Public safety

League of the South member sentenced to prison for Charlottesville beating

A Florida man connected to the Alabama-based white supremacist group the League of the South was sentenced to more than two years in prison Tuesday for beating a black man during the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville. Tyler Watkins Davis, 51, is to serve two years and one month for hitting DeAndre Harris … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

August 29, 2019

Lawmakers respond to safety concerns at Taylor Hardin Secure Medical Facility

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s office places the responsibility for handling safety concerns at the Taylor Hardin Medical Facility largely on the back of the state Department of Mental Health, but said Ivey will continue to “engage” with the department. Still other state lawmakers and an advocacy group have said that what’s happening at the Taylor … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

August 27, 2019

Limestone County sheriff indicted on 13 counts of theft, ethics charges.

Limestone County Sheriff Michael Blakely was arrested on Wednesday after being indicted on 13 theft and ethics charges. Blakely is charged with four separate counts of theft from his campaign account that total $11,000. Additionally, he’s charged with five counts of theft or ethics charges for stealing money from Limestone County funds, including from the … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

August 23, 2019

Marshall announces attorney Billy Underwood has pleaded guilty to jury tampering

Wednesday, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall (R) announced that Colbert County attorney William “Billy” Underwood pleaded guilty to jury tampering rather than continuing with a trial that began earlier in the morning. Underwood was sentenced to serve four months in jail. He was further required to permanently surrender his license to practice law in the … Continued

Brandon Moseley

August 22, 2019

“Alarming, concerning and appalling:” Taylor Hardin facility staff worried over safety for patients, workers

Workers at the Taylor Hardin Secure Medical Facility said in a 2018 survey that they are overworked in an unsafe environment with inoperable video cameras, contraband, racial and gender discrimination and unreported incidents. Those concerns are valid, and there are worries that conditions at the Taylor Hardin facility in Tuscaloosa have continued to deteriorate in … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

August 21, 2019

SPLC releases special report claiming that Alabama’s Community Corrections system is flawed

Thursday, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) released a special report that claims that Alabama’s community corrections pay-to-play model prioritizes making money over rehabilitation or public safety. The report, titled “Opportunity Costs: Unequal Justice in Alabama’s Community Corrections Programs,” is the first in a series analyzing what the SPLC sees as serious flaws within Alabama’s … Continued

Brandon Moseley

August 16, 2019

Leeds man convicted on federal gun and ammunition charges

Tuesday, a federal jury convicted Christopher “Rudy” McNabb from Leeds of three firearm and ammunition related offenses. The jury verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Jay E, Town and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson. The jury returned its guilty verdict against the 44-year-old McNabb after two … Continued

Brandon Moseley

August 15, 2019

Two years after Charlottesville, civil suit ongoing against Alabama-based white supremacy group

An Alabama-based white supremacy group uses the same internet security company that recently severed ties with the online message board 8chan, which was the online platform for the racist manifestos of three mass shooters this year. The League of the South’s website security certificate lists the web security company Cloudflare, whose CEO on Aug. 5 … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

August 13, 2019

Ivey announces grant to train prosecutors, law enforcement officers on traffic laws

Gov. Kay Ivey announced on Friday the award of a grant to train the state’s prosecutors and law enforcement on traffic safety laws. “Law enforcement officers and prosecutors at all levels work together to enforce and uphold Alabama’s traffic laws,” Ivey said in a press release Friday. “I am pleased to support this program which … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

August 12, 2019

Poll: Most Republicans support assault weapons ban, universal background checks

A majority of Republicans asked said they support a ban on assault weapons, according to a Politico/Morning Consult poll published Wednesday. The poll results contradicted President Donald Trump’s statement on Wednesday that he didn’t believe there was a political appetite to ban the weapons, often favored by mass shooters. On Aug. 3 a man murdered 22 … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

August 9, 2019