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Daily Mail
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Seven twisted rapists who abused kids in underground bunker could face death penalty for deplorable crimes
Two lawmakers in Alabama are pushing to make child rape cases eligible for the death penalty, after a gang of seven were arrested in a horrific sexual abuse case. Police in Bibb County said the group subjected their victims, one of whom was just three years old at the time, to heinous sexual attacks inside a nightmarish underground bunker. William Chase McElroy, 21; Dalton Terrell, 21; Timothy St. John, 23; and Ricky Terrell, 44, are facing rape charges for allegedly sexually abusing small children. Three others - Andres Trejo-Velazquez, 29; Rebecca Brewer, 29; and Sara Louis Terrell, 41 - were also arrested in connection to the crimes. Rep. Matt Simpson and state Senator April Weaver are organizing a bill that would make those convicted of rape or sodomy of a child younger than 12 eligible for the death penalty. Speaking earlier this week, Rep. Simpson said: 'When you have situations like what happened in Bibb County, that would be up to the Bibb County prosecutor. 'But this would be a tool that they would have in their belt that they could if they decided to use that.' Weaver added: 'I defy anyone anywhere with any conscience or any sense of morals to look at this case and others like it and argue the death penalty is not appropriate.' Rep. Matt Simpson, left, and state Senator April Weaver are organizing a bill that would make those convicted of rape or sodomy of a child younger than 12 eligible for the death penalty The victims in the case, aged between three and 15, were abused with shock collars and raped inside the grimy storm bunker in Brent. At least two of the victims were found performing sexual acts on each other, with some of the victims said to include some of the suspects' own children. Images shared by police of the inside show a lone stained mattress with no sheets or blankets was seen stuffed in a corner of the barren and dirty room. The outside of the bunker, which was located near a family member of McElroy, didn't look any better in repair with a shabby roof and a desolate appearance. The suspects would allegedly arrange and pay for the children and abuse them inside the storm bunker. The group also allegedly used a shock collar as a form of punishment, court documents said. Police began investigating the group in early February after a tip from the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR). After they were discovered, the children allegedly told investigators that McElroy had abused them, taught them sexual acts and what they did to each other. William Chase McElroy, 21, (left) and Timothy St. John, 23, (right) face rape charges, among others Andres Trejo-Velazquez was charged with human trafficking. His citizenship is also being investigated. And at least one member of the group has been connected to a Mexican gang known for using sex trafficking as its main source of income 'He would tie one child to the bed, one child to a chair and one to one of the support poles,' Assistant District Attorney Bryan Jones said of Velazquez-Trejo, whose citizenship is now being investigated. Velazquez-Trejo has also been accused of using a white powder in the children's drinks to drug them. He also allegedly sold nude images of the children. 'As bad as it sounds with [Velazquez-Trejo] drugging them, it may be a blessing in disguise because they don't remember a lot of things,' Jones said. The group also sold the children for up to $1,000 a night to abusers. Dalton paid at least two adults to use the children, who are now three, six, eight, and 10. And at least one of the seven has been connected to a Mexican gang that uses sex trafficking as its main source of income. St. John has also been accused of having sex with a dog. All the children are now in the custody of DHR. And authorities are still investigating how many children were abused. McElroy was charged with rape, sodomy, and human trafficking. Dalton was charged with rape, sodomy, human trafficking, and kidnapping. St. John was charged rape, sodomy, human trafficking, kidnapping, bestiality, and cruelty to animals. Trejo-Velazquez was charged with human trafficking. Brewer was charged with human trafficking, kidnapping, and sexual torture. Ricky was charged with rape. Sara was charged with sexual torture and sexual abuse of a child less than 12 years old. They are expected back in court for their arraignment in August.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What passed in the Alabama Legislature: May 14, 2025
