edmond spoke about his vision for a more transparent sheriff’s office, why he’s qualified to run the agency despite his lack of law enforcement experience and the controversial case of Gregory Edwards.
Edwards, a 38-year-old combat veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder, was arrested in West Melbourne in December 2018. He died at the jail after a violent confrontation with corrections deputies. The incident was caught on jail surveillance, but Sheriff Ivey has not made it public after several requests from the community.
“As sheriff, I will release the Gregory Edwards video,” Edmond said. “It is a matter of public importance, it is a matter of public record, and the excuse the sheriff has given citing jail security is not a valid one.”
Watch the full interview Sunday at 7:30 a.m. on News 6.