| |
 |
| Death
Penalty: |
YES |
| Prohibit
Execution of the Mentally Retarded: |
NO. However, this state must draft legislation with clear and unambiguous language prohibiting executions of persons with an IQ of less than 70 in order to reflect the recent United States Supreme Court decision Atkins v. Virginia, which held that such executions are unconstitutional. |
| Life
Without Parole: |
YES |
| Minimum
Age to Eligible for the Death Penalty: |
16 (13 juveniles on death row) |
| Number
on Death Row: |
190 |
| Executions
Since 1976: |
24 |
| Race
of Defendants: |
100 white (53%), 87 black (46%), 2 Latino/a (1%), 1 Asian (.5%) |
| Racial
Make-up of State Population: |
71.1% white, 26% black, 1.7% Hispanic, 0.5% Native, 0.7% Asian, 0.7% Other |
| Innocents
Exonerated: |
3. Walter McMillan was released in 193 after serving 5 years on death row. Randall Padgett was released in 1997 after serving 5 years. Gary Drinkard was released in 2001 after serving 6 years. |
| Columbia
University Study Rate of Error in Capital Cases: |
77% |
| Murder
Rate: |
8.1 per 100,000 (ranked 9th out of 51) |
| Governor: |
Bob Riley, (Republican),
|
| Presidential
Vote: |
56% Bush, 42% Gore, 1% Nader |
| Organizations
Endorsing a Moratorium: |
Alabama Arise (Montgomery)
Alabama Committee to Abolish the Death Penalty
Alabama New South Coalition
Alabama Prison Project (Montgomery)
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Alabama (Montgomery)
Amnesty International, Group 513 (Mobile)
Benedictine Sisters of Cullman (Cullman)
Birmingham Pax Christi (Birmingham)
Carmelite Monastery, Mobile (Mobile)
Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE), Alabama Chapter
Episcopal Diocese of Alabama
Equal Justice Initiative of Alabama (Montgomery)
Greater Birmingham Ministries
Montgomery Advertiser
Our Savior Catholic Church
Project Hope to Abolish the Death Penalty (Lanett)
Religious Society of Friends, Birmingham Friends Meeting (Birmingham)
Southern Poverty Law Center (Montgomery)
St. Dominic Catholic Church
United Methodist Church, North Alabama Conference
|
| Organizations
Working FOR a Moratorium: |
ACLU of Alabama
207 Montgomery St., Ste 825
Montgomery, AL 36104
Olivia Turner-contact
334-262-0304--(day)
334-269-5666--(fax)
[email protected]
Alabama New South Coalition
Justice Peace Committee
11076 Country Road 267
Lanett, AL 36863
Judy Cumbee-contact
334-499-2380--(day)
334-262-2419--(fax)
[email protected]
Alabama Prison Project*
215 Clayton Street
Montgomery, AL 36104
Lucia Penland-contact
334-264-7416--(day)
334-264-4661--(fax)
[email protected]
Equal Justice Initiative*
643 South Perry St.
Montgomery, AL 36104
Bryan Stevenson-contact
334-269-1803--(day)
334-269-1806--(fax)
[email protected]
Senator Hank Sanders |
| Clemency: |
The Governor has sole authority to grant reprieves and commutations in capital cases. Sentences that are commuted to life are not eligible for a pardon from the Board of Pardons and Parole unless the Board receives sufficient evidence to indicate that the person is innocent of the crime and unanimously approves the pardon with the Governor. |
| Who
Decides Sentence: |
Judge. However, this state must comply with the recent United States Supreme Court decision, Ring v. Arizona, which states that it is unconstitutional to allow judges to increase jury sentences from life imprisonment to death. |
| Method
of Execution: |
Lethal injection or choice of electrocution |
