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Alabama’s Supreme Court recently issued a stay of execution for a convicted murderer. According to a news report, the stay was granted at the request of Robert Bryant Melson, who received a death sentence in the robbery-murder of three employees of an East Gadsden Popeye’s Chicken and Biscuit restaurant in 1994. As a Birmingham criminal defense lawyer, I have the experience to represent individuals charged with crimes such as grand larceny, assault and murder or manslaughter.

Being an Alabama criminal attorney, I hold that every person accused of a violent crime or other criminal offense is innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. This is everyone’s constitutional right and I adhere to this important rule of law. According to the news article, the execution was to be held on February 18, but has now been delayed to await the outcome of a case being considered by the United States Supreme Court.

The 38-year-old Melson was originally convicted for the slayings of restaurant employees Nathaniel Baker, 17, Tamika Collins, 18, and Darrell Collier, 23. According to reports, a fourth employee, Bryant Archer, was the only survivor of the shootings when Melson and an accomplice, Cuhuatemoc Hinricy Peraita, robbed the restaurant in April 15 of that year. Based on court records of the incident, Archer was also shot during the robbery but survived the ordeal.

Melson’s stay was granted by the Alabama Supreme Court at Melson's request so that he and his attorney could to hear the outcome of a Florida case that is currently being considered by the U.S. Supreme Court. That case reportedly involves an issue similar to Melson's case, which revolves around whether petitions were filed in a timely manner.

This stay would appear to be Melson’s last chance, since records indicate that he exhausted his final appeal last October when it was denied by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Alabama Supreme Court stays Melson's execution, GadsdenTimes.com, January 27, 2010

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Being an experienced Birmingham criminal defense attorney, I have the knowledge and skills to represent Alabama residents and other persons accused of committing crimes by the law enforcement agencies of this state. These criminal acts can include theft, larceny, assault, drug possession, criminal sexual behavior, murder and other crimes. As an Alabama criminal lawyer, I do believe that an individual is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. That’s something nobody can take away because it’s a Constitutional protection granted to everyone in the United States.

Recently, a Franklin County grand jury handed down a number of indictments for a variety of crimes. Many of these individuals will claim that they were unjustly accused. A trial will be held to determine the guilt or innocence of each person. Here is a selection of those indictments:

• Aaron Andrew Adams, 22, Vina -- third-degree robbery
• Sarah Marie Beasley, 25, Haleyville -- possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia
• Andrew Eric Bryant, 19, Haleyville -- seven counts of fraudulent use of a credit card
• Harold Clayton Bryant, 44, Russellville -- possession of drug paraphernalia and attempting to manufacture a controlled substance
• Richard Henry Fisher, 25, Red Bay -- second-degree attempting to manufacture a controlled substance, contributing to truancy and third-degree theft of property
• Tyler Blake Garrison, 18, Russellville -- four counts of third-degree burglary, three counts of second-degree theft of property and one count of attempted theft of property
• Guillermo Castro Gutierrez, 19, Russellville -- second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, first-degree identity theft and second-degree forgery
• Jason Anthony Hacker, 25, Vina -- third-degree burglary, third-degree criminal mischief, unlawful breaking and entering a motor vehicle and five counts of third-degree theft of property
• Donnell Lee Harris, 44, Sheffield -- third-degree burglary and second-degree theft of property
• Ryan Bonds Hester, 29, Phil Campbell -- possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and two counts of domestic violence third-degree assault
• Rafe Hollander, 23, Russellville -- violation of the community notification act as a sex offender
• Dana L. Johnson, 35, Haleyville -- possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia
• Anthony Wayne Lane, 28, Russellville -- second-degree receiving stolen property, third-degree assault, third-degree burglary and third-degree theft of property
• Hector Ortiz, 25, Fayette -- second-degree forgery, leaving the scene of an accident, public intoxication, resisting arrest and obstructing justice by giving false identification
• Carey Renea Peters, 32, Vina -- second-degree theft of property, violation of protective services, attempting to possess a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia
• Joseph Thomas Postell, 20, Harvest -- second-degree escape
• Cody James Simpson, 20, Florence -- first-degree theft of property and third-degree burglary
• Erskin L. Spearman, 33, Jasper -- public intoxication, second-degree possession of marijuana, carrying a pistol without a permit and certain persons prohibited from carrying a firearm
• Robert Duncan Strickland, 19, Red Bay -- possession of drug paraphernalia and contributing to truancy
• Tilena Ann Watson, 36, Red Bay -- second-degree manufacturing of a controlled substance
• Roger Lee West, 28, Mount Hope -- second-degree forgery
• David Leeander Whitman, 30, Phil Campbell -- first-degree theft of property

