What to Know
- The state attorney's office responded that sheriff's officials should have known about the charge because they took Vail to court Thursday.
A man charged with murder was mistakenly released from a Florida jail, authorities said Monday.
The Broward County Sheriff's Office released Eric Vail, 28, when a second-degree murder charge was dismissed even though he had been indicted by a grand jury earlier this year on a first-degree murder charge.
Sheriff's office spokeswoman Keyla Concepcion said a "communication issue within the court system" caused the mix-up. She said the jail had not received any documentation from the clerk of courts that Vail was to remain in custody to face another charge.
The state attorney's office said sheriff's officials should have known about the charge because they took Vail to court Thursday on the upgraded charge.
Vail is accused in the drive-by shooting of a 27-year-old man in October. He was arrested in January.
Public Defender Howard Finkelstein, whose office represents Vail, said they haven't heard from him.
"Our focus remains on apprehending this dangerous criminal," Concepcion said in an emailed statement.
