Monday, February 20, 2006

Report: 3 strikes law jams prisons

By Samira Jafari
The Associated Press
Montgomery Advertiser

Nearly a third of the inmates serving time in Alabama's overcrowded prisons were sentenced under the state's habitual offender law, deemed one of the harshest in the nation by sentencing experts.

Unlike most states, Alabama's repeat offender law -- often known as the three-strikes-and-you're-out law -- does not figure in the length of time between convictions or the severity of prior offenses.

More than half of the nearly 8,600 habitual offenders were given tougher or "enhanced" sentences after their latest conviction was for property or drug crimes, according to the Alabama Sentencing Commission's preliminary 2006 report. That doesn't mean they didn't commit a violent crime in the past; but in most cases the law doesn't give any weight to the prior offense.

"Alabama does have one of the most stringent habitual felony offender acts," said Lynda Flynt, executive director of the Alabama Sentencing Commission.

Tomislav Kovandzic, a criminal justice professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said this has created a problem in corrections.

The habitual offender laws in general don't cut down on crime but do result in prison systems that are "busting at the seams" and increasingly demand larger chunks of state budgets, he said.

The majority of states that have such laws introduced them in the 1980s and 1990s, when the nation adopted a "tough on crime" motto, he said.

"These laws don't do anything in reducing crime," said Kovandzic, who has researched three-strikes laws. "They're keeping people in prison and they're seeing the repercussions in an aging prison system that's costing them a fortune."

Habitual offenders are inherently one of the most expensive populations in Alabama's prison system due to the population aging over lengthy or lifelong sentences. They cost the prison system $112 million dollars a year -- or 36 percent of the fiscal 2006 budget. That takes a toll on the underfunded, understaffed, dated prison system that's at double designed capacity with more than 27,000 inmates.

"We can be as tough on crime as we're willing to pay for," said professor Greg Weaver, director of the sociology, criminology and criminal justice programs at Auburn University. "That's part of the politics of the matter."

Kovandzic agreed. "It's not politically feasible to say 'OK, we're going to let everyone out,'" he said.

The chairman of the Joint Prisons Committee, Sen. Myron Penn, D-Union Springs, said habitual offender laws are popular because people want to feel comfortable about convicts being kept off the streets and politicians want to preserve their tough stance on crime. But, he added, the number of inmates coming in eventually outpaces the number going out.

"It's easy to have the hard-core image of locking them up and throwing away the key," Penn said. "But it is costly to the overall problem for overcrowding."

Alabama is among 16 states that provide for life imprisonment upon conviction for one prior felony, according to a 2005 state-by-state comparison of habitual offender laws by the Alabama Sentencing Commission. For example, a person with two forgery convictions can be sentenced to life in prison.

"If you have three nonviolent crimes, you could still get the same sentence as someone who has committed three violent crimes," said Brian Corbett, spokesman for the prison system.

For example, a convict with prior convictions for manslaughter and rape still might get the same sentence as a three-time forgery convict.

"To me, that's not fair," Flynt said.

If the most recent crime is a Class A felony, such as murder, kidnapping or first-degree rape, the previous crimes are reviewed in determining any "enhanced" sentence. But in all other cases, the severity of the earlier crimes is not considered.

Alabama also has the highest "range of enhancement," allowing judges to add an additional 15-99 years or life imprisonment to a repeat offender's sentence. South Carolina has the lowest range, with 1-5 years.

Kovandzic said giving judges more discretion is not necessarily a bad thing, because it still gives them the option to add fewer years when determining enhanced sentences for nonviolent crimes.

