Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles denies most requests, grants select pardons and supervised paroles

The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles met in open session on April 30, 2025, in Montgomery and denied most of the pardon and parole requests on its daily docket while granting a limited number of supervised paroles and two full pardons.

Chair Leigh Gwathney, with board members Darryl Littleton and Gabrelle Simmons present, opened the meeting at 8:48 a.m. The board began by approving the minutes from its April 29 meeting. Secretary Nicole Lewis recorded the actions taken.

During the hearing the board denied parole for multiple applicants, including Wilik J. Milner and Travis Jackson; in some denials the board set reset dates (for example, Travis Jackson was denied with a reset date of April 2030). The board reopened the case of Brandon R. McGhee for additional testimony at 9:37 a.m. (motion by Darryl Littleton; seconded by Gabrelle Simmons) and then voted to deny parole with a reset date of April 2028 after the additional testimony.

The board granted parole with conditions for a subset of applicants. William Carroll was granted parole with the special conditions that he complete placement in an approved halfway house, wear a GPS ankle monitor, and complete a drug assessment upon release. Emmett J. Sigers was granted parole with conditions that include completion of the Perry County Probation/Parole Reentry Education Program (PREP), GPS monitoring, and a drug assessment. John A. Atkins and Darrel H. May were also granted parole with conditions including GPS monitoring and assessments.

The board granted full pardons restoring civil and political rights to two applicants: Brandon H. Wood and Bobby L. Whitley. The board granted limited relief to Kizzie D. Smith (relief from the habitual-offender act and firearms disabilities) and granted voting rights only to Albert C. Strickland.

Most other pardon and parole requests on the docket were denied, some with specific reset dates and others with no reset date specified. Where the record lists a speaker against parole those speakers routinely included Wana Davis (identified with VOCAL) and Jackie Fowler (VSO, Attorney General's Office); family members and attorneys spoke in support for several applicants.

The board recessed for a brief lunch from about 12:05–1:00 p.m., held an executive session beginning at 9:49 a.m. (returned to open hearings at 10:15 a.m.), and adjourned the public meeting at 2:12 p.m. (motion to adjourn moved by Leigh Gwathney; seconded by Darryl Littleton).

Pursuant to Alabama Code § 15-22-26(a), the board announced it will accept written public comments on the Parole Guidelines (Form ABPP-2); comments must be received by May 12, 2025, to be considered and should be submitted to the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles communications office or communications@paroles.alabama.gov. The board said the notice and received comments will be posted on the agency website for the duration of the comment period.

Votes at a glance (selected outcomes reported by the board): - Parole granted with conditions: William Carroll; Emmett J. Sigers; John A. Atkins; Darrel H. May. - Full pardons granted (restoration of civil and political rights): Brandon H. Wood; Bobby L. Whitley. - Pardon with relief from habitual-offender/firearms disabilities: Kizzie D. Smith. - Voting rights only granted: Albert C. Strickland. - Numerous denials with reset dates or no reset date specified; full docket actions recorded in the board minutes.

The board’s decisions as recorded are specific outcomes taken on the listed AIS docket numbers; the minutes do not include roll-call tallies for each item beyond the motions noted in the minutes. The board scheduled its next meeting for May 1, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. at 301 South Ripley Street in Montgomery.

(Reporting note: the meeting minutes use several agency shorthand forms — for clarity this article uses the full agency name “Attorney General’s Office” where the minutes abbreviate it.)