Rep. Phillip Rigsby, R-Huntsville, sits alone in the Alabama House chamber during a lengthy recess on May 14, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The House went into an extended recess on Wednesday, the final day of the 2025 regular session, as the Alabama Senate saw a filibuster from Democrats over local bills. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) Here are the bills that passed the Alabama Legislature on Wednesday, the final day of the 2025 regular session. House HB 199, sponsored by Rep. Travis Hendrix, D-Birmingham, allows the Board of Pardons and parole to electronically monitor a juvenile delinquent before their court hearing. The House concurred with Senate changes 101-0. Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill on Thursday. HB 202, sponsored by Rep. Rex Reynolds, R-Huntsville, changes the standard by which law enforcement can claim immunity as they perform their jobs and gives them additional procedural protections during litigation. The House concurred with Senate changes 73-28; the Senate earlier on Thursday passed the bill 25-6. Gov. Kay Ivey signed it on Thursday. HB 581, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, revises the distribution of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in-lieu-of-tax payments in Morgan County by reallocating funds to support a legislative delegation office, the Morgan County Rescue Squad and local education. The House concurred with Senate changes 76-0. It goes to Ivey. Senate SB 171, sponsored by Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, prohibits the use of a motorized vehicle on land that is submerged below navigable waters. Violators would face a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to three months in jail and a $500 fine. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 88, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, allows a judge to set a hearing on a petition for a criminal expungement even if a prosecutor or a victim files no objection. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 76, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, exempts nursing mothers from jury service. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 108, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, criminalizes mail theft, establishing penalties based on the number of addresses affected and the intent to commit identity fraud. Offenses range from a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail, to a Class B felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. It passed 103-0 with a House substitute. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SB 42, sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, allows landowners adjacent to abandoned state roads to petition state, county, or municipal governing bodies to deed them back to the original landowners when the road is no longer usable for its intended purpose. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 101, sponsored by Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscambia, raises the medical age of consent from 14 to 16 with some exceptions. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 206, sponsored by Sen. Josh Carnley, R-Ino, establishes regulations for businesses advising or assisting individuals with veterans' benefits claims. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 142, sponsored by Sen. Wes Kitchens, R-Arab, removes the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) as an approved source for identifying voters whose addresses may have changed, requiring the use of the United States Postal Service's National Change of Address database and at least one other voter registration database. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SB 53, sponsored by Sen. Wes Kitchens, R-Arab, creates the crime of human smuggling as a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, if someone transports a person without legal status into the state of Alabama. It also allows local law enforcement to hold those suspected of living in the U.S. without authorization for up to 48 hours while their status is determined. The Senate concurred with House changes. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 511, sponsored by Rep. Bryan Brinyark, R-Windham Springs, consolidates Fayette County's tax assessor and tax collector offices into a single Revenue Commissioner position. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 512, sponsored by Rep. Bryan Brinyark, R-Windham Springs, increases the base salary of the Fayette County sheriff to $80,000 starting in 2027. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 496, sponsored by Stubbs, R-Wetumpka, grants Elmore County the authority to levy a 4.5% excise tax on wholesale vapor products in the county. The measure, a constitutional amendment, passed 22-0 and will be decided by voters on November 4. HB 463, sponsored by Rep. Van Smith, R-Clanton, authorizes the Board of Commissioners of Chilton County 911 to establish procedures for the director to make purchases using a credit or debit card. The bill passed 30-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 598, sponsored by Rep. Van Smith, R-Clanton, extends the corporate boundaries of the Town of Pine Level in Autauga County. The bill passed 27-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 78, sponsored by Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, gives the presiding judge of the 28th Judicial Circuit the power to issue a standing order authorizing civil or criminal jury proceedings in any courthouse within the circuit, and provides procedures. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 544, sponsored by Rep. Alan Baker, R-Brewton, authorizes Escambia County to appoint a medical examiner. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 586, sponsored by Rep. Tim Wadsworth, R-Arley, extends the corporate limits of the City of Cullman in Cullman County. The bill passed 29-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 395, sponsored by Rep. Ritchie Whorton, R-Owens Cross Roads, removes a specified area from the corporate limits of the City of New Hope in Madison County. The bill passed 25-0. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 495, sponsored by Rep. Tracy Estes, R-Winfield, restructures the board of directors of the Marion County Public Water Authority. The bill passed 28-0. It goes to the Gov. Kay Ivey. HB 343, sponsored by Rep. Jim Carns, R-Birmingham, makes membership of the General Retirement System for Employees of Jefferson County mandatory for eligible full-time employees. The bill passed 26-3. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alabama Senate passes bill to ease job licensing for some with felony convictions
Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham (left) speaks with Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, on the floor of the Alabama Senate on March 4, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) The Alabama Senate Thursday passed legislation aimed at removing barriers to employment for some people with felony convictions. SB 138, sponsored by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, would prohibit certain occupational licensing boards from automatically denying licenses based solely on a criminal conviction, unless the crime is directly related to the duties of the profession. A 'certificate of employability' would be issued to certain parolees who meet eligibility requirements, such as job skills training while incarcerated and serve as evidence of rehabilitation. The bill was amended during the debate to exempt some health care professionals, such as doctors, dentists and pharmacists, as well as professionals in the banking and insurance industries. The bill passed 29-0 and heads to the House for consideration. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawmakers weigh ban on poppers, whippets, other recreational inhalants in Alabama
Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, watches a vote in the Alabama Senate on Feb. 13, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Weaver said the proposed ban on recreational sale and possession of inhalants like laughing gas and poppers is aimed at curbing youth use. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) An Alabama House committee passed a bill that would outlaw the sale and possession of inhalants for recreational use, such as laughing gas and poppers. SB 78, sponsored by Sen. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, passed the House Health Committee on a voice vote. The bill would prohibit the sale and possession of nitrous oxide, commonly known as 'laughing gas,' except under specific circumstances, citing concerns over youth addiction and misuse. It would also ban amyl nitrite, also referred to as 'poppers,' and mixtures of butyl nitrate, or 'whippets.' 'Right now, your children can buy this with no age restrictions in gas stations in any flavor that they want: mango, blueberry, raspberry, whatever,' Weaver said as she passed canisters of whippets for committee members to see. 'This was brought to me from a parent. Her child purchased this online for 70-something dollars, and it was delivered to their house.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The measure would impose age restrictions, ban flavored variants, and set penalties for unlawful possession and sale. The bill previously only prohibited the use and possession of these inhalants, but it was amended in committee to ban their sale outright. Possessing could result in a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $6,000 fine. Selling these inhalants could lead to a Class D felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine up to $7,500. Only licensed medical professionals, manufacturers, food service providers and automotive professionals over the age of 21 would be allowed to handle nitrous oxide. During the committee meeting, Weaver said committee members could type 'Galaxy gas,' a common brand of whippets, on Instagram and TikTok and see videos of children inhaling from canisters. The search on Instagram does bring up videos of children using the substance, resulting in slurred speech or loss of balance, but the search is blocked on TikTok. Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee, said in the meeting that she was given laughing gas before a dental procedure and that she agreed these inhalants need to be taken off the market and used in professional settings. 'I didn't really know what it did to me, because whatever it did, I didn't feel the dental work,' Warren said. She added that since it didn't harm her then, as long as it can still be used for medical reasons, she agrees these should not be widely available. 'I can't believe that they're being sold in stores,' Warren said. The bill, which cleared the Senate in early February, now moves to the House floor. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alabama Senate passes bill exempting nursing mothers from jury duty
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — The Alabama Senate passed SB76, also known as Parker's Law, on Tuesday. The bill allows nursing mother to be exempt from jury duty. It was put forth by state Sen. April Weaver (R-Brierfield). It is named after Jeferson County mother Kandace Brown and her daughter, Parker. 'Safe Alabama Package' bills pass House Brown said she had issues at a courthouse in Jefferson County when she was called in for jury duty while nursing her child in January. The legislation will need to pass the House before heading to the governor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
