Alabama death row inmate to go free; 2nd released in 2 weeks

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Alabama death row inmate to go free; 2nd released in 2 weeks
| April 16, 2015 | Updated: April 16, 2015 5:12pm

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama death row inmate is the second condemned prisoner in two weeks to be freed after problems with witnesses or evidence in the cases that led to their convictions.

William Ziegler accepted a plea bargain Thursday in Mobile. Al.com (http://bit.ly/1FPh5P0 ) reported that the 39-year-old man could be free within hours.

Ziegler was convicted of capital murder in 2001 and sentenced to die for the slaying of Russell Allen Baker.

A judge overturned Ziegler's conviction in 2012, indicating there were numerous errors and serious doubt about his guilt. Prosecutors planned to try him again. But Ziegler pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting murder to resolve the case.


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Alabama-death-row-inmate-to-go-free-2nd-released-6204913.php

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Former Alabama Death Row inmate cuts deal, will be free within hours
By Brendan Kirby | [e-mail]
on April 16, 2015 at 1:57 PM, updated April 16, 2015 at 4:08 PM

A former Death Row inmate Alabama who won a new trial three years ago will be free within hours, becoming the second condemned Alabama prisoner ordered freed this month.

William Ziegler, 39, had been awaiting execution since his conviction in 2001 for the slaying of Russell Allen Baker near the defendant's home at the time in Mobile County. His regular appeals exhausted, he won a rarely successful post-appeal challenge made directly to the trial judge.

Prosecutors had been preparing to retry the case and as recently as November indicated they would again seek the death penalty. On Thursday, Ziegler accepted a plea bargain and that will allow him to walk free. He pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting murder, and Mobile County Circuit Judge Sarah Stewart sentenced him to the 15 years and 50 days he has been incarcerated. His attorneys said he will leave Mobile County Metro Jail as soon as authorities process him, which should take an hour or two.

"I know that you recognize God's grace," the judge told Ziegler, urging him to resist the temptation to be bitter. "I want you to appreciate that gift. You need to be very careful with your gift. ... The world is a very different place than it was 15 years ago when you went to jail."

More:
http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/04/former_alabama_death_row_inmat.html

[libdem4life]

1. More publicity...more technical knowledge...social media...maybe even people wearying of

the Death Penalty. It's good to hear some good news on occasion and this certainly qualifies.

[yallerdawg]

2. 'Probably did it' has replaced 'reasonable doubt.'

This is another example of the unequal application of the death penalty.

'All things being equal' just isn't true, because they aren't. Public defenders and many ambulance-chasing lawyers just don't carry the weight and have the resources of the State in the eyes of a jury or the judge. This is life and death. Ever gone to court to fight a ticket and have the officer testify? Case closed.