MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Alabama has changed death penalty procedures to give the prison system longer to carry out executions – a move that comes after a string of troubled lethal injections in the state – and also eliminated an automatic review for trial errors.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s office called the time window change a “win for justice” and supporters said the appeal change would ease the burden on the court system.
A justice said the appeals change would relieve a burden on the court.
Bryan Stevenson, founder of the non-profit Equal Justice Initiative, said he thought the combination of the two rules will increase the likelihood of wrongful convictions and cruel executions.