Eleven states, not including Alabama, have habitual felony offender laws only for certain crimes. Those states, including Southern states Tennessee and Virginia, take into account whether the previous felonies were violent crimes, such as sexual assault, armed robbery and aggravated kidnapping.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Nall for Governor News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Loretta Nall for Governor Campaign
Phone: 251-650-2271
Cell: 334-415-9174
Email Address: Send Loretta Email
Web site address: Nall for Governor

Alabama Gubernatorial Candidate, Loretta Nall, To Speak in Huntsville Feb. 22, 2006

Alexander City, AL,-- Feb 17, 2006 —Alabama gubernatorial candidate, Loretta Nall, will address the monthly supper club meeting of the Huntsville Libertarian Party on Feb 22, 2006 beginning at 7:00 pm. This will be followed by a question and answer period.

This event will take place at Shoney's Restaurant located at 905 Memorial Parkway NW(in the back dining room)
Huntsville, AL 35801
256-539-8433
MAP

Mrs. Nall, who casts herself as a Libertarian-leaning populist, is seeking the Libertarian Party nomination for Governor in 2006. During the forum she will discuss her election platform, which she says reflects traditional Alabama values.

Some of the topics Nall plans to address include drug policy and prison reform, tax credits for private & home school families, non-compliance with the Patriot and REAL ID Acts, the Iraq War and Alabama sovereignty over the state militia, separation of religion and government, fair taxes, gambling, ballot access reform, ballot initiative and referendum and bio-diesel.

She extends a warm invitation to all media and supporters, as well as any detractors, to attend the event and engage in a lively discussion of the issues during the question and answer period.

For more information or to schedule an interview please call the Nall for Governor Campaign at 251-650-2271 or 334-415-9174 or send an email

This information provided by the Nall for Governor Campaign

###

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Second Chance Act

All,

I just received this from Utah Congressman Chris Cannons office. Please click the link at the bottom and call your elected official about this bill.



Loretta,

My boss, Congressman Chris Cannon wanted me to share the following statement concerning prisoner re-entry, something we thought you might be interested in.

If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call at the number below.



Charles Isom
Press Secretary
Congressman Chris Cannon (UT)
202-225-7751

I wanted to make sure you were aware that today the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security will be voting on the Second Chance Act. It's a serious attempt to some of the many serious problems that plague our prison system.

The Second Chance Act is a bipartisan bill that will help coordinate what the federal government does when prisoners come back into society. The bill increases the federal financial support to states and community organizations to help as a growing number of prisoners returns to our communities. The bill addresses issues such as jobs, housing, substance abuse and mental health treatment, and support for families.

The Second Chance Act helps state and local governments to work together to help people who have paid their price to society become contributing citizens. Using this approach we can improve the efficiency of reentry services and make sure that all level of government work together for the returning prisoners and the communities and families they come home to.

It is our responsibility as a society to address the most basic needs of prisoners coming home. Through the Second Chance Act, we can reduce prisoners' chances of re-offending and improve their success as productive, contributing citizens. This legislation is a bipartisan effort that applies new solutions to this problem. We hope to improve our accountability to our citizens and better utilize state and local innovation.

To contact members of the Subcommittee, visit the House's website

In the coming weeks, this bill will come before the full House Judiciary Committee and then, hopefully, to the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote. I will keep you posted as we near our goal.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Inmates in transit to Louisiana

By John Davis
Montgomery Advertiser


The state's prison system is increasing its overflow into Louisiana, having sent 140 men there Sunday, with many more to follow.

The Department of Corrections plans to send 500 inmates to a Pine Prairie, La., prison owned by LCS Corrections Services Inc., the same company that holds 311 of Alabama's women prisoners in Basile, La.

"That'll give us some relief," said Bobby Timmons, executive director of the Alabama Sheriffs Association.

DOC has long been in violation of a court order to pick up all inmates the department has incarcerated in county jails for more than 30 days. As of Friday, there were 610 such inmates, part of 2,100 total that DOC is supposed to find room for in a system that is operating at 222 percent of its design capacity.

The Association of County Commissions of Alabama is clamoring for DOC to do something because housing state inmates is costing the counties a lot of money.

