Lawsuit Says Alabama Appellate Court Elections Violate Voting Rights Act

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2006/11/Voting.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1275;s:4:"file";s:18:"2006/11/Voting.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Voting-336x223.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:223;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Voting-771x512.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:512;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Voting-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Voting-768x510.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:510;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"Voting-1536x1020.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:1020;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"Voting-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Voting-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Voting-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Voting-468x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:468;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Voting-399x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:399;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Voting-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Voting-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"Voting-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:5317389;s:14:"optimized_size";i:394519;s:7:"percent";d:92.579999999999998;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:46:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2006/11/Voting.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:5130259;s:14:"optimized_size";i:255916;s:7:"percent";d:95.010000000000005;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:54:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2006/11/Voting-771x512.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:99909;s:14:"optimized_size";i:74017;s:7:"percent";d:25.920000000000002;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:54:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2006/11/Voting-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:58731;s:14:"optimized_size";i:43646;s:7:"percent";d:25.68;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:54:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2006/11/Voting-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:28490;s:14:"optimized_size";i:20940;s:7:"percent";d:26.5;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => WBHM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

)
1662712080 
1473250228

The civil rights group Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is filing a federal lawsuit on behalf of the Alabama NAACP and four individuals challenging how Alabama elects appellate judges. The suit alleges the at-large elections violate the Voting Rights Act.

Judges on the Alabama Supreme Court, the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals and the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals are elected through a statewide vote. The suit argues that since voting patterns tend to fall along racial lines in Alabama, the overall white majority keeps black candidates from being elected because the system dilutes potential support for minority judges. The suit says no black judge has been elected to the state’s three appellate courts in 21 years.

Instead the plaintiffs want these judges elected on a district basis saying that would give African-Americans an equal opportunity to elect judges of their choice.

A spokeswoman with the Alabama’s attorney general’s office says they’re reviewing the complaint and had no immediate comment. Secretary of State John Merrill declined to comment.

The Lawyers’ Committee filed a similar suit in Texas this summer.

Voting Rights Act Lawsuit

 

Nepal lifts social media ban following protests where police killed 19 people

Nepal's government lifted its ban on social media platforms Tuesday a day after police killed opened fire on mass street protests against the ban, killing 19 people.

Rick Davies, singer and co-founder of Supertramp, has died

The British musician co-founded the rock band Supertramp, which spurred hits like "Give A Little Bit" and "The Logical Song" in the 1970s.

Rupert Murdoch buys out 3 of his kids, cementing his conservative media empire

The owner of Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and dozens of other media properties has settled a legal fight with three of his own children over who would control his companies after his death.

Estate of Jeffrey Epstein gives Congress ‘birthday book’ allegedly signed by Trump

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said the book included a tawdry drawing and note that appeared to include President Trump's signature. Trump had previously denied its existence.

DHS launches immigration crackdowns in Chicago, Boston

These announcements by DHS are just the latest escalation of federal action in U.S. cities including Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. — all led by Democrats.

The school shooting industry is worth billions – and it keeps growing

The effort to keep schools safe from mass shooters has ballooned into a multibillion dollar industry. Companies are selling school districts assurance with high-tech products.

More Front Page Coverage