On Wednesday, Gov. Kay Ivey signed House Bill 143, the Nick Risner Act, a bill named in honor of Sheffield K-9 Sgt. Nick Risner. The 40-year-old police officer was killed while pursuing a suspect last year. The man who shot him, Brian Lansing Martin, was previously convicted of manslaughter after killing his father. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2013 and was released three years later on “good time.”
The Nick Risner Act, which is sponsored by Rep. Phillip Pettus, prevents convicts who used a deadly weapon to kill someone from being released early under Alabama’s “Good Time” law. Governor Ivey previously met with members of the Risner family and offered her full support for this legislation as it moved through the process.
“I’m bringing this bill, so hopefully another family will not have to go through what they did,” said Rep. Pettus, a former state trooper.
“Standing up for our men and women in blue is a top priority for my administration,” stated Ivey. “Sergeant Risner’s killer should have never been released from prison in the first place, and while there is nothing that can be done to reverse this horrific tragedy, this legislation will go a long way in ensuring violent offenders remain off the streets. I’m especially thankful to Representative Phillip Pettus, and the members of both the House and Senate for ensuring this life-saving legislation got across the finish line. My prayers remain with the Risner family.”
