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.
40 years after ‘Purple Rain,’ Prince’s band remembers how the movie came together
Before social media, the film Purple Rain gave audiences a peak into Prince’s musical life. Band members say the true genesis of the title song was much less combative than the version presented in the film.
Park Fire in California could continue growing exponentially, Cal Fire officer says
Cal Fire has confirmed that over a hundred structures have been damaged in the Park Fire, which grew overnight near Chico, Calif. Difficult firefighting conditions are forecast through Friday night.
Checking in with Black voters in Georgia about the election, now that Biden is out
Some voters who could be key to deciding who wins Georgia. What do they think about Vice President Harris becoming the frontrunner in the race to be the Democratic nominee?
Tahiti’s waves are a matter of ‘life and death’ for surfing Olympics
Tahiti's Teahupo'o wave has a slew of riders for the Paris 2024 Olympics. NPR finds out why it's called one of the most dangerous waves.
Researchers are revising botanical names to address troubling connotations
Since the mid-1700s, researchers have classified life with scientific names. But some of them have problematic histories and connotations. The botanical community is trying to tackle this issue.
A spectacular opening ceremony wowed a global audience despite Paris’ on-and-off rain
The Paris Olympics opening ceremony wowed Parisians, fans and most everyone who was able to catch a glimpse of thousands of athletes floating down the Seine to officially begin the Games.
