Robert Bentley called before special grand jury

Acting on orders from Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange, Montgomery County Circuit Judge Gene Reese ordered a special grand jury to convene this week to investigate the firing of former Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Secretary Spencer Collier by Governor Robert Bentley.

Collier was fired by Bentley in March for allegedly misusing funds in his role as ALEA secretary.

The special grand jury was impaneled on Monday, July 11. Multiple sources confirm, Ray Lewis, the former head of Bentley’s security detail, testified Monday and Tuesday. Bentley himself testified to the grand jury Wednesday, followed by Hal Taylor, the former Chief of Staff to former Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Secretary Spencer Collier and current ALEA head Stan Stabler.

“At 8:39 am, Wednesday, Gov. Robert Bentley walked into the Special Grand Jury being held in Montgomery County as Alabama Political Reporter reported yesterday. Bentley’s entourage included legal counsel David Byrne and one of his personal attorneys, Bill Espy,” the Alabama Political Reporter reported in an article published on Thursday.

The Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division, under the direction of Division Chief Matt Hart — who most recently made headlines for successfully prosecuting and convicting former House Speaker Mike Hubbard — is handling the investigation.