Story perspectives

Volunteer Charged with Murder After Diver Air Supply Cut

8/7/2026

Summary

Simpson Charged

Michael Joseph Simpson, 51, was charged with second-degree murder after allegedly cutting off an 18-year-old diver’s air supply on July 29 in Biscayne Bay.
Simpson surrendered on August 4, posted a $10,000 bond after a judge reduced the charge on August 5.
Investigators say Simpson turned off the diver’s “Brownie” third-lung system and was identified in a photographic lineup, while he, a Miami-Dade Boater Safety volunteer, calls the allegations “categorically false.”

Summary

Srebnick Challenges Arrest

Defense attorney Howard Srebnick says surveillance video shows a different diver tangled in the air system, placing Simpson away from the equipment.
He asserts eyewitnesses from two boats corroborate Simpson’s version and that the sheriff’s office arrested him before interviewing them.
Srebnick criticized the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office for a premature arrest and urged the State Attorney’s Office to review the video before proceeding.

History

Historical Context

In 1995 the Florida Legislature amended Chapter 921, mandating felons serve at least 85 percent of their sentences, illustrating the state’s habit of tightening regulations. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Coast Guard, long partners in safety enforcement, now face scrutiny after a boater safety officer was charged with cutting a diver’s air supply, sparking calls to revisit earlier safety statutes.

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Simpson Charged

Michael Joseph Simpson, 51, was charged with second-degree murder after allegedly cutting off an 18-year-old diver’s air supply on July 29 in Biscayne Bay.
Simpson surrendered on August 4, posted a $10,000 bond after a judge reduced the charge on August 5.
Investigators say Simpson turned off the diver’s “Brownie” third-lung system and was identified in a photographic lineup, while he, a Miami-Dade Boater Safety volunteer, calls the allegations “categorically false.”

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