Legislative News

Mobile police chief: Shooting arrest of man out on bond for murder shows need for ‘Aniah’s Law’

By VOCAL | September 26, 2022

Published: Sep. 26, 2022, 4:17 p.m. By John Sharp | [email protected] A 20-year-old-man out on bond on a murder charge from April was re-arrested on Friday for shooting at an occupied dwelling. Brandon Ely was arrested and booked into Mobile Metro Jail on a charge of shooting into an occupied dwelling for an incident that occurred at…

CJ Robinson takes over as 19th Judicial Circuit DA early

By VOCAL | September 25, 2022

By Jonathan Grass Published: Sep. 15, 2022 at 9:13 PM CDT|Updated: Sep. 15, 2022 at 9:15 PM CDT MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – CJ Robinson is stepping into his new role as district attorney for the 19th Judicial Circuit a bit early. After winning the Republican primary in May, Robinson was heading into the job anyway, as no Democratic…

Defunding law enforcement? Alabama sheriffs, county commission association sound alarm over drop in gun permit applications

By VOCAL | September 5, 2022

Published: Sep. 05, 2022, 7:00 a.m. Defunding law enforcement? Alabama sheriffs, county commission association sound alarm over drop in gun permit applications – al.com By: John Sharp | [email protected] Alabama sheriffs and the head of the state’s county commission association are sounding alarms about the financial implications of removing concealed carry permit revenues from their budgets. The…

2023 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

By VOCAL | August 29, 2022

August 10, 2022 Every April, OVC leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW). NCVRW offers us a chance to honor crime victims and survivors, recognize the professionals and volunteers who provide critical services to victims of crime, and raise awareness about crime victims’ rights and services.…

Biden signs bipartisan cold case law establishing federal right to request review for victims’ families

By VOCAL | August 29, 2022

President Biden signed a bipartisan cold case investigation bill into law this week that establishes federal rights for the relatives of people killed in unsolved murders. The Homicide Victims’ Families Rights Act provides family members of cold case victims a way to officially request federal investigators review their case with the latest available technology – and it…

Get Fit For Education 5K Walk/Run

By VOCAL | August 17, 2022

Californians fleeing for ‘red states like Alabama,’ Ivey retorts after Gavin Newsom rips governor’s prison plan

By VOCAL | August 16, 2022

By Howard Koplowitz | [email protected] Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday threw a counter punch at Gavin Newsom after the California governor ripped the governor’s plan to build two “mega prisons” with COVID relief money. Newsom tweeted a video Monday where he chastised Alabama for using federal COVID relief funds to build the prisons while California used the…

Aniah’s Law is Key to Preventing Future Tragedies

By VOCAL | August 13, 2022

Courtesy of The Dothan Eagle – Violent criminals should be incarcerated, not walking free in our communities and on our streets. Unfortunately, that is the case in our state all too often. Under current Alabama law, judges have limited authority to deny bail to violent offenders unless the suspect is charged with a capital offense…

Alabama board denies parole for accused killer Jimmy O’Neal Spencer

By VOCAL | August 12, 2022

Updated: Aug. 09, 2022, 11:48 a.m.| Published: Aug. 09, 2022, 9:41 a.m. Mike Cason | [email protected] The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles today denied parole for Jimmy O’Neal Spencer, whose parole five years ago sparked outrage because he stands accused of robbing and killing two women and a child eight months after his release. Attorney General…

Community awareness credited with helping human trafficking victims during World Games

By VOCAL | July 20, 2022

By Catherine Patterson Published: Jul. 20, 2022 at 8:13 AM CDT|Updated: 12 hours ago BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Law enforcement officials who worked behind the scenes to track down human traffickers during the World Games credit community awareness in saving victims’ lives. Federal, state and local law enforcement all worked together on Operation Games STOP during the weeks leading up to and…

After deputy’s fatal shooting, officials want changes to Alabama’s ‘ultra-lenient’ Good Time Law

By VOCAL | July 7, 2022

By Carol Robinson | [email protected] The 26-year-old man with a lengthy rap sheet charged in the killing of a Bibb County deputy sheriff should not have been out of lockup when the deadly shooting took place, according to some state authorities. Austin Patrick Hall, charged with capital murder in the slaying Bibb County Deputy Brad Johnson and attempted…

DNA leads to suspect’s arrest in sexual assaults of 7 women in Jefferson County

By VOCAL | July 2, 2022

By Carol Robinson | [email protected] A 27-year-old man has been charged on more than a dozen cases in the sexual assaults of seven women in the Birmingham area dating back so far to 2014. The Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office on Friday announced the arrest of 27-year-old Quindarrius Dominic Carter. He was booked into the Jefferson…

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