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Former Alabama corrections officer indicted in beating of two inmates

A former Alabama corrections officer has been indicted on charges that he failed to stop an officer under his command from beating two inmates at the Elmore Correctional Facility.  Willie Burks, 39, is charged with making a false statement to a federal grand jury and with failing to stop another officer from “kicking and striking … Continued
September 19, 2019

Alabama Pardons and Paroles Board chair resigns amid turmoil

Lyn Head, chair of the Alabama Pardons and Paroles Board, announced her resignation on Tuesday.  Her departure comes amid years of turmoil at the bureau that has resulted in the removal of three staffers and the suspension of parole hearings until at least November 1.  In a statement to APR on Wednesday Gov. Kay Ivey’s … Continued
September 19, 2019

Time to make the “make-me state” do something on prisons

It is evident that Gov. Kay Ivey is determined to build three new men’s correctional facilities. Ivey’s move is not without controversy, but after decades of half-measures and inaction, her administration is facing the problem head-on. And that alone is a first for Alabama. When Alabama’s state prisons were built, they served two primary purposes; … Continued
September 18, 2019

Gov. Ivey directs flags at half staff to honor fallen police officer Dornell Cousette

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has issued a statewide directive to fly flags at half-staff on the day of interment of Tuscaloosa Police Investigator Dornell Cousette. Cousette was killed in the line of duty attempting to apprehend an armed and dangerous felon Monday night. “Monday evening, I was devastated to learn of the news that Alabama … Continued
September 18, 2019

Tuscaloosa police officer killed in the line of duty

Tuscaloosa police officer Dornell Cousette was killed in the line of duty while attempting to arrest a wanted felon on Monday. “Heroes come in many different forms…in our community, our heroes wear the uniform of the Tuscaloosa Police Department,” Tuscaloosa Mayor Walter “Walt” Maddox said in a statement. “Tonight one of our heroes has died … Continued
September 17, 2019

Private prison, detention companies spending on Alabama politicians

Geo Group, the nation’s largest private prison and detention center company, is investing in Alabama’s lawmakers just as the company hopes to land a portion of the state’s nearly $1 billion contract to build three new prisons.  Other players are also investing in lobbyists and lawmakers to compete for a share of the prize. Geo … Continued
September 16, 2019

Correction’s spokesman returns to state Department of Veterans Affairs

Robert Horton, the spokesman for the Alabama Department of Corrections, has been hired as the Assistant Commissioner of Outreach and Engagement at the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs.  Horton has held the public information manager position at the Alabama Department of Corrections since February 2015. Prior to that position, he worked for eight years as … Continued
September 13, 2019

Alabama’s secretive prison project same as 2018 Kansas deal

The secrecy behind Alabama’s plan to build three new prisons using private prison companies mirrors a project in Kansas that left some lawmakers there feeling that the state got “hoodwinked.”   The Kansas governor has since said her state was “hoodwinked” by one of the same private prison companies now vying for a piece of Alabama … Continued
September 12, 2019

Graddick expects parole hearing to resume on November 1

Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles Director Charlie Graddick, on Wednesday, announced that parole hearings are expected to resume on or about November 1. Graddick shut down parole hearings because the previous administration failed to bring the bureau into compliance with the law enacted June 6 by Gov. Kay Ivey. On Friday, Director Graddick postponed … Continued
September 12, 2019

State Bureau of Pardons and Paroles: Could take “weeks” to resume hearings

Alabama’s Bureau of Pardons and Paroles announced Monday that it could take weeks until parole hearings resume, meaning many hundreds will be impacted by the interruption of those hearings.  Skip Tucker, news director at the bureau, told APR on Monday that it’s not clear when those parole hearings would resume. A press release from the … Continued
September 10, 2019