Parole Hearings Will Resume With “Reduced Person-To-Person Interaction”
The Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles (APBB) will resume parole hearings May 18 after stopping them last month in response to the spread of COVID-19.
Officials made the announcement Monday immediately after Gov. Kay Ivey issued a supplemental emergency proclamation directing the bureau to resume hearings in a “manner that reduces person-to-person interaction.”
For weeks, advocates and legal groups have repeatedly called on the state to not only re-start but expedite parole hearings using social distancing measures. They say COVID-19 could spread rapidly inside overcrowded state prisons, where people have limited access to medical care and good hygiene can be extremely difficult.
In a letter to Gov. Ivey, a group of law school faculty members and former prosecutors said the parole board should prioritize the release of inmates at high risk for COVID-19.
“Alabama should recognize the parole system as one avenue through which to ameliorate the public-health threat posed by our overcrowded prisons,” the letter states.
Charles Graddick, director of the Bureau of Pardons and Paroles, previously said having hearings without in-person public participation is complicated by “stringent laws governing the Board’s hearing process.” He specifically cited a 30-day requirement to notify crime victims and officials and give them the opportunity to participate. Incarcerated people eligible for parole are not allowed to attend their own parole hearings.
In a statement Monday, Graddick said Gov. Ivey’s emergency proclamation “clears the way for the resumption of hearings.”
Nearly 4,000 inmates are eligible and awaiting a parole hearing, according to a report by the ACLU of Alabama released last week. The halt in paroles due to COVID-19 is the latest delay after a recent shake-up in the ABPP and a significant reduction in the rate of people granted early release.
In a statement, ACLU of Alabama executive director Randall Marshall said he is glad parole hearings will resume, but they should be starting sooner than May 18, especially with the threat of the coronavirus spreading inside prisons.
When hearings start next month, the three-member parole board will still meet in person to make decisions, but hearings will not be open to the public. Officials, family members, crime victims and interested parties can provide statements of support or opposition to the board via mail, email, or phone.
Officials say a schedule will soon be posted online. They say minutes will be posted on the ABPP website within 12 hours of the hearings.
Scientists say they have discovered 20 new species deep in the Pacific Ocean
Researchers retrieved reef monitoring devices that had been placed in deep coral reefs in Guam. The devices were placed up to 330 feet below the surface.
Shopping for pricy ACA health plans? Some cheaper options come with trade-offs
Without a fix from Congress, costs for many people who buy health care on the Affordable Care Act marketplace have gone up. Here's what's to know about cheaper choices — and pitfalls to be aware of.
Cartagena’s iconic horse carriages give way to electric buggies
Cartagena, Colombia, is set to ban its iconic horse-drawn carriages, replacing them with electric buggies — a move dividing the historic city over tradition, tourism, and animal welfare.
New Orleans musicians share their favorite Christmas songs, from bounce to blues
Rosemary Westwood from member station WWNO asked a few of New Orlean's favorite musicians about the songs they like to listen to around Christmas.
On winter’s coldest days, this classic Kashmiri coat offers warmth — and wisdom
In Kashmir, December 21 is said to mark the start of the 40 harshest days of winter. A woolen robe called a pheran is key to keeping warm — and a reminder of how to face and overcome hardships.
A radio station in Amsterdam is a lifeline for Sudan. After USAID cuts, it’s faltering
Budget cuts threaten the future of Amsterdam-based Radio Dabanga, which has served as an information lifeline for Sudanese people about their war-torn country.
