Guthery found not guilty of manslaughter in vehicle crash
Updated June 27, 2024, at 5:45 p.m.
CULLMAN, Ala. – The reckless homicide trial of Tyler Jacob Guthery, 28, of Cullman County, ended early Wednesday evening with not guilty verdicts from the jury for the most serious counts for a 2021 crash that killed one...
Trials begin in 2017, 2021 homicide cases
CULLMAN, Ala. - Jury selection got underway Monday, June 24, 2024, in the trial of William Thomas Maddux, 33, of Cullman County, in the 2017 shooting death of his stepfather, and jurors heard opening arguments in the reckless homicide trial of Tyler Jacob Guthery,...
Cullman County woman receives 2 life sentences for 2019 murders of her children
CULLMAN, Ala. – A Cullman County woman on Thursday, June 20, received two life sentences for the brutal 2019 murders of her children.
Sara Tapia-Franco, 37, according to court records, pleaded guilty to two counts of capital murder. It was back on Oct. 12, 2019,...
Justice Department secures agreement with Alabama landlord Randy Hames to resolve claims of sexual harassment of female tenants
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Justice Department announced Friday that it has reached an agreement with Randy Hames, an Alabama landlord who owned and managed rental properties in a mobile home park in Cullman, Alabama, known as Hames Marina, to resolve a Fair Housing Act lawsuit alleging...
Cullman Co. man sentenced to 99 years for wife’s murder
CULLMAN, Ala. – A Cullman County man, who was convicted of murder in April for the for the Jan. 27, 2021, slaying of his wife, Tammy McClellan of Arkadelphia, has been sentenced to 99 years in prison for the crime. Cullman County Circuit Court...
Plea deal, 20 year sentence conclude 2015 rape and sodomy case
CULLMAN, Ala. – On the morning that opening arguments were to begin in the trial of Jackson Matthew Hall, 32, of Lacey’s Spring, the defendant entered a guilty plea to one of the two pending charges, seeing the other dismissed. The jury was seated late Monday afternoon,...
Jury seated in 2015 rape and sodomy case; trial set to begin Tuesday
Defendant had been in prison for a previous offense
CULLMAN, Ala. – Jury selection took place on Monday in Cullman in the rape and sodomy trial of Jackson Matthew Hall, 32, of Lacey’s Spring. Hall is charged with first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy for multiple...
Tyson Farms lawsuit settlement funds new projects in Colony, Garden City and Forks in the River
CULLMAN, Ala. - The Attorney General’s Restitution Fund Oversite Committee met at three different locations on Saturday to announce projects that are being planned to improve access to the Mulberry and Sipsey Forks of the Black Warrior River. The committee and local leaders met...
Elective abortions illegal in Alabama
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall announced Friday afternoon that the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama has lifted the injunction against Alabama’s Human Life Protection Act.
“The State of Alabama’s emergency motion to lift the injunction and reinstate Alabama’s 2019 law, which...
Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announces the sentencing of convicted rapist Joshua Kane Smith
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announces that Joshua Kane Smith was sentenced to 40 years in prison by Circuit Judge Gregory Nicholas on May 20, 2022, as a result of his rape 1st degree, sex abuse 1st degree and incest...
Guest Editorial: Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announces report of April 2022 Grand Jury
CULLMAN, Ala. - In its April 2022 term, the Grand Jury of Cullman County issued felony and misdemeanor indictments in 257 cases with a total of 492 counts. Several defendants have multiple cases, and many cases include multiple counts. Here is a breakdown of...
Attorney General Steve Marshall files suit to end Biden’s public-travel mask mandate
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for its imposition of an illegal mask mandate for public travel despite court rulings that it is violating the law.
“Since the COVID-19 pandemic began,...
Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announces the guilty verdict of John Michael Cosper, Jr.
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announced on Tuesday that John Michael Cosper, Jr. was found guilty of two counts of aggravated stalking 2nd degree and one count of violation of protection from abuse order after a two-day jury trial in...
Attorney General Steve Marshall leads 21-state brief in support of South Carolina abortion law
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall led a 21-state amicus brief filed Tuesday in support of South Carolina’s one-year-old Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act, which had been blocked by federal district and appeals courts.
Attorney General Marshall filed the amicus brief in Planned Parenthood...
Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announces sentencing of habitual-offender Nathan Winston Stephens
(Photo courtesy of the CCSO)
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announces that Nathan Winston Stephens was sentenced to 75 years in prison by Circuit Judge Greg Nicholas on Thursday for his failure to register as a sex offender conviction from November.
“Although...
Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announces the guilty plea and sentencing of Robert Alan Peak
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announced that Robert Alan Peak was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Monday after pleading guilty to seven felonies and one misdemeanor, including his 2021 escape from the Cullman County Detention Center.
“I am proud...
