List of candidates trimmed for U.S. attorney, federal judge posts

The federal judicial nominating commission has narrowed down the list of applicants to be one of the state's top federal prosecutors and a federal judge.

Out of 11 candidates for the job of U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Florida, which includes Tampa, the commission has selected three: Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill, who held the job on an acting basis for several months last year; Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg, who works in Orlando; and Harry I. Shorstein, the former state attorney in Jacksonville.

The commission whittled a list of 19 candidates for a judgeship in the district down to three: U.S. Magistrate Elizabeth Jenkins, Orlando lawyer Roy B. Dalton Jr. and Circuit Judge Brian J. Davis of the 4th Judicial Circuit.

The candidates' names will be submitted to Florida's U.S. senators, Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez, who will submit their recommendations to President Barack Obama.

"The quality of the applicants was superlative," said John Fitzgibbons, chairman of the nominating commission. "Obviously, any selection such as this is a very, very difficult job."

Among those who didn't make the cut for U.S. attorney were: state Rep. Michael Scionti, Herbert M. Berkowitz, Marcus A. Christian, Thomas K. Equels, John Z. Pare, Michael Peacock, Michael L. Seigel and Sandra J. Wiseman.

Others who applied to be a federal judge were: Thomas B. McCoun III, James Klindt, Alice L. Blackwell, Randall Gold, Christopher L. Griffin, Thomas F. Icard Jr., Gary R. Jones, John Marshall Kest, Frederick J. Lauten, Wilfredo Martinez, Edward Nicholas, Jerrold S. Parker, Monte C. Richardson, Jan Schneider and Brian L. Weakland.

The Middle District of Florida is one of the nation's largest federal districts, stretching from the Georgia line to south of Naples. It encompasses more than half the population of Florida.