Through the course of her distinguished career, DeLiberato has had an up-close view of the deep flaws and inequities in Florida’s criminal justice system, specifically as it relates to the death penalty.

As a capital litigation attorney for 16 years, Maria has handled all aspects and stages of capital representation. She began her career as Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County, where she prosecuted serious felony cases in the Career Criminal Unit and experienced firsthand the impact of violent crime. During her time as an Assistant State Attorney, she witnessed the limited ability of the criminal justice system to meet both the need for personal healing and restoration for crime victims as well as for accountability from those who harmed them.

She then joined Capital Collateral Regional Counsel (“CCRC”), where she spent nearly 13 years representing individuals on Florida’s death row in their post-conviction appeals. Among the many highlights of her dedicated career was securing the freedom of Clemente Aguirre, who was exonerated after serving 14 years in custody, 10 of them on Florida’s death row. Today, Aguirre is a member of the FADP Board of Directors. While at CCRC, Maria also litigated two cases under a death warrant, so she has experienced the collateral damage that executions bring to all parties involved – victims’ families, corrections staff, judges, lawyers, jurors, and the family members of the condemned.

In June 2022, Maria took the helm of FADP, bringing her experience, passion, and deep commitment to justice to the cause of ending the death penalty in Florida.