Alabama inmate executed for the shooting death of man in 1993 robbery
Casey McWhorter was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death for his role in the robbery and shooting death of Edward Lee Williams on Feb. 18, 1993.
Pastor’s suicide brings grief, warnings of the dangers of outing amid erosion of LGBTQ+ rights
Copeland he took his own life two days after a conservative news site exposed social media posts where he appeared in women’s clothing, a wig and makeup.
Alabama sets January execution date using nitrogen gas
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday announced a Jan. 25 execution date for Kenneth Eugene Smith using the new method.
Alabama can execute inmate with nitrogen gas, state’s highest court says
The justices granted the state attorney general's request for an execution warrant for Kenneth Eugene Smith, one of two men convicted in the 1988 murder-for-hire slaying of Elizabeth Sennett in northwestern Alabama.
Judges aiming to give Black voters more influence in Alabama set to redraw congressional districts
U.S. District Judge Stanley Marcus, noting a ruling will be issued “shortly,” said the three-judge panel is aware of the time constraints posed by elections next year when the state's seven U.S. House seats will be on the ballot. The court could rule as early as this week.
State Rep. John Rogers charged with obstruction of justice
The indictment accuses Rogers, a Democrat from Birmingham, and his assistant of offering additional grant money as a bribe to persuade a person to give false information to federal agents who were investigating possible kickbacks that prosecutors said were paid to Rogers' assistant.
Court appointee proposes Alabama congressional districts to provide representation to Black voters
The three proposals all create a second district where Black voters comprise a majority of the voting age population or close to it — something that state lawmakers refused to do when they drew lines this summer.
Supreme Court to decide whether Alabama can postpone drawing new congressional districts
The outcome could determine what map the state uses in the 2024 elections and whether the high court will revisit arguments over the role of race in redistricting.
Jackson says we must own hardest chapters of US history during 1963 church bombing remembrance
Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court, spoke at the 60th anniversary of the Sept. 15, 1963 bombing at 16th Street Baptist Church. She said the country should celebrate the great strides that have been made since 1963 but that there is still work to do.
On 60th anniversary of church bombing, victim’s sister, suspect’s daughter urge people to stop hate
Lisa McNair's sister Denise was one of the girls who lost their lives. Tammie Fields’ father was questioned as a possible suspect in the church bombing but never charged. Decades after the bombing, the two women met at a Black History Month event and forged a seemingly unlikely connection and friendship.
Alabama asks US Supreme Court again to intervene in redistricting case
Despite losing at the Supreme Court earlier this year in the long-running redistricting case, Alabama is pursuing another appeal, hoping for a different result with the most recent GOP version of the map.
Judges reject Alabama’s congressional lines, will draw new districts to increase Black voting power
The three-judge panel blocked use of the state's newly drawn congressional map in next year's elections. A special master will be tapped to draw new districts for the state, the judges said. Alabama is expected to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Alabama lawmaker resigns and agrees to plead guilty to voter fraud
Republican Rep. David Cole, of Huntsville, resigned from the Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday. He will plead guilty to a charge of voting in an unauthorized location, according to a plea agreement filed in state court.
Alabama describes proposed nitrogen gas execution
The state described the procedures for the proposed new execution method in a redacted court filing. Alabama is seeking to become the first state to execute a prisoner using nitrogen.
Alabama can enforce ban on puberty blockers and hormones for transgender children, court says
A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a judge’s temporary injunction against enforcing the law. The judge has scheduled trial for April 2 on whether to permanently block the law.
Lawsuit challenges Alabama’s ‘de facto ban’ on freestanding birth centers
The lawsuit — filed by the operators of one birth center that closed and two others that paused plans to open — asks a judge to block the Alabama Department of Public Health from requiring the facilities be licensed as hospitals.
Riverfront brawl brings unwelcome attention to historic civil rights city in Alabama
Three white boaters in Alabama’s capital city will be charged with misdemeanor assault for a riverfront brawl with a Black boat captain that drew nationwide attention, with more charges likely to come.
Plaintiffs in voting rights case urge judges to toss Alabama’s new congressional map
Plaintiffs in the high-profile redistricting case accused state Republicans of flouting a judicial mandate to create a second majority-Black district or “something quite close to it" and enacting a map that continues to discriminate against Black voters in the state.
Black lawmakers say Alabama GOP’s proposed new congressional map insults the Supreme Court
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives and Senate advanced separate plans that increase the number of Black voters in the state’s 2nd congressional district, but do not establish the second majority-Black district sought by plaintiffs who won the Supreme Court case last month.
After court ruling, Alabama GOP criticized for rejecting 2nd majority-Black congressional district
Lawmakers must adopt new maps by Friday after the U.S. Supreme Court in June upheld a finding that the current state map likely violated the federal Voting Rights Act.
Alabama Republicans, despite Supreme Court ruling, reject call for second majority Black district
Lawmakers must adopt a new map by Friday after the high court in June affirmed a three-judge panel's ruling that Alabama’s existing congressional map likely violated the Voting Rights Act.
Alabama lawmakers to convene to redraw maps US high court declared unfair to Black voters
The U.S. Supreme Court this month affirmed the panel's finding that Alabama likely violated the Voting Rights Act with a congressional map that had only one majority Black district out of seven in a state where more than one in four residents is Black.
Alabama must move quickly to draw new congressional districts
The U.S. Supreme Court last week affirmed a lower-court ruling finding Alabama likely violated the Voting Rights Act with an Alabama congressional map that had only one majority Black district out of seven in a state where more than one in four residents is Black. The state must now draw a new map by July 21.
Chief suspect in Natalee Holloway disappearance pleads not guilty to extortion charges
Joran van der Sloot pleaded not guilty Friday to federal charges that he tried to extort money from the missing teen’s mother in exchange for revealing the location of her body.
After decades of attempts, major bill to cut state’s 4% grocery tax wins final passage
The legislation now heads to the desk of Gov. Kay Ivey, whose office said she will review it when she receives it. Alabama is one of only three states that tax groceries at the same rate as other purchases.
Feds say Alabama ignored sewer issues, harmed Black residents
The departments of Justice and Health and Human Services announced the results of the environmental justice probe and a settlement agreement with state health officials to address longstanding wastewater sanitation problems in Lowndes County, a high-poverty county between Selma and Montgomery.
Alabama senators back bill to cut state sales tax on food
The bill introduced by Republican Sen. Andrew Jones of Centre would gradually reduce the sales tax on food from 4% to 2% — taking off .5% each year — provided there is more than enough state revenue to offset the loss to the education budget, which relies on sales and income taxes.
Alabama governor defends dismissal of education leader
Gov. Kay Ivey replaced a Cabinet member who oversaw the state's award-winning prekindergarten program because of a teacher training book with language about inclusion and combatting structural racism, she said Thursday.
Alabama police say 89 shots fired into crowded Sweet 16 party
The lead investigator in the case testified at a court hearing Tuesday that could determine if the three adults accused in last week's shooting will be held without bond. The three juvenile defendants will have separate hearings.
Alabama police arrest 2 teens for birthday party shooting
An Alabama Law Enforcement Agency spokesman wouldn’t say where the two are being jailed, or whether they already were in custody when they were charged in the case.
As grocery prices soar, push grows to end sales tax on food
Alabama is one of only three states that tax groceries at the same rate as other purchases. But as food prices soar — and as the state sees a record budget surplus — Alabama lawmakers are considering removing, or phasing out, the state's 4% sales tax on food.
Man sentenced to 30 years after police officer shot friend
Alabama’s felony murder law holds someone liable for murder if they participate in a felony that results in someone's death.