Rep. Harbison discusses support of constitutional carry bill HB44
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - In the new legislative session for the Alabama House of Representatives, many leaders across the state have been divided over a proposed constitutional carry bill. HB44 was introduced to eliminate the need for permits to carry concealed firearms in Alabama, and...
Attorney General Steve Marshall wins injunction against Biden attempts to mandate vaccines through Head Start program
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall announced Saturday that a federal court granted Alabama’s motion for an injunction against Biden’s order that seeks to require Head Start program employees and volunteers to vaccinate against COVID and children as young as two-years-old to wear face masks...
Attorney General Steve Marshall files lawsuit to block Biden vaccine and mask mandates for Head Start employees and students
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall filed a lawsuit Tuesday to block the Biden administration’s Head Start mandate for program employees to vaccinate against COVID, and for pre-school pupils to wear face masks, or risk all federal funding.
Two of Alabama’s state agencies—the Alabama Department of...
Making the highway safer
CULLMAN, Ala. - Alabama’s interstate highways are known to be among the busiest thoroughfares in the nation for human trafficking, but a coalition including the Cullman County Human Trafficking Task Force is taking a direct approach to making change. Members of the local task...
Attorney General Steve Marshall wins nationwide injunction against Biden’s healthcare-worker vaccine mandate
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall announced a court victory against President Biden’s healthcare-worker vaccine mandate as a federal court granted his motion to block the sweeping and illegal healthcare-worker vaccine mandate.
Tuesday, the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana granted a...
Attorney General Steve Marshall defends free speech and religious rights of embattled cakebaker Jack Phillips
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has filed an amicus brief supporting the free speech right of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado to decline to create a custom cake celebrating a gender transition.
Jack Phillips is a devout Christian who makes custom cakes at his family-owned...
Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock and Sheriff Matt Gentry announce the arrests of two individuals for the theft of public funds from the town of Garden City
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock and Sheriff Matt Gentry announce that Shannon James and Leslie Johnson have been arrested on felony charges concerning the theft of public funds from the Town of Garden City.
The arrests come after a nearly three-month...
Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announces the sentencing of convicted child rapist Wade Allen Waldrop
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock recently announced that Wade Allen Waldrop was sentenced to a maximum of 119 years in prison by Circuit Judge Martha Williams on November 9, 2021, as a result of his rape 1st degree and sex...
Attorney General Steve Marshall challenges Biden’s private-employer vaccine mandate
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Attorney General Steve Marshall filed a legal challenge Friday to block President Biden’s private-employer vaccine mandate. The petition for review was filed in the Eleventh Circuit immediately after the rule was formally published Friday morning.
First announced on September 9 by Biden,...
Jury finds Stephens guilty in Cullman County Court
CULLMAN, Ala. - A man was found guilty on Tuesday following a one-day jury trial in the Cullman County Circuit Court for failing to register with local law enforcement as a sex offender.
Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announced that Nathan Winston Stephens was...
Andrew Maresh found guilty for the murder of Daniel Ray Osborn, II
CULLMAN, Ala. - Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock announced in a press release on Thursday that Andrew Jacob Maresh was found guilty after a three-day jury trial in the Cullman County Circuit Court for the murder of Daniel Ray Osborn, II.
“Our thoughts and...
Attorney General Steve Marshall warns President Biden to drop illegal vaccine mandate or face lawsuit
MONTGOMERY, Ala. —Attorney General Steve Marshall warned President Joe Biden that he will face a lawsuit if his administration proceeds with his mandate that private-sector employees either get a COVID-19 shot, submit to weekly testing or be fired. Attorney General Marshall joined a coalition...
Attorney General Steve Marshall leads 17 states in Supreme Court brief supporting religious charity’s right to hire people who share its faith
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall led a coalition of 17 states in filing a brief Thursday before the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the religious liberty of Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. The Mission is seeking Supreme Court review of a recent ruling by...
Attorney General Steve Marshall leads 17 states in Supreme Court brief supporting religious charity’s right to hire people who share its faith
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall led a coalition of 17 states in filing a brief Thursday before the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the religious liberty of Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. The Mission is seeking Supreme Court review of a recent ruling by...
‘Stand your ground’
CULLMAN, Ala. – Kenneth Don Malone, 60, of Guntersville, was cleared of murder and manslaughter charges Tuesday in the shooting death of Joshua Adam White, 35, also of Guntersville. The shooting happened on Monday, July 16, 2018 at a residence in the New Canaan...
Attorney General Steve Marshall announces $3 million settlement with Tyson over Mulberry Fork spill
MONTGOMERY, Ala. —Attorney General Steve Marshall announced Wednesday a $3 million State settlement with Tyson Farms Inc. over the 2019 wastewater spill in Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River.
The settlement agreement, filed in the Circuit Court of Walker County, brings an end to...