The state gives counties $1.75 a day for each state inmate, leaving local sheriff's departments to make up the difference. Tri-county jails spend between $17.60 and $42.25 a day per inmate, with Montgomery County spending $42.25 and Elmore County spending $17.60. It costs about $30 a day to house an inmate in Autauga County.

Timmons said some county jails have beds the state could rent, but for a lot more than the statutory $1.75 a day the counties now receive. He guessed statewide there could be room for 75 state inmates.

"They need to open the door and give us an opportunity to say no to them," Timmons said.

According to DOC spokesman Brian Corbett, there have been no official talks in terms of leasing county jail space.

A $2.9 million federal grant will pay the $29.50 per inmate per day LCS charges to keep the men. This is enough money to last through the budget year that ends in September.

Whether the state will continue to pay for the men in Louisiana will be a matter for the Legislature as it builds next year's $300-plus million DOC budget.

Incredible Hulk Can Now Arrest You



LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- The Incredible Hulk is now a county sheriff's department reserve deputy.

Lou Ferrigno, 54, who played the green-skinned monster on the CBS-TV show from 1977 to 1982, was sworn in during a ceremony Monday night.

"My father was a police officer with the New York Police Department; I've always had a high respect for officers," Ferrigno told The Associated Press. "I want to give back to the community, and I want to work with young kids, help them get off drugs."

Ferrigno was a bodybuilder before he starred on the TV show. The late actor Bill Bixby played mild-mannered scientist David Bruce Banner who, as Ferrigno, turned into a Herculean, green-skinned monster whenever he lost his temper. He switched back to Bixby's character as soon as he calmed down.
-------------------

And just how did the Hulk get to be the Hulk anyway? Wasn't it some lab experiment gone wrong?

Wonder if he will teach kids not to use ummmm...steroids?

Monday, February 13, 2006

Montgomery Police Officer Arrested on Drug Charges

Police officer arrested in raid

By Deitrich Curry
Montgomery Advertiser

A Montgomery police officer was arrested Saturday night on charges of drug possession after investigators burst into his southeast Montgomery apartment.

Donny Young, 25, who lives on Moorcroft Drive, was arrested at 11 p.m. and charged with felony possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute. He served in the traffic division. His twin brother, Danny Young, also was arrested and charged with felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and felony possession of cocaine.

Police Chief Arthur Baylor ordered the arrest after learning the officer might be involved in criminal activity and a search warrant was issued.

Baylor, whom a witness saw at the arrest scene, said he wants to maintain the integrity of the Montgomery Police Department.

"It is unfortunate for me to have to conduct an arrest of a police officer," Baylor said in a news release. "However, I would like for this arrest to serve as notice that I am committed to ridding this community of illegal drug activity."

Police would not reveal how long they have been investigating Young or how they learned he might be involved in drug activity.

"We are very limited in what we can release because it is a narcotics investigation," said Capt. Huey Thornton, a police spokesman. "We are concerned about releasing information sensitive to the investigation."

Young resigned from the Montgomery Police Department while being interviewed after the arrest by investigators from the Internal Affairs Bureau.

He and his brother were placed in the Montgomery County Detention Facility on bonds exceeding $100,000 because they are both considered to be flight risks, according to the news release.

Friday, February 10, 2006

Munford High student suspended over marijuana brownies

MUNFORD, Ala. (AP) -- A senior at Munford High School has been suspended after allegedly giving 12 students marijuana-laced brownies that caused nausea, headaches and dizziness.

"The incident occurred just after buses unloaded Wednesday morning," according to a press release from the Talladega County School System.

The teen was charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance and assault. He was transported to Coosa Valley Youth Detention Center in Anniston.

A juvenile court hearing for the suspect Friday fell on his 18th birthday.

Authorities said he was seen bringing brownies into the facility and allegedly distributed them to students ranging in age from 14 to 19.

After several students were examined by the school nurse, principal Judson Warlick contacted their parents, who were advised to check their children out of school and seek medical attention. Students eventually told investigators where they got the brownies. School officials questioned the student, who initially indicated to the principal that he placed marijuana in them.