Franklin County grand jury, TimesDaily.com, November 26, 2009

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As an experienced Birmingham criminal defense lawyer, I have the skills to represent individuals charged with crimes ranging from petty theft to grand larceny, assault to murder. As an Alabama criminal attorney, I firmly believe that a person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law -- it’s everyone’s constitutional right. I recently read a news account by the Press-Register detailing Mobile’s 10 most wanted suspects for various crimes.

According to that article, this list of fugitives includes individuals wanted in connection with murder, assault and robbery, among other offenses. One of the men on this list is a 17-year-old boy who has been charged with fatally shooting his cousin in a park in Theodore, AL. Another allegedly beat up a friend for keeping him from driving drunk.

In all cases, the city of Mobile considers these people fugitives from the law. According to the city’s chief of police, Phillip Garrett, they each have “committed serious felony crimes and owe a debt to society." Some of those individuals and their alleged crimes are included here:

• Lamont Jermaine Fagan, 28 -- charged with murder in connection with the early-morning August 13 shooting death of Rickey Deloach in the Josephine Allen public housing community. Two other men are reportedly already in jail regarding this crime.
• Markus Dewayne Lee, 17 -- accused of shooting his cousin, Blake Davis, at a park on Diamond Road in Theodore. The victim was reportedly trying to break up a fight when he was allegedly shot by Lee.
• LaDerrick Kevon Davis, 29 -- named in five counts of unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle, authorities say he has active warrants charging possession of burglar's tools and possession of a controlled substance. The five auto break-ins of which Davis is accused allegedly took place in recent months at Chantilly's nightclub on Airport Boulevard.
• Thomas Crooke, 23 -- charged with second-degree assault, accused of punching and kicking a friend who attempted to stop him from driving away from the Whiskey Night Club because he was drunk. The friend suffered a broken shoulder and nose, according to the warrant.
• Willie Lionel Williams, 23, -- accused of first-degree robbery and second-degree assault after an individual was robbed and shot in the leg at the VIP Barber Shop on St. Stephens Road in June. Warrants also are on file against Williams for second-degree assault, first-degree burglary and first-degree possession of marijuana.

Mobile's 10 Most Wanted includes 2 murderers, 4 robbers and man who beat up, AL.com, September 10, 2009

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The economy has made things difficult for everyone. But one industry that tends to thrive in hard times is crime, either organized groups or individual criminals. Bank robbery, auto theft, white-collar crimes like embezzlement, and of course illicit drug manufacture and sales. In my years as an Alabama criminal defense lawyer, I have represented clients who have been accused of alleged drug possession, drug trafficking, manufacturing, illegal growing of marijuana, and meth lab operation, to name just a few.

Working in Birmingham, AL, I have also seen the growth of the meth industry as a way for some people to illegally make money in a down economy. Recent reports show that police have shut down two alleged meth labs in the West Alabama area.
 
According to police, raids in Hale and Pickens counties halted operation of what authorities sais were two separate methamphetamine labs. Four people were reportedly taken into custody, with police officials in both counties searching for additional suspects.