Double murder defendant returning to Cullman for competency hearing
CULLMAN, Ala. - Double murder defendant Sara Tapia-Franco, 34, of Holly Pond, this week was ordered to be transferred from state mental health facility Bryce Hospital to the Cullman County Detention Center for an upcoming competency hearing. Tapia-Franco was indicted in 2020 on capital...
Tyson now faces nine lawsuits over 2019 Hanceville plant spill
HANCEVILLE, Ala. – Over two years have passed since a June 6, 2019, spill at the Tyson Farms/River Valley Ingredients rendering plant near Hanceville triggered a large fish kill on the Mulberry Fork that extended down to the Sipsey River in Walker County. That...
Appeals Court rejects sentence in Meeks homicide conviction
CULLMAN, Ala. - An Alabama appellate court, in a preliminary statement, upheld the conviction of Brad Meeks, 30, of Bremen, on the charge of criminally negligent homicide in the May 7, 2017, death of Curtis “Curt” James Wilson, 15, of Cullman, but rejected the...
Flanigan pleads guilty to manslaughter in 2016 drug death
CULLMAN, Ala. - Jerome Anthony Flanigan, 39, of Cullman, on Tuesday pleaded guilty to reckless manslaughter in the 2016 drug-related death of Leslie Clements. Flanigan had been indicted on charges of murder by administration of a controlled substance with alternate charges of murder by...
Thursby’s charges upgraded in 2016 murder case
CULLMAN, Ala. — Kayla Thursby, 34, of Cullman, was re-arrested this week after a Cullman County grand jury upgraded charges against her in the 2016 death of Leslie Clements. Originally charged in 2018 with murder by strangulation or suffocation and first-degree theft of property,...
Flanigan acquitted of arson in murder case
CULLMAN, Ala. — Jerome Flanigan, 39, of Cullman, was acquitted of the charge of arson in the 2016 death of Leslie Clements, but continues to face murder charges, as does co-defendant Kayla Thursby.
Flanigan had been indicted on charges of murder by administration of a...
Reckless murder indictment issued in 2020 Battleground shooting
CULLMAN, Ala. - A Cullman County Grand Jury on Tuesday indicted Christian Alexander Shane Lewter, 22, of Vinemont, with reckless murder in the August 2020 shooting death of Tazz Michael Wynn in the Battleground Community. The Cullman County Sheriff’s Office took Lewter into custody...
Attorney General Steve Marshall hails Supreme Court victory in religious freedom case supported by Alabama
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Attorney General Steve Marshall hailed a unanimous decision by the U.S. Supreme Court Thursday, in a lawsuit supported by Alabama, upholding the right of Catholic Social Services to assist in Philadelphia’s foster care system without having to surrender the group’s religious beliefs.
“Alabama and...
Attorney General Steve Marshall announces court win against Biden administration that lifts ban on new oil and gas drilling on federal lands
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Attorney General Steve Marshall announced that in response to a lawsuit filed by Alabama and 12 other states, a U.S. District Court in Louisiana has ordered the Biden administration to lift its ban on all new oil and gas leasing and...
Driver indicted, arrested in deadly 2020 Cullman crash
CULLMAN, Ala. - Angelica Denise Ruffin, 38, of Huntsville, a driver involved in a deadly crash at the intersection of U.S. Highway 278 and State Road 157 on June 7, 2020, was arrested over the weekend and charged with reckless murder, reckless manslaughter, and...
Cullman area legislators Stadthagen, Gudger commended by Republican Party for conservative legislation
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Cullman area legislators State Sen. Garlan Gudger and State Rep. Scott Stadthagen last week received the Alabama Republican Party’s Chairman’s Commendation for their support of conservative party values through the sponsorship of a bill requiring athletes in gender-specific sports events to...
Gov. Ivey awards grant to help crime victims navigate the court system
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded a $475,016 grant to help Alabama crime victims better navigate the judicial system.
The grant to the state Office of Prosecution Services will help maintain certified victim service officers throughout the state and continue its use of...
AG Marshall joins 13-state coalition in suit to stop Biden’s ban on new oil and gas drilling on federal lands
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Attorney General Steve Marshall joined 12 other state attorneys general in filing suit Wednesday to block the Biden administration's ban on all future oil and gas leasing and drilling permits on federal lands.
“Seven days after President Biden was sworn into office,...
Foundation: ‘Don’t discriminate against religious schools
Foundation for Moral Law
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Foundation for Moral Law, an Alabama-based nonprofit dedicated to the defense of religious liberty, filed an amicus brief with the United States Supreme Court urging the Court to end discrimination against religious schools.
The State of Maine provides tuition...
Marshall, Aderholt file suit against federal government
Suit claims illegal manipulation and delaying of census data
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, U.S. Representative Robert Aderholt, R- Alabama and two other Alabama voters filed suit against the U.S. Department of Commerce “over its decisions to manipulate census data that will...