Warlick recovered about two uneaten brownies in a trash can and turned them over to the sheriff's department for testing and use as evidence. Talladega County Sheriff's Investigator Tony Haynes said the brownies gave off a strong odor of marijuana.

-------------------------

Small world. I was once a student at Ophelia Hill Elementary School in Munford and all three of my siblings attended Munford High School for brief periods of time.

Tony Haynes?? I can't help but think this is the same Tony Haynes I grew up with. Funny to think that he of all people might help in sending someone to jail for pot!!

Alabama Prison Commisioner Donal Campbell Resigns

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- State prisons Commissioner Donal Campbell resigned today.
In a statement, Governor Bob Riley accepted Campbell's resignation, which is effective February 28th. "I'm grateful for Commissioner Campbell's commitment and service to the state of Alabama...During his tenure, Donal has maintained a positive outlook in one of the most difficult positions in state government."

Campbell, a former Commissioner of the Tennessee prison system, took the post in January 2003.

He inherited an underfunded corrections system plagued with overcrowding and lawsuits, including a pending case in which Campbell was under the threat of a contempt citation due to overcrowding.

Campbell is quoted in the press release as saying,"The challenges facing Alabama's prison sytem are well known and have built up over decades, but under Governor Riley's leadership, the right steps are being taken to face those challenges and reform the system."

No replacement for the job has been named at this time. Campbell said he is stepping down to pursue other opportunitiees.

---------------------------------

I think Donal Campbel might have been having nightmares about slamming cell doors, as he was under threat of prison himself.

I don't think Donal was the problem. The prison system was broken when he inherited it and the legislature lacks the guts to do anything meaningful to ease the prison overcrowding crisis.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Talk show host gets prison time

A Wetumpka talk show host Monday was sentenced to a year in prison for attempting to deceive state officials to obtain welfare benefits, a spokeswoman for the Alabama Attorney General's Office said.

A Montgomery jury found Roberta Franklin, 50, host of 1250-WAPZ's "The Morning Show with Roberta Franklin," guilty in December of lying about her criminal record in applications for food stamps.

Suzanne Webb, a spokeswoman for state Attorney General Troy King, said prosecutors asked the judge Monday to sentence Franklin to three years in prison.

Franklin is known for her stance against prison overcrowding in Alabama.
-------------------------

This is a terrible miscarriage of justice. Roberta is a great woman who has done incredible things to expose the Alabama prison system for the cncentration camp that it is.

And that is why she is in jail.

This whole case reeks of selective prosecution on the part of the A.G.'s office. All of the other cases I have been able to find regarding food stamp fraud have all resulted in the perpetrator having to pay restitution......not jail time.

I will be writing more on this later today when I learn more.

Monday, February 06, 2006

Nall for Governor Campaign Update

Dear Nall for Governor Supporters,

I hope this campaign update finds you all doing well and growing more excited about the upcoming election with every passing day. I know that I am.

The month of January was a busy one at the Nall for Governor campaign headquarters.

On January 10, 2006 the Alabama Legislature came back into regular session and there were many bills being introduced and debated that our side has a stake in.

I spent a number of days in the State House attending hearings and meeting legislators to renew ties made last session and to shore up and strengthen them if needed. I wrote two articles about the sessions. DAY 1 and DAY 2..

Both articles have received much praise so please take the time to read them if you have not already done so.

Everyone who was supportive of prison reform and medical marijuana last session is still supportive and we managed to pick up a Senate sponsor for the Compassionate Care bill.

That bill is slated to be reintroduced into committee in mid to late February of 2006. Right now a lot of my time is focused on finding patients, family members of patients and physicians who are supportive of this legislation and preparing them to testify before the House Judiciary Committee, the full Legislature as well as the media at some point in the future.

This is proving to be a daunting task, as you can well imagine.

I have been vocal about marijuana laws for so long now I tend to think nothing of openly admitting that I do use marijuana and that I think it should be legal. I have forgotten the fear that I once felt when discussing this subject openly.

