AG Steve Marshall files suit against city of Birmingham, Mayor William Bell
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced Wednesday that his office has filed suit in Jefferson County Circuit Court against the City of Birmingham and Mayor William Bell for violating state law by constructing barriers to deliberately obscure a Confederate monument in the city’s downtown Linn Park. “In accordance with the law, my office has determined that by affixing tarps and placing plywood around the Linn Park Memorial such that it is hidden from view, the Defendants have ‘altered’ or ‘otherwise disturbed’ the memorial in violation of the letter and spirit of the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act,” said Marshall. “The City of Birmingham does not have the right to violate the law and leaves my office with no choice but to file suit.” The Alabama Memorial Preservation Act, was passed by state lawmakers earlier this year and signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey. It prohibits the removal of historic statues more than 40 years old from public spaces. The Confederate monument in question in Linn Park was dedicated in 1905, and thus is protected by the law.
Steve Marshall releases web video, pledges to fight public corruption
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall released his first campaign advertisement of the 2018 election cycle on Monday, pledging to continue to fight against the public corruption the Yellowhammer State has come to know all too well. In the video, Marshall is seated in the courtroom where he served as the District Attorney for Marshall County from 2001, until he was appointed AG in February by former Gov. Robert Bentley after former-AG Luther Strange was appointed to the U.S. Senate. “The public corruption we’ve witnessed over the last twenty years is simply unacceptable. The people of Alabama deserve better…,” Marshall said in the video. “We’ve made progress, but there is much work that needs to be done. I’m Steve Marshall, Attorney General of Alabama, and I’m asking for your vote.” He also reminded Alabamians of his conservative ideals and his efforts in protecting the unborn and fighting for limited government. “I’ve fought on behalf the unborn, but also those Republican ideals that speak to limited government to push back against over-regulation by those in Washington,” Marshall added. Watch the full video below: Full transcript of video: In court rooms just like this, across Alabama, I’ve had the ability to fight the battles for families and victims, to be able to share their stories, to be able to stand up against those who would try to cause them harm, and to be able to convince juries that justice can only be found through verdicts of guilty. I’m Steve Marshall, and I’m Attorney General of Alabama. My faith is the grounding force of everything that I do in my life, that I understand that I’m not Attorney General, first. But instead, I’m a Believer in Jesus Christ. Twenty years ago I found my passion; and that was to serve as a prosecutor. Everyday having the opportunity to come to work to find justice for law enforcement and victims in my community and now as Attorney General across the state of Alabama. The public corruption we’ve witnessed over the last twenty years is simply unacceptable. The people of Alabama deserve better. As a prosecutor, I’ve enforced the ethics law in courtrooms in this state. I’ve held those who’ve violated those ethics laws accountable, and sent them to prison. I am a Republican because of the conservative ideals that the party represents. I’ve fought on behalf the unborn, but also those Republican ideals that speak to limited government to push back against over-regulation by those in Washington. And to make sure people that understand government has a limited purpose, not there to solve all problems, but to serve them well. You have given me the greatest opportunity I’ve ever had professionally, to be able to share the stories of law enforcement and victims throughout this state, to work to be able to keep our communities safer. We’ve made progress, but there is much work that needs to be done. I’m Steve Marshall, Attorney General of Alabama, and I’m asking for your vote.
House approves legislation to streamline death penalty appeals
The Alabama House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a bill that would streamline the appeals process for death row inmates. SB187, the Fair Justice Act, streamlines the appeals process by requiring inmates to raise claims such as ineffective counsel at the same time as direct appeal claiming trial errors. It was approved by the House 74-26. The bill’s sponsor, Alabaster-Republican Sen. Cam Ward says the bill should drop the appeals time from roughly 18 years down to nine. However, many House Democrats argue it increases the chances the state could execute an innocent person. Attorney General Steve Marshall disagrees. He thinks the bill is the solution to the state’s inefficient appeals process. “There is no doubt that Alabama’s system for reviewing capital cases is inefficient and in need of repair,” said Marshall. “The average death row inmate appeal time is over 15 years and rising. Each year that these appeals drag on, the general public is further removed from and even desensitized to the horrendous crimes that led to the sentences of every individual on death row. But, for the families of victims, the pain is not numbed with the passing of years. The endless appeals process reopens their wounds again and again.” Marshall continued, “This legislation is about justice, and justice should be fair and swift. The Fair Justice Act takes nothing away from a death row inmate in terms of the courts reviewing his case, but streamlines the appellate process so that the direct appeal and the state post-conviction stage occur simultaneously.” The Fair Justice Act passed the Alabama Senate on April 18. It will return to the Senate for concurrence or conference committee.
Luther Strange reporting solid fundraising for 2018 Senate special election
Newly appointed U.S. Sen. Luther Strange, selected by Gov. Robert Bentley to replace Jeff Sessions after he became U.S. Attorney General, is posting robust fundraising numbers ahead of a 2018 special election. According to AL.com, Strange’s campaign expects to report raising $673,802 to the Federal Elections Commission, with $763,612 cash-on-hand. A primary for the special election is tentatively scheduled June 5, 2018, for the General Election Nov. 6, 2018. However, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey – who took over after Bentley’s resignation this week after accusations of ethics and campaign finance violations – could move the date up. While Strange is the only announced candidate so far, AL.com reports that before the appointment, nearly a dozen people have expressed interest in the Senate race. In February, Bentley appointed Strange to the Senate seat in February only four months after Strange, who was Alabama Attorney General at the time, called on the House committee to suspend its investigation of the governor’s impeachment, claiming his office was conducting “necessary related work.” The controversial appointment led attorney Sam McClure to file an ethics complaint with the Alabama State Bar. Steve Marshall, Bentley’s choice to replace Strange as AG, has confirmed to reporters his office is conducting an investigation into the governor.
