Simpson introduces capital murder expansion bill in response to public shootings

State Rep. Matt Simpson (R-Daphne) formally introduced House Bill 20 during a press conference Thursday at the Baldwin County satellite courthouse in Fairhope, drawing support from law enforcement leaders across the region.

“Today, alongside Sheriffs Hoss Mack, Anthony Lowery, and Paul Burch, Mobile District Attorney Keith Blackwood, and Sergeant John Young, I announced the filing of House Bill 20,” said Simpson in a Facebook post. “This bill will address public shootings and broaden law enforcement’s ability to charge capital murder to those who commit murder and endanger the lives of multiple people. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill passed into law during the next legislative session.”

The proposed legislation seeks to expand Alabama’s capital murder statute by adding a new aggravating factor that applies when a murder is committed in a way that knowingly creates a “great risk of death” to multiple people.

According to Simpson, the bill is intended to address a gap in the law that currently limits capital murder charges in certain mass violence scenarios. Under existing law, a capital charge may not apply in cases where multiple individuals are injured but only one person is killed. Simpson said the proposed change would give prosecutors more flexibility to pursue capital charges in incidents where the lives of multiple people are put at risk.

In recent years, the increase of several high-profile shootings have taken place in Alabama, drawing attention to the seriousness of the situation and leading to the creation of House Bill 20. One of those incidents occurred on June 1, 2025, at the Saenger Theatre in downtown Mobile. During a children’s dance recital attended by approximately 1,000 people, a 27-year-old man was fatally shot in front of his two young daughters. The alleged gunman, Marcus Sanders, has been charged with capital murder in that case based on the presence of the children during the shooting.

The bill also follows a 2022 New Year’s Eve shooting on Dauphin Street in downtown Mobile that left nine people injured and one person dead.

Additional shootings mentioned by law enforcement at the press conference included the Sage Park shooting in Mobile, where an innocent bystander was killed, and a holiday gathering in Theodore that resulted in multiple injuries and one death. Baldwin County Sheriff Lowery also referenced a May Day shooting in 2024 that left three people dead and several others wounded.

Reportedly, HB20 would add a 22nd aggravating factor to Alabama’s list of capital offenses. Other factors currently include killings committed during robberies, kidnappings, or assaults on public officials, as well as those committed for financial gain or while attempting to hijack an aircraft.

Simpson noted that an earlier draft of the legislation included language referencing “public places” but said that language was removed to avoid debate over how such spaces are defined.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].