Most Alabamians still live with the fear of losing their kids, homes, jobs and possibly even their lives by going public and I have to keep reminding myself of that.

It infuriates me and sickens me that my fellow Alabamians are made to cower in their homes, like rats trying to avoid detection, in order to be able to use a natural plant to ease their pain, suffering or just the basic stress of life.

Living in such a way is alien to my people and they have only conformed to this unnatural way of life because of the government guns being pointed at them.

NO MORE!!

Once Alabamians are reminded of who they really are, then my friends, the real fight will be ON!

Also in January, I was able, due to the generous contributors on this list, to get 150 campaign signs and two sets of car magnets made. Here is a photo of me with one of my signs.

I have about 50 left so 100 should be popping up in places all over Alabama. Only one has been stolen to date.

By far the high point of January was speaking at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4572 in Wetumpka, Alabama, which is just outside Montgomery.



Back in December I was invited to speak at the candidate forums they are hosting this election season. My original date was slated for sometime in March. The vice commander of the VFW post sent me an email on January 7 and asked me if I would be able to speak on January 23 instead.

I agreed to do so even though that only gave me about two weeks to come up with a good speech and I believed this to be my one really good shot at getting the media to pay attention to my campaign. The text of the speech can be READ HERE!

I set to work and came up with what will be the bones of my stump speech for the remainder of this election year.

The VFW speech is the longest speech I have ever written and by far the longest that I have ever given.

45 minutes of non-stop information assault. I was worried that I would give out but when I got on stage time zipped by and it was over before I knew it.

I arrived around 6:15 in order to set up my camera and settle into the atmosphere.

As I walked up to the door I saw a sign announcing my appearance and stating that the bar would be closed from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

I remembered seeing Roy Moore there a few weeks earlier and noting that the bar was closed and no smoking was allowed. I thought at the time it made for a very boring atmosphere.

I did not see the need for that. This is the VFW after all. This is their house and I am a guest. I think it is absurd to ask a bar to stop being a bar. When in Rome as they say...

I went in and placed my things near the podium.

I decided I would let the Vice Commander know that closing the bar down and banning smoking during my speech was not necessary.

ME: "Hi Mr. Dean, thanks again for organizing these forums and inviting me to participate."

VC DEAN: "Thanks for coming Mrs. Nall. We want the community to become more involved in politics and to know who all the candidates are."

ME: "I wish more organizations would take on that role. I wanted to let you know that it is not necessary for you to close down the bar or ban smoking while I am speaking."

VC DEAN: "Really?"

ME: "I don't have any objections to the bar giving full service to anyone who walks through that door while I am here. You organized this whole event with your own time and money and there is no reason to ask you to lose money by closing the bar. I am also a smoker and as long as there is decent ventilation in here then people can smoke as well."

VC DEAN: "That's great. You know we closed it for Roy Moore because he is a Baptist preacher and all."

ME: "Well....I am about as far removed as one can possibly get from a Baptist preacher."

VC DEAN: "Well..I'll go tell everyone at the bar that it is staying open then. Would you like something to drink while I am up there?"

ME: "Yeah...I need a shot of whiskey for my nerves." (this was said in a joking manner)

VC DEAN: "Darlin', you can have whatever you want."

ME: "No, no I am just kidding... ice water will be fine. Whiskey makes me mean enough to give you both barrels."

VC Dean proceeds to the bar to make the announcement that alcohol will be served during my appearance and to get me some water. I could have sworn I heard clapping and whistling as that was announced.

He comes back with a cup of ice water and a large shot of Evan Williams.

VC DEAN; "I thought you might change your mind."

And...well y'all know me...I don't like to be rude and all...so BOTTOM'S UP!!
UGH!!

It burned like fire going down and regardless of any medicinal or relaxing affects whiskey has it still tastes like pure shit.

