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death penalty

Death to judicial override

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter During my years as an editorial writer for The Birmingham News, I spent much of that time opposed to the death penalty. The death penalty should be abolished; clearly, innocent people have been killed by the State of Alabama. A number have been released from Death Row after being … Continued
January 11, 2017

Brewbaker bill will end judicial override in capital murder cases

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter In Alabama, even when a jury recommends someone only receive life in prison, a trial judge in a capital murder case can ignore that recommendation and impose the death penalty. Sen. Dick Brewbaker (R-Montgomery) wants to change this practice, known as “judicial override.” “The US Supreme Court has made … Continued
January 9, 2017

Brewbaker Sponsor’s Historic Innocence Commission

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY—State Sen. Dick Brewbaker (R-Montgomery) has introduced a bipartisan-sponsored bill that would create an Innocence Inquiry Commission. In 2002, North Carolina was the first state to establish an Innocence Commission to rehear cases where the accused and their advocates claim wrongful conviction. North Carolina created its commission after several … Continued
February 18, 2016

Strange Blasts US Supreme Court Ruling

By Brandon Moseley Alabama Political Reporter For decades, in serious cases, Alabama Courts have allowed prosecutors to trial juvenile defendants as adults. The Supreme Court eventually ruled that it was cruel and unusual punishment to execute persons for crimes committed when they were under 18 years of age. Now that has been expanded to include … Continued
January 26, 2016

Byrne Comments on Pope’s Address to Congress

  By Brandon Moseley Alabama Political Reporter Thursday, September 24, Pope Francis addressed a rare joint session of both Houses of the US Congress.  Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-Montrose) issued a statement in response to Pope Francis’s speech to the joint session of Congress. US Representative Byrne said, “As one of the most influential moral leaders … Continued
September 25, 2015

ACLU of Alabama Challenges the Proposed “Fair Justice Act”

Staff Report MONTGOMERY—The ACLU of Alabama, Project Hope to Abolish the Death Penalty in Alabama, the NAACP, and the Equal Justice Initiative confronted a Joint House and Senate hearing today regarding the proposed “Fair Justice Act” that would erroneously accelerate the death penalty appeals process and create greater room for serious judicial error. “Bill supporters … Continued
January 22, 2014

Strange Qualifies for Reelection, Talks With Us About Issues

By Brandon Moseley Alabama Political Reporter Qualifying for State office began early on Monday, January 13, 2014. Numerous candidates have paraded through Alabama Republican Party Headquarters in Hoover to file the necessary paperwork to run as Republicans in the June 3 Republican Primary. Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange (R) was one of the first candidates … Continued
January 14, 2014

Birmingham Attorney Richard Jaffe Comments on Executions of the Retarded

By Brandon Moseley Alabama Political Reporter ‘The Alabama Political Reporter’ recently discussed the status of the death penalty with attorney Richard Jaffe. Jaffe is one of Alabama’s leading criminal defense attorneys, particularly in death penalty cases. Mr. Jaffe said that in the 2002 case of Atkins versus the State of Virginia the U.S. Supreme Court … Continued
September 25, 2012

Prominent Attorney and Author Asks Bentley to Pardon Scottsboro Boys

By Brandon Moseley Alabama Political Reporter Prominent Birmingham criminal defense attorney Richard S Jaffe is asking Alabama Governor Robert Bentley to pardon the Scottsboro boys who remain unpardoned. Mr. Jaffe is part of a team of lawyers who are working on pardons for the Scottsboro boys who still have this rape conviction on their Alabama … Continued
August 29, 2012

Author and Criminal Defense Attorney Opposes Death Penalty

By Brandon Moseley Alabama Political Reporter Richard S. Jaffe is the Senior Partner of the Birmingham, Alabama law firm of Jaffe & Drennan, P.C.  Mr. Jaffe specializes in the areas of criminal defense and especially cases involving the death penalty.  He is currently advocating ending the death penalty in Alabama and the United States while … Continued
August 2, 2012