Alabama Arise discusses 2026 legislative priorities before session begins
Alabama Arise outlines 2026 priorities on hunger, education, justice and workers' rights, while urging early advocacy in a fast paced session.
judicial override
Former governors support bill for resentencing judicial override cases
Judicial override previously allowed judges to usurp a jury and sentence someone to death.
Opinion
Opinion
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See recent postsAlabama faces moral test in Smith’s case amid legal contradictions
This rush to execute before revisiting a condemned practice not only appears hypocritical but also cruel.
England continues to push for criminal justice legislation
His new bill would allow those sentenced to death under judicial override to be resentenced.
Bill to provide relief to death row inmates sentenced by judicial override stalls
Judges have been barred from overriding the jury in death penalty sentencing since the Legislature passed a law to that effect in 2018.
Bill would require unanimous jury for death penalty — and apply retroactively
Rep. Chris England's bill would also apply in cases of judicial override, which the Legislature ended in 2017.
Last-second amendment could lead to the execution of Alabama prisoner
A last-second amendment meant that a ban on judges overriding the wishes of juries to impose the death penalty wouldn't be retroactive.
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Opinion
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See recent postsA call for justice, not a cry for mercy for Kenneth Eugene Smith
Gov. Kay Ivey can pause Smith’s execution giving the Legislature time to decide if a 2017 law should have been retroactive.
Ending Judicial Override: Gov. Kay Ivey’s first signature
By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY — The first bill Gov. Kay Ivey signed after becoming Governor Monday evening was a bill that will put an end to Judicial Override in capital punishment. The bill will now become law. Ivey signed her first act, Senate Bill 16, sponsored by Sen. Dick Brewbaker in the Senate … Continued
The end to judicial override in Alabama is imminent
By Chip Brownlee Alabama Political Reporter MONTGOMERY — Alabama’s death penalty sentencing system, which allows judges to override a jury’s recommendation for life in prison, may soon be changing to put the Yellowhammer State in line with all other states that allow capital punishment. On Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill … Continued