U.S. Department of Justice

Alabamians for Fair Justice urges lawmakers to repeal habitual offender law

Tuesday in Montgomery, over a hundred advocates for criminal justice reform will urge Alabama lawmakers to adopt reforms to help alleviate Alabama’s prison crisis. Alabamians from across the state will push for major changes that would help make prison sentences proportionate to the crimes committed, prevent people convicted of minor offenses from going to prison, … Continued

February 19, 2020

Justice Department says Equal Rights Amendment deadline has passed, fight continues

The U.S. Department of Justice’s opinion is that the deadline has passed to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, a finding supported by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala, and others, however, say the protections for women are needed, and Alabama’s fight against its passage is misguided. The Equal Rights Amendment, if … Continued

January 10, 2020

Inmate dies at Bullock prison, fourth inmate death in October

Investigators are trying to determine how an inmate at the Bullock County Correctional Facility in Union Springs died on Oct. 6. His death is the fourth inmate death in state prisons during October. Marcus Green, 34, of Birmingham was found by correctional officers lying in his bed and unresponsive, according to a press release from … Continued

November 1, 2019

Prison reform, construction package expected before end of session

A wide-ranging package of bills aimed at prison reform is expected to drop in the Alabama Legislature in the next few weeks, the chairman of the Senate’s judiciary committee tells the Alabama Political Reporter. The legislative package includes sentencing reforms, oversight legislation, reporting requirements and a new prison construction plan. The package, when it is … Continued

April 29, 2019

Tutwiler Conditions Ruled Unconstitutional by DOJ

By Brandon Moseley and Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter On Friday, January 17 the U.S. Department of Justice announced that their investigation into the state of Alabama’s Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women found that the State of Alabama prison system has been acting in an unconstitutional manner and that management of the State’s prison system … Continued

January 20, 2014