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Alabama parole board grants 8 paroles, issues 8 pardons and denies 13 requests at April 1 meeting
Summary
At its April 1, 2026 meeting, the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles recorded unanimous votes on 29 docket items: 8 paroles granted (with reentry conditions), 8 pardons granted (some with restrictions or voting-rights-only), and 13 denials or resets. Several grants include PREP, GPS monitoring and mental-health follow-up.
The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles convened April 1, 2026, in Montgomery and recorded unanimous votes on a 29-case docket that produced multiple parole grants with reentry conditions, several pardons and a series of denials with reset dates.
Of the 29 docket items considered, the Board granted parole to eight applicants (conditions in many cases included completion of the Perry County PREP program, approved halfway-house placement, GPS ankle monitoring, mental-health follow-up and drug assessments). Notable parole grants included Cory E. Merritt (AIS# 341977), who was approved with an out-of-state home plan and with a detainer noted, and placements conditioned on halfway-house or PREP completion for Samuel R. Glover, Scott L. Maxfield and others.
The Board granted eight pardons or partial pardons. L. A. Bennett Jr. (AIS# 146661) received a full pardon restoring all civil and political rights. Several other pardons were granted with explicit restrictions that relieve applicants from certain provisions of the habitual-offender act and firearm disabilities (examples recorded in the minutes include Roy L. Johnson Jr., Matthew C. Howell, Henry Stallworth, Charkesa M. Lampkin and Jessie M. Nix). Two applicants (Phillip B. Palu, AIS# 312607, and Nikita S. Thomas, AIS# 213457) were granted restoration of voting rights only.
The Board denied 13 requests, frequently recording a reset date for reconsideration (examples: Christopher Logan denied with a reset of March 2028; Startricia Robinson denied with a reset of October 2026). Some denials were recorded with no reset date (for example, Mandie D. Anderson).
Speakers on behalf of applicants and speakers opposing releases were recorded for many cases. The Attorney General’s Office victim-services representative Jacqueline Fowler and an advocate identified as Venesha Bradley (VOCAL) are repeatedly recorded as opposing several requests; family members, employers and attorneys commonly spoke in support.
All votes are recorded in the minutes as unanimous by the two members present, Chair Hal Nash and Board Member Gabrelle Simmons, and the Board Secretary, Nicole Lewis, is recorded as recording the actions. The Board reviewed delinquent parolee files as a separate agenda item and adjourned at 1:06 p.m.; its next meeting was scheduled for April 2, 2026, at 8:00 a.m.
The decisions were taken under the Board’s statutory authority (Alabama Code, Title 15, Chapter 22) and were entered in the official minutes and docket lists accompanying the meeting record.
