Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is joining with law enforcement leaders in the state and calling on Governor Kay Ivey to keep the current chair of the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Marshall wants Ivey to reappoint Leigh Gwathney, whose seat on the board expired Monday, despite pushback by some progressives who believe she has been too tough when it comes to granting paroles in the Yellowhammer State.
“Reappointing Leigh Gwathney is about more than leadership—it’s about protecting Alabama families from violent criminals and honoring the voices of victims who too often go unheard,” Marshall said.
“Ms. Gwathney has never lost sight of what’s at stake: the safety of our citizens and the dignity of those who have suffered at the hands of violent offenders.”
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Marshall and 76 law enforcement leaders across Alabama sent a letter to the Governor, explaining why they want Gwathney to keep her job.
“In 2019, we supported your efforts to reform our state’s system of pardons and paroles. While those reforms have been effective, the most consequential decision that you made during that time was to place Ms. Gwathney at the helm of the board,” the letter says. “Ms. Gwathney’s experience prosecuting violent crimes for both Jefferson County and the Attorney General’s Office makes her uniquely qualified to preside over the parole board.”
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The parole rate in the state was consistently much higher before 2019, reaching 55% in 2017. Since the start of Gwathney’s term the rate has stayed much lower, reaching as low as 8% in 2023 and going up to 20% in 2024.
Marshall and his fellow top cops believe the lower rates are good for the safety of Alabama citizens and argued that those numbers make Gwathney the right person for the job.
“[H]er willingness to continue to serve in the face of unprecedented and unwarranted criticism by the liberal media shows a level of courage, conviction, and dedication to the cause that is rarely seen in Montgomery,” The letter says. “Ms. Gwathney has proven herself to be beyond the influence of the antiincarceration movement, ready and willing to fight for the law-abiding citizens of this state.”
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee
