Perry County Commission Chairman Albert Turner’s voting fraud charges have been dismissed.
The charges, which were filed in January, were based upon allegations that Turner voted more than once in an election, harvested ballots, and also mailed absentee ballots during last year’s primary and general elections.
Circuit Judge Marvin Wiggins dismissed the charges April 6 following a request by state prosecutors.
Turner has maintained from the outset of the case that his prosecution was a political attack.
“Let it be known that no prosecutor should use their office for a political vendetta. My children were upset, and my 86-year-old mother suffered anxiety attacks after hearing that her son would have to face what she, her husband Albert Sr., and Spencer Hogue went through as a defendant in 1986,” said Turner.
The charges emanated from the May 24 primary election and the Nov. 8 general election, then-Alabama Secretary of State John H. Merrill and District Attorney Michael Jackson said in a joint statement in January.
“I don’t care if it’s me, Donald Watkins, or Donald Trump; a prosecutor should not target individuals because of politics,” Turner said. “Michael Jackson and John Merrill will pay for this.”
Turner believes his reason for being prosecuted is related to defeating Jackson in 2022.
On his Facebook account, Turner gave his view of the events in the form of a list.
1. Turner is a very astute politician that is very well respected in both Republican and Democratic circles;
2. The Turner name is of national prominence;
3. Michael Jackson was only a local officeholder;
4. Michael Jackson had his brother-in-law seated on the Grand Jury that returned the indictment against Turner;
5. The Grand Jury that was seated was not originally called to be members of the Grand Jury;
6. Michael Jackson blamed his defeat in Perry County and the ultimate defeat of the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office on Chairman Turner. Jackson used a politically charged indictment against him as payback;
7. Jury members were lied to about evidence that was not in existence;
8. There was no formal complaint filed with the District Attorney against Turner;
9. No election official filed a complaint against Turner;
10. Jackson sought Turner’s support through Jeff Easley during the election;
11. Jackson disclosed prematurely the Grand Jury indictment in violation of the law;
12. The indictment returned was vague and not specific to any violation of the law nor was it specific to Chairman Turner. The DA Michael Jackson knew he could not expect a conviction and had no reasonable expectation to receive a conviction based on no factual evidence presented to the Grand Jury;
13. The Alabama Attorney General’s Office sent investigators to investigate the alleged complaint by Jackson by interviewing poll officials assigned to the National Guard Armory box, the Probate Judge, and employees in the absentee election manager’s office;
14. The investigation ended with NO interviewers African American or Caucasian able to verify Jackson’s claim of voter fraud;
15. The total number of votes cast in the Primary Election in 2022 and the total number of voters who cast ballots were identical meaning no over-voting occurred as Jackson alleged before the Grand Jury.
“The criminal case is over, and now here comes the civil lawsuit against Michael Jackson and John Merrill,” said Turner.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.
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