A Miami judge has thrown out a plea deal for the man accused of killing a South Florida mother and teacher after a raw and emotional hearing.
After seven years of waiting and over two dozen trial delays, the family of Camila Russell, a mother and former Miami-Dade teacher, told the judge on Friday that the plea deal was not enough for them and urged him to order a trial.
Before Friday’s court hearing, Ernest Roberts, the man accused of killing her in 2019, had accepted a plea deal to serve 30 years in prison.
Roberts was the assistant principal of Miami-Norland Senior High School and was also the godfather of Russell’s two daughters.
During the plea hearing on Friday, several family members read their emotional impact statements.
“Look at me! You cannot look anyone in the eye and face the devastation that you’ve caused,” said Skye Braddy, the victim’s older daughter.
“We will have tried to understand how someone she had known and trusted could cause so much pain,” said Linda Russel, the victim’s mother.
“What made you believe you had the right to decide that Camila would never see another birthday? Another graduation or another sunrise?” said Olivia Russell, the victim’s sister.
Those included her two daughters, who talked about the loss of their mother and how it has impacted them.
“Living without my mother has affected me in so many ways, especially mentally. I struggle to even wake up in the morning,” said her younger daughter as she broke down in tears. “I started getting bad grades, hearing voices, talking to her in my dreams, watching the surroundings and having fear of going out when I’m thinking I’m here too.”
According to prosecutors, Russell disappeared on May 15, 2019, after she was captured on surveillance video entering Roberts’ Miami Gardens home.
Later that day, cameras captured him putting something in the back of her trunk and then taking off in her car.
Days later, her vehicle was discovered near County Line Road, and the day after that, her body was found in a canal in Miami Gardens.
Based on surveillance footage, blood found in his home and a handwritten note he had written about getting rid of her car, Roberts was arrested.
He was charged with first-degree murder, and at one point, prosecutors even tried to pursue the death penalty.
While Roberts initially pleaded not guilty, his attorneys and prosecutors proposed a plea deal that would have him serve 30 years in prison followed by five years of probation, with credit for the seven years he has already served.
Those seven years were full of delays for Russell’s family amid their agonizing quest for justice. On Friday, they made their voices heard before the defendant and judge.
“I just hope he spends the highest amount of years possible behind bars. Because there has to be justice for Camila,” said Brenda Russell, the victim’s cousin.
“To Ernest, you are not a man; you are an overgrown child with no dignity, no morals, and no moral compass. Your greed has been and will forever be your downfall; you will never know peace,” said Braddy as she addressed the defendant directly. “After murdering my mother in cold blood, you had the audacity to ask to pick us up, as if whatever sinister intentions you had could somehow be carried out, but whatever plan you had was struck down.”
She went on to say he’s a weak person.
“You then dared to stand at our doorstep and offer that weak, pitiful apology, only to remain so shamelessly silent that you couldn’t even offer an explanation for what you’ve done … but I understand why, because you’re a mouse of a man, the worst kind, you’re a weak monster hiding behind. — look at me — you are a weak monster hiding behind whatever scraps of courage you can convince yourself you possess. Look at me! Look at me! Look at what you’ve done!” said Braddy.
During the impact statements, Roberts remained stone-faced and did not show any emotion, even as he heard the emotional testimony from Russell’s daughters.
After hearing the family out, the judge understood that the family didn’t want a deal.
“Do you want me to accept the plea, or you don’t?” asked the judge.
“After discussion, the plea will be rejected,” said Linda.
The judge went on to throw out that plea deal.
Camila’s loved ones said the plea deal was an easy way out for Roberts, so he wouldn’t have to sit through a trial and listen to all the evidence against him.
The defendant’s lawyer said the trial will take place in late 2027.
“All sides have been working hard to get this case to a possible resolution, to get closure for the family and for my client’s family as well. It didn’t work out. Things happen, so this is what happened,” said defense attorney Roderick Vereen.
As for the judge, the defense asked him to recuse himself from the trial, and he agreed, so another judge will handle the case moving forward.