Now, it's true that I am not much of a drinker. Alcohol has never been my friend. I like beer and wine in moderation but whiskey in anything over an extremely moderate amount (read= 2 drinks) can make me go absolutely off my rocker, have black-outs and do terrible things. I usually stay very far away from it.

But, whiskey can also have a calming affect and act as a social lubricant to me in very small quantities....my nerves were wound tighter than Dick's Hatband so I knew that one shot would not hurt a thing and would probably relax me and enable me to give a better speech.

I was right.
It was just what I needed to take the edge off.

ME: "Thanks...I think I really probably needed that." Do you know which media outlets are going to cover tonight's event?"

VC DEAN: "Well, the Wetumpka Herald and the Montgomery Advertiser covered the first two that we had but neither of them returned my calls or acknowledged my news releases about the event."

ME: "Well, I hope they show up....but even if they don't I still have a speech to give and I did not come to give it to the media."

And I did indeed give a speech. From all indications it is the best of my career and has resonated with everyone who has heard it in such a deep way that even I am surprised.

About 20 people turned out to see me. There were an additional 20 or so people in the bar and by the time my speech ended they had all turned their chairs and bar stools around and were a part of my audience, clapping, cheering and whistling right along with everyone else.

It was an absolutely remarkable thing. To see my fellow citizens react to and connect with me in that way was something akin to a religious experience.

Please Watch the Video of My Speech. I want you to see and feel what I saw and felt that night.

No media showed up to cover the event.
Was I disappointed?
Sure.
I worked hard to pull that off and did so with grace and splendor. It was REAL and the media should have been there to feel that power.

I was under the impression that the media had agreed to cover all of these forums and it was a real surprise to me to be literally blacked out.

Up until I officially launched my campaign for Governor I had great relations with the media in Alabama. In the last 3 and a half years I have had 105 letters and articles about my work published. Many of those have been in Alabama print media. I have done numerous radio and TV interviews and appearances as well.

I wrote the editor at one of the papers and asked him why his paper blacked me out.
He responded with "let me see your official papers to be on the ballot."

Gee, since when did newspaper editors start sounding like Homeland Security Officers?

He and I went back and forth for a few emails. In the end he apologized and said he would cover any future events I do in that area.

Another supporter of mine wrote him and told him how wonderful an event he missed and this same editor told him it was due to a staffing problem. Wonder why he indicated to me that it was because I do not yet have ballot access?

One friend joked that I have become so powerful that I have developed the ability to actually keep the media away.

But, enough about the failures of Alabama media...let's look to what lies ahead for the rest of this month.

As I stated earlier, I will be spending much of this month recruiting patients, family members of patients and physicians to testify. If any of you reading this can help me in any way in this regard please contact me via email.

I have spent much of the last two weeks contacting the League of Women Voters in Alabama, student government associations at the state's Universities and other places that normally sponsor candidate debates and do not exclude third parties from participating. I have asked to be included in any debates for this election. I will keep all posted on the status of those requests.

I have made a wonderful contact in North Alabama who has an internet radio station and wonderful contacts within the music community in legendary Muscle Shoals. This gentleman has offered to provide free campaign advertising on his station. He will even record the ads for me. He is also contacting the Drive By Truckers about playing a possible fundraiser for my campaign and getting other bands in the area together to play a fundraiser as well.

This gentleman has also printed out ballot access petitions and is circulating them in his area.

He is a former prison guard.

We have never met. He is one of the people who saw the video of my speech at the VFW and that won him over. He is re-broadcasting my entire speech on his station in the very near future.

Some of the other things that I have planned this month are more time in the legislature watching the following bills.

HB233: Chemical endangerment of exposing a child to a methamphetamine laboratory, crime of established, penalties, Sec. 26-15-3.2 added; Sec. 26-15-2 am'd.

HB414: Firearms, sale or delivery to nonresidents and acceptance of delivery by residents, authorized in and from all states, Sec. 13A-11-58 am'd.