Pickens County Sheriff David Abston described one of the suspects, Christopher Wayne Kelly, 28, as a “serial burglar.” He is asking burglary victims in four West Alabama counties to report missing items. Kelly, a Tuscaloosa resident who had been staying at his grandfather’s camp house in Pickens County, was taken into custody on Sept. 1, according to the authorities.

The man was charged with third-degree burglary, second-degree theft, manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, first-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Kelly was placed in the Pickens County Jail on $541,500 bail.

According to reports, police searched Kelly’s residence and turned up a suspected methamphetamine lab, plus several items believed to have been stolen during a burglary in south Pickens County on August 31. Pickens County police believe that the suspect took similar items from hunting camps in Tuscaloosa, Greene, Sumter and Pickens counties.

Law enforcement officials are also looking for 33-year-old Christopher Scruggs, an associate of Kelly’s who has several warrants out for his arrest in Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties.

In Hale County, officials charged three suspects with manufacturing methamphetamine. According to reports, Charles Tucker, 39, and his wife, Tina Tucker, 35, were taken into custody, along with 34-year-old Wade Johnson, at the Tucker’s Millwood Road residence in Greensboro. The bust was the result of an undercover investigation, which led authorities to the home where at least three suspected methamphetamine labs were in plain sight.

Police say that all three Hale County suspects face charges of trafficking methamphetamine, manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

The undercover probe that identified the Tuckers as suspects also led to the identification of other suspects who sold drugs to agents of the 4th Judicial Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. Authorities said that warrants and indictments have been obtained for other suspects as well.

Alleged meth labs found in Hale, Pickens counties, TuscaloosaNews.com, September 10, 2009

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Cullman County -- Police recently arrested a man for allegedly operating a meth lab at his home in Hanceville, AL. Billy Floyd Norris apparently called police to report some stolen property. When officers arrived, the 33-year-old man told them that that his roommates had robbed him. Police could not verify that a robbery had occurred, however they did discover traces of drugs on the premises, as well as evidence of an active methamphetamine lab. The Cullman Narcotics Enforcement Team took samples to positively identify the seized chemicals and drugs. Norris was charged with manufacturing and unlawful possession of a controlled substance. He was incarcerated at the Cullman County Detention Center on $1 million bond.

Franklin County -- A Russellville woman has been accused of raping a 13-year-old boy, according to authorities. Ashley Turner, 24, was indicted by a grand jury in May for allegedly having an extended sexual relationship with the boy at his home during 2008. The boy’s parents reportedly did not find out until after the relationship had been ongoing for some time. The Franklin County Sheriff's Office said Turner and the boy are friends and that the boy consented to the sexual relationship. Legally the boy is too young to consent -- therefore a charge of second-degree rape has been lodged against Turner. This is a Class B felony that carries a prison sentence of two to 20 years.

Madison County -- A resident of Harvest, Alabama, was arrested recently for attempting to pass a counterfeit $100 bill at a Madison McDonald's restaurant. According to reports, police arrested James Michael Cook on June 8 after an employee reported the incident to police. A preliminary investigation led authorities to find $6,200 in counterfeit $100s in Cook's possession. In a subsequent search, Madison police and the U.S. Secret Service located and seized an additional $9,700 in counterfeit $100 bills. Cook has been charged with first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and is being held in the Madison County jail on $20,000 bond.

Mobile County -- Authorities say that Stanley "Red" Harris was charged June 12 with capital murder in the death of 41-year-old Karen Tillman, who was shot to death during a robbery in Grand Bay. The Mobile County sheriff's office said it was unclear what type of relationship Harris had with Tillman or why the two were traveling together when the shooting occurred during the evening of June 11. According to reports, Tillman got out of the vehicle and was picked up by a passer-by who drove her to a nearby home. Deputies called to the scene of the shooting said that the victim named Harris as her attacker before she died. Harris was arrested at his grandmother's house in Irvington and is currently being held in the Mobile County Metro Jail without bail.

Man reports robbery, police find working meth lab, TheNewsCourier.com, June 15, 2009

Metro Breifs, AL.com, June 13, 2009
 

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