12 April 2017 :

Gov. Kay Ivey has signed a bill ending the state's one-of-a-kind practice of allowing judges to sentence a person to death when a jury has recommended life imprisonment. Alabama was the last state in the country to allow judges to override a jury when sentencing capital murder cases. It passed the House last week after a rare showing of bipartisan support in the Republican-controlled legislature. The legislation will only apply to future capital cases and not affect the 183 inmates currently on Alabama's death row.