HB301: Pardons and Paroles Board, discretionary medical or geriatric release of inmates, procedures for applications and review of applications, Alabama Medical and Geriatric Release Act

HB1: Defensive deadly physical force, justification further provided for, no requirement for retreat from aggressor intruding in a dwelling, residence, or vehicle, immunity, Secs. 13A-3-20, 13A-3-23 am'd.

HB283: Sentencing Commission, voluntary sentencing standards for certain felony offenses adopted by commission, approval by Legislature

HB284: Probation, revocation by trial court, modification of sentence and sanctions further provided for, certain provision re credit for intermittent sentence and home detention further provided for, Sec. 15-18-8, 15-22-54 am'd.

HB312: Schools, arrest without warrant authorized when officer has reasonable cause, based upon word of authorized school employee, to believe a misdemeanor has been committed in the presence of the employee by person arrested, Sec. 15-10-3 am'd.

HB328: Federal law enforcement officers, arrest powers for felonies in state under certain conditions, Sec. 15-10-1 am'd.

HB432: Death penalty, moratorium on imposition and execution not to exceed three years, procedure for administering

SB24: Adult bookstores, adult movie houses, adult video stores, or other adult-only enterprise, location restricted and license denial authorized under certain conditions, appeal

Those are just a few of the sessions I will be sitting in and reporting on.

Also this month I plan to have more campaign materials made including signs and printer literature. I will make a trip to North Alabama and try to facilitate a speaking engagement/fund raiser working with the gentleman at the radio station.

In mid to late February the Compassionate Care Act will be reintroduced in the House Judiciary Committee and I, of course, will be there for all of those proceedings.

Through the Libertarian Party a string of "supper club" speaking engagements are being set up for me and I will need money to get to and from those places.

Today is Feb. 6, 2006, the first day I am allowed by state campaign finance law to resume campaign fundraising activities. Everyone seeking state elected office was required to stop soliciting and accepting campaign contributions from Jan. 10 until Feb. 6 for the first 30 days of the regular legislative session.

Due to January and the first few days of Feb. being very busy for me my funds are extremely short right now.

My fundraising goal for February is $5000 and most of that will be spent for radio and television ads in addition to travel expenses to and from Montgomery and other places in Alabama, campaign signs and literature.

Please make a contribution today. If you have friends and family members that live outside of Alabama but might be willing to contribute then please pass this along to them. Any US citizen can legally make a contribution to my campaign for Governor.

I am required by law to record the name and address of all donors and I have to report all donations exceeding $100. If you make a contribution please include your name and address.

I would like to offer all of my contributors the opportunity to also become fundraisers for this campaign. I will pay you ten percent of whatever you bring in. If there is any interest in this please contact me for further information.

Thank you all for your continued support of my campaign for Governor of Alabama. Look for updates in your inbox throughout this month.

Your Compatriot in the Fight for Liberty,
Loretta Nall
Vote Nall Y'all...It's Just Common Sense

Friday, February 03, 2006

Stop Snitching!

Three High school Teens Face Drug Charges

Police charged an 18-year-old and a 16-year-old Wednesday, and another student on Monday. All three face the possibility of expulsion.

Administrators say in all three cases, other students called in tips that led to the arrests and there may be more. School spokesman, Tom Salter says, "We've used the drug dogs in the past and we' are going to be using them in the future, soon and often. So it's very important for students to understand that if you're stupid enough to bring drugs to school, you are going to go to jail and you are going to be expelled."

In each case the tips came from the Scholastic Crimestoppers program, which is similar to the community based program and like its parent program. Scholastic Crimestoppers rewards youngsters who report wrongdoing. Students in Montgomery schools can get up to three-hundred -dollars when their tip pans out. If you'd like to know how to bring it to your school, call Crimestoppers at 215- STOP.
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Thanks to programs like D.A.R.E. and the drug war in general we have turned into a SNITCH NATION!

Here's three kids, unlucky enough to get caught with something that 85% of high-school kids try. I mean....it's like the rites of passage in a way.

