Jay Town Resigns As U.S. Attorney Of The Northern District Of Alabama
U.S. Attorney Jay Town announced Friday he is resigning from his position with the U.S. Department of Justice.
In a statement, Town said his decision comes after “much thoughtful prayer and great personal consideration.”
Town is taking a position with a privately held defense contractor and cybersecurity solutions company in Huntsville. He said this job operates in both the government and commercial sectors and will allow him to work closer to home.
Town, 46, has served as U.S. Attorney of the Northern District of Alabama since 2017 after he was nominated by President Donald Trump.
Town’s career as U.S. Attorney includes reviewing the case of Emantic “E.J.” Bradford Jr., who was shot and killed by a Hoover police officer in 2018 on Thanksgiving night and a recent investigation into an alleged hate crime against NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace at Talladega Superspeedway.
Town also handed down indictments against Balch & Bingham partners Joel Gilbert and Steven McKinney, and former Drummond Company vice president David Roberson, for their convictions in a bribery scheme related to efforts to clean up pollution around north Birmingham. He also released a number of statements over the years including his support of a compassionate early release for former Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford’s prior to his death.
Town also worked to lower Birmingham’s crime rate by developing a “vertical” model of law enforcement that includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, according to BirminghamWatch.
“I have been humbled and honored to lead the dedicated men and women of this office that work tirelessly each day. I have also been so very fortunate to admire the brave men and women of law enforcement – local, state, and federal – who serve this District so honorably and truly are the very best among us. I believe our collective efforts have made the Northern District of Alabama safer,” Town said in a statement.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr will announce his replacement in the coming days or weeks, according to Town. His resignation goes into effect Wednesday, July 15.
Trump names former Florida AG Pam Bondi as his new pick for U.S. attorney general
After former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration, President-elect Donald Trump named Pam Bondi, a former attorney general of Florida, as his next pick for U.S. attorney general.
Police report gives details, timeline of the sexual assault claim against Pete Hegseth
The woman who accused then-Fox News host of sexual assault in 2017 said that she "remembered saying 'no' a lot," according to a police report. Hegseth is President-elect Donald Trump's choice for Secretary of Defense.
Alabama Black Belt’s sewer crisis a tougher fix for residents in manufactured homes
Poor sanitation has long plagued residents in Alabama’s Black Belt. For people with manufactured houses, finding a solution has been more challenging.
In Birmingham, Black men’s groups work to save young men from the cycle of gun violence
As the city inches closer to its homicide record, community members are trying to address a sense of fatalism and lack of opportunity felt by some young men.
What is the ICC and can it really arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu?
The ICC also issued warrants for Yoav Gallant, former Israeli defense minister, and Hamas leader Muhammad Deif. But it doesn't have an enforcement mechanism and relies on states to make the arrests.
Former Brazilian president indicted over alleged coup plot
Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro and several others have been charged with attempting to overthrow incoming government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2022.
