trial Archives • Alabama Political Reporter

Bill eliminating presumptive sentencing guidelines following trial advances

Hill said presumptive guidelines are "an offer" that a criminal defendant rejects by choosing to go to trial.

May 19, 2023

Sentencing of former state Rep. Will Dismukes delayed to July

The delay comes after the death of Dismukes' father, Bill Dismukes, who died by suicide following Will's conviction.

May 1, 2023

Shelby says House has “a weak hand” in impeachment trial

Sunday, U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, appeared on ABC News’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos to discuss the impending trial. Shelby said at this point “the House had got a weak hand” and wanted the Senate to “re-try their stuff.” Tuesday, Senators Shelby and Doug Jones, D-Alabama, will join their colleagues in the Senate as … Continued

January 20, 2020

The insanity of 2020

This is my last column. Until next year. Don’t want you to get too excited. It may be a time to reflect on the past 12 months. Or, better, a time to look ahead. 2020 is going to be a big year in Alabama and nationally. The U.S. Senate will at some point hold an … Continued

December 27, 2019

State not in compliance with agreement for speedier mental evaluations for incarcerated

It’s been 16 months since a judge ordered Alabama to speed up mental evaluations and treatment for those waiting in jail to stand trial, but the state has failed to meet nearly all of the benchmarks to do so. Attorneys for the plaintiffs in the 2016 class-action civil lawsuit worry that the state isn’t capable … Continued

July 11, 2019

The light of Easter

For those of us who are Christians, this week is the most important and holiest of the year. We begin the week remembering Jesus’ triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, walk with Him through his last teachings in the Temple, watch the last supper with His disciples, sadly witness His arrest and trial before the Sanhedrin and … Continued

April 15, 2019

Southeast EPA director, former AEMC commissioner indicted on ethics charges

Trey Glenn, the EPA’s Southeast administrator, and Scott Phillips, a former Alabama Environmental Management commissioner, have been indicted by a Jefferson County grand jury on multiple felony ethics charges. The grand jury returned indictments against the two on Nov. 9, according to a statement from the Ethics Commission. Phillips was charged on multiple counts of violating … Continued

November 13, 2018

Alabama Supreme Court delays trial of Montgomery cop charged with murder

The trial of a Montgomery police officer indicted for the murder of an unarmed black man has been delayed again. On Wednesday, the Alabama Supreme Court issued a stay in the trial of officer A.C. Smith, which was set to begin on Monday, and ordered the trial judge and Montgomery’s District Attorney’s Office to respond … Continued

August 9, 2018

Deposition: Bentley was pressured by lawmakers, attorneys, major donors to upend Hubbard trial

Former Gov. Robert Bentley said during a recent deposition that he was pressured by lawmakers, attorneys and major donors on numerous occasions during the Mike Hubbard trial to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the Alabama Attorney General’s Office — a move that likely would have torpedoed the case against the former House speaker. Under … Continued

July 16, 2018