Yet, they are facing expulsion and criminal charges.

How exactly is expulsion going to solve this problem?
Making it hard to get an education makes it much more likely that these kids will continue to sell drugs.
Isn't that the opposite of what we want?

And criminal charges.

What good will that do?
Prison, be it an adult or juvenile facility, will destroy the lives of three kids....something that pot alone could never do.

It's time to change the drug laws that do so much more damage to our society than the drugs they were created to protect us from ever will.

STOP LOCKING UP OUR KIDS!!!

Thursday, February 02, 2006

No quick help likely for prisons

Editorial
Montgomery Advertiser

It is a sad situation when the Alabama prison commissioner tells legislative budget committees that his boss's budget request may not be big enough to keep him out of jail.

State Prison Commissioner Donal Campbell faces the possibility of being held in contempt of court for failing to meet a judge's order to get state prisoners out of county jails in a timely fashion.

According to The Associated Press, Campbell told members of the legislative budget writing committees Wednesday that the $5 million budget increase for next year requested by Gov. Bob Riley would be enough to keep the prisons operating at current levels. But it would not be enough to add new beds, which would be necessary to substantially reduce the number of prisoners in county jails despite a court order to do so.

It's highly unlikely, although theoretically possible, that a judge would order the prison commissioner to jail. But just the possibility of it happening underscores the need for the state to address its entirely inadequate prison funding.

READ MORE

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You know I usually enjoy the Advertiser Editorial's and they have been very good at giving coverage to the prison crisis. But this editorial is a real disappointment.


According to The Associated Press, Campbell told members of the legislative budget writing committees Wednesday that the $5 million budget increase for next year requested by Gov. Bob Riley would be enough to keep the prisons operating at current levels.


$5 Million dollars is exactly how much the state of Alabama spent to imprison 500 new prisoners for smoking pot in 2005.


But there is some hope on the distant horizon. Riley has proposed a series of sentencing reforms and new programs designed to reduce prisoner recidivism that could, given time to operate, help reduce the number of inmates.


Riley's bill includes increasing fines, longer sentences,and voluntary guidelines for judges. The voluntary guidelines are the only thing in the entire package that might have some positive effect....some years down the road. Not now.
WE NEED IT NOW!!


Riley's legislative proposals won't completely fix the problem of prison overcrowding; sooner or later the state is going to have to find funds to build and operate new prisons. But his reforms could help a lot.


Building more prisons is INSANE... Alabama incarcerates citizens at a rate five times higher than the national average. Building more prisons to stuff more people into is simply going to lead to more overcrowded prisons down the road.

There are over 7000 people in Alabama's prison system right now for drug related crimes. Recently, a judge who worked with the sentencing commission said that 80% of people in Alabama prisons are illiterate or have a drug problem.

What Alabama needs to do is change the laws that send so many people to prison.

We need to tax and regulate marijuana and use the revenue collected to start alcohol and drug treatment programs for people suffering from the medical condition known as addiction.

We need to invest money in community corrections programs for petty thieves, deadbeat parents and bad check writers.

We have alcoholics, people as harmless as Otis the town drunk from Andy Griffith, housed in prison with violent murderers and rapists at the cost of $1000 a month when we could place a breath-lock on their automobiles for around $30 a month.

We also have people in prison for petty theft.

Why should we have to pay $12,000 a year to house someone in prison who stole a $50 VCR? Stealing is wrong and should be punished, but the thief is the one who should be punished not the Alabama taxpayer.

We have deadbeat parents in Alabama's prison system. They won't pay for their children. They weren't forced to pay $12,000 a year in child support but we are forced to pay that to house them in prison.

We are being made to not only pay for the care of their children but also the cost for their care in the prison system. That punishes us. TWICE.

Surely we can come up with a more creative and productive way to handle these types of crimes than "build more prisons" and "lock'em up" when that has proved neither cost effective nor productive.