Courts

Appeals court refuses to lift injunction prohibiting Alabama from banning abortions

A federal appeals court Thursday refused to lift a preliminary injunction prohibiting Alabama from banning abortions during the COVID-19 epidemic. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday issued a ruling that denied the state of Alabama’s request to stay a preliminary injunction issued by federal district court Judge Myron Thompson. The decision ensures that … Continued

Chip Brownlee

April 24, 2020

Will Mike Hubbard ever go to jail? Yes. And likely soon.

Mike Hubbard is likely going to prison within the next couple of months. Hubbard, the former Alabama House speaker, had his conviction on 11 felony ethics counts partially upheld last week by the Alabama Supreme Court. The justices overturned five of the charges and sent them back to the Alabama Criminal Court of Appeals for … Continued

Josh Moon

April 14, 2020

DOJ makes $14 million available to public safety agencies to respond to COVID-19

Thursday, U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town announced that the Department of Justice is making $850 million available to help public safety agencies respond to the challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19, which has already killed over 6,000 Americans, including 32 Alabamians. The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program was authorized in the recent stimulus legislation … Continued

Brandon Moseley

April 3, 2020

House committee passes bill cutting out appeals court in death penalty cases

Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee advanced a bill preventing prisoners convicted to death from appealing their case to the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals. House Bill 275 was sponsored by State Representative Connie Rowe, R-Jasper. “This bill was brought to me by the Lt Governor,” Will Ainsworth (R). Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, chairs the House … Continued

Brandon Moseley

March 13, 2020

Nathanial Woods executed as accomplice in 2004 murders of three police officers

A Birmingham man convicted of being an accomplice in the murders of three Birmingham police officers was executed Thursday evening. Nathaniel Woods, 43, was executed after appeals and national media attention failed to deter Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to intervene. Woods was convicted of being an accomplice in the murders, despite the shooter’s statements that … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

March 6, 2020

Opinion

The “rule of law” has some exceptions

The State of Alabama murdered a man on Thursday night. Murder is what you call it when someone intentionally causes the death of another human for an unjustifiable reason. That fits with what Alabama did to Nathaniel Woods. Woods didn’t kill anyone. Everyone associated with the case agreed on that. And the amount of mental … Continued

Josh Moon

March 6, 2020

Man set to be executed Thursday for murders he did not commit

An Alabama man convicted in the 2004 shooting deaths of three police officers he did not kill is set to be executed this afternoon. Nathaniel Woods, 44, was convicted in 2005 of capital murder in the shooting deaths of three Birmingham police officers Carlos Owen, Harley A. Chisholm III and Charles R. Bennett. Woods was … Continued

Jessa Reid Bolling

March 5, 2020

Will Smith is running for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals Place 2

Former Lauderdale County Commissioner William “Will” Smith is running to be the Place 2 Judge on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals in the Republican primary on Tuesday. “I am running for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals because I have the legal experience, the wisdom to do the job, and the conviction to follow … Continued

Brandon Moseley

March 2, 2020

Melvin Hasting is running for Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals Place 1

Melvin Hasting is running for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, place 1 in the Republican primary. Hasting is an attorney in Cullman. “In the 18 years of my law practice, I have experience in conducting all of the types of trials and criminal proceedings that are decided by the Court of Criminal Appeals,” Hasting … Continued

Brandon Moseley

March 2, 2020

Doug Jones praises end of state Democratic Party lawsuit

U.S. Senator Doug Jones, D-Alabama, on Thursday applauded the end of a lawsuit over control of the state Democratic party. Montgomery County Circuit Judge Greg Griffin on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed by former Alabama Democratic Party chairwoman Nancy Worley, which means that state Rep. Chris England, who was picked to lead the state Democratic … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

February 28, 2020