Legislative News

Attorney General Marshall Announces Arrest of Jefferson County Man on Multiple Counts of Child Pornography

By VOCAL | June 7, 2023

Release: June 7, 2023 (MONTGOMERY)—Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the arrestof a Jefferson County man on multiple counts of possession of child pornography.Russell John Sweeney, 48, of Hoover, was arrested last week by Special Agents of theAttorney General’s Office with assistance from the Hoover Police Department and theUniversity of Alabama Police Regional Evidence and…

Alabama D.A. seeks to keep sex offender out of facility he calls ‘target-rich environment’

By VOCAL | May 26, 2023

By  UPDATE: A temporary restraining was granted Friday evening. A full hearing is set for 10 a.m. Tuesday in Wetumpka. EARLIER: An Alabama district attorney is asking for an injunction to prevent the placement of a “violent sexual predator” at a facility in one of his counties. C.J. Robinson, the district attorney for the 19th…

Alabama man convicted of capital murder in brutal 1999 deaths of Tracie Hawlett, J.B. Beasley

By VOCAL | April 28, 2023

Story by Carol Robinson, al.com • Apr 26 Alabama man convicted of capital murder in brutal 1999 deaths of Tracie Hawlett, J.B. Beasley – al.com A 49-year-old Alabama was convicted Wednesday of capital murder in the brutal 1999 murders of two high school seniors in the Wiregrass. The convictions are for two counts of capital murder-vehicle, one…

Paul DeMarco: As violent crime increases public safety must be the first priority for Alabama State officials this legislative session

By VOCAL | April 18, 2023

By Paul DeMarco Despite aggressive lobbying by liberal advocacy groups, the Alabama House of Representatives and Senate have passed legislation that has given prosecutors and law enforcement more tools to protect citizens. In 2019, reforms were passed to strengthen the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles which fixed a broken system that had allowed violent…

Ivey signs “good time” bill into law

By VOCAL | April 16, 2023

Under the new law, perfectly behaved incarcerated individuals will begin to earn 30 days off for each 30 days served. ByJACOB HOLMES Ivey signs “good time” bill into law (alreporter.com) Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law Friday a bill that will slash the accrual of correctional incentive time in Alabama’s prison system. “I want to…

AG Marshall removes litigating authority from ADOC attorneys

By VOCAL | April 15, 2023

Craig Monger | 04.14.23 AG Marshall removes litigating authority from ADOC attorneys (1819news.com) In the ongoing drama with the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC), Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is taking away litigation authority from the ADOC and moving it to his office.   On Thursday, ADOC announced Marshall was removing the “assistant attorney general” designation…

VOCAL’s Miriam Shehane honored for service to Alabama’s crime victims

By VOCAL | April 14, 2023

VOCAL’s Miriam Shehane honored for service to Alabama’s crime victims (wsfa.com) MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Miriam Shehane, a crusader for crime victims’ rights, was honored by the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Fund Thursday for her 37 years of service. In 1982, Alabama had no laws to support crime victims. That changed because of Shehane, who…

Goodman: Family of Jamea Harris can’t avoid Alabama basketball

By VOCAL | March 14, 2023

By  Shared from : Goodman: Family of Jamea Harris can’t avoid Alabama basketball – al.com Unexpected tears of anger burned through the eyes of Kelvin Heard on Saturday. He was in Publix on Green Springs Avenue in Homewood. Wine aisle. The stepfather of Jamea Harris just wanted to buy a bottle to take the edge…

Victim advocates scramble as state makes prison release notifications

By VOCAL | February 19, 2023

Posted on Montgomery Advertiser Victim advocates scramble as state makes prison release notifications (montgomeryadvertiser.com) Advocacy groups for victims of violent crimes scrambled Tuesday to spread the word about the state’s early release of hundreds of prisoners in the following days, as the state continued to make victim notifications required under the 2021 revised legislation. Alabama…

Crime victims groups express concern over inmate release

By VOCAL | February 19, 2023

by: Maddie Biertempfel Posted: Feb 1, 2023 / 06:37 PM CST Updated: Feb 1, 2023 / 06:38 PM CST Posted on CBS42 MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — As Alabama begins releasing hundreds of inmates early, some crime victims say they should’ve been given more time to know this was happening. Victims groups have been scrambling this week to notify…

Advocacy groups upset over delay in notifying victims before mandatory supervision release

By VOCAL | February 19, 2023

Published on WAAY 31 ABC It’s a new law in the state that also requires inmates to be monitored after release. The Alabama Department of Corrections is working to contact victims before they can legally release more inmates to be under supervision as part of the mandatory supervision law. Victims are feeling a lot of emotions…

Paul DeMarco: Alabama leaders fail crime victims again with mass early prison release of violent felons

By VOCAL | February 19, 2023

By Paul DeMarco published in the Trussville Tribune The release of inmates from Alabama prisons caught a lot people by surprise. Paul DeMarco The potential early release of over 2 percent of the inmate population of the Alabama Department of Corrections was required by a law passed in 2015 and then amended in 2021 by…

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