Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles grants 19 paroles and pardons, denies 13; next meeting set for June 10

The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles met in Montgomery on May 21, 2026, and considered its daily parole and pardon docket, granting parole or pardons in 19 cases and denying 13. The board convened at 8:43 a.m. at 301 South Ripley Street; Chair Hal Nash presided and Nicole Lewis served as board secretary.

The Board approved minutes from May 20, 2026, on a motion by Hal Nash, seconded by Gabrelle Simmons. During the docket, the board heard advocates and opponents in multiple cases. Attorneys Scott Fuqua and Becca Cardin of Alabama Appleseed spoke for James A. Price (AIS 188095); representatives from VOCAL and the attorney general's office (Venesha Bradley and India Eaves, VSO) spoke against several parole applications. The board unanimously granted parole for Price with special conditions including an approved halfway house placement, GPS ankle monitoring, mental health follow-up and a drug assessment upon release, and referral to Alabama Appleseed for reentry assistance.

Other outcomes included a unanimous denial with no reset date for William H. Watson Jr. (AIS 313884); several full pardons with the restoration of civil and political rights (for example, Britany T. Byington AIS 302278 and Donald E. Cofield Jr. AIS 821826), remission of fines in some pardon grants, and restoration of voting rights only in at least one pardon grant (Rhonda F. Mitchell AIS 237797). The board also continued some applications for later consideration (Kenneth G. Pike AIS 316957 continued to 7/22/2026).

Parole decisions granted with special conditions commonly included placement in an approved halfway house, GPS ankle monitoring, required mental health follow-up and drug assessment upon release, and participation in the Perry County Probation/Parole Reentry Education Program (PREP) when specified. Several parole denials carried reset dates (for example, Zachary W. Payne AIS 290643 denied to 5/2028; William S. Marion AIS 182803 denied to 5/2029) while others were denied with no reset date.

The Board reviewed attached lists of files for revocation and a short list of parolees declared delinquent for the day (Derrick MacDonald; Raphael Shoulders). A procedural motion to reopen testimony in the Jarvis L. Turner (AIS 274627) hearing for additional testimony from Barbara Walker was made by Board Member Gabrelle Simmons at 10:10 a.m.; Chair Nash did not object and the case was briefly closed for a vote. All recorded decisions on the docket were unanimous as noted in the record. The meeting adjourned at 12:52 p.m.; the Board scheduled its next meeting for June 10, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. at the same address.

Votes at a glance (selected AIS outcomes from the May 21 docket): James A. Price (AIS 188095) — Granted parole with conditions; supporters: Scott Fuqua, Becca Cardin; opponents: Venesha Bradley, India Eaves. William H. Watson Jr. (AIS 313884) — Denied parole, no reset date; supporter: Julie Varner; opponents: Venesha Bradley, India Eaves. Ontez L. Woodruff (AIS 280831) — Granted parole with conditions; supporters: Scott Frye, Niesha Woodruff, Lashae Norwood; opponents: Venesha Bradley, India Eaves. Samuel Harris Jr. (AIS 256629) — Granted parole with PREP and monitoring conditions; supporters: Theresa Steele, Clara Harris; opponents: Kacie Washington, India Eaves. Rhonda F. Mitchell (AIS 237797) — Granted restoration of voting rights only; applicant spoke for herself; opponents were noted. Britany T. Byington (AIS 302278) — Granted full pardon with restoration of civil and political rights; 75% of fines remitted. Donald E. Cofield Jr. (AIS 821826) — Granted full pardon with restoration of civil and political rights and total remission of fines. Shelton D. James Sr. (AIS 281108) — Granted full pardon with restoration of civil and political rights. Kenneth G. Pike (AIS 316957) — Pardon continued to 7/22/2026. Latisha A. Leverette (AIS 343445) — Granted parole with PRE/SAP, halfway house, GPS, mental health follow-up and drug assessment. Debra L. Loggins (AIS 335177) — Granted parole with halfway house, GPS, mental health follow-up and drug assessment. Johnothan F. Eldridge (AIS 340940) — Denied parole, no reset date. William S. Marion (AIS 182803) — Denied parole, reset date 5/2029. Ricky J. Morgan (AIS 238925) — Granted parole with halfway house and assessment requirements. Dennis J. Montgomery (AIS 189227) — Granted parole with GPS, mental health follow-up and drug assessment. Rex E. Smith (AIS 331889) — Granted parole upon completion of the Alabama Therapeutic Educational Facility (ATEF) and monitoring/assessment conditions. Robert W. Haynes (AIS 337001) — Denied parole, reset date 12/2026. Other docket items were acted on as recorded; the full docket and administrative pages are part of the official minutes for May 21, 2026.

The board recorded its review of files for revocation and delinquency and closed the meeting after approving adjournment motions. The Board's next scheduled meeting is June 10, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. at 301 South Ripley Street in Montgomery.