A recent article in the Miami Herald highlighted the disturbing fact that more and more murders in the State of Florida involve the use of firearms.
While the Herald article noted that while murders are down in Florida, the murders that are occurring involve the use of firearms.
Florida has the 10-20-Life law which means that if a firearm is used during the commission of a murder, the court must impose a mandatory life sentence.
More murders involving firearms means more mandatory sentences the court must impose. This means less cases being resolved through plea negotiations and more cases going to trial. With more cases going to trial, the courts' dockets become backed up. In all, with so many cases going through the trial courts, it takes longer and longer for a case to come to a resolution.
Additionally, with Stand Your Ground as a bar to prosecution, lengthy pre-trial hearings must be held in cases in which Stand Your Ground is applicable. Many shooting cases have applicable self-defense/Stand Your Ground claims.