Alabama is one of only three states which allow trial judges to override a jury's verdict of life without parole and instead issue the death sentence. Furthermore, Alabama is the only of these three states with judges who are elected officials and the only state in the country that permits judges, without limitation, to override a jury verdict.
More than 80 people currently sit on Alabama's death row because of a judge who exercised judicial override and disregarded the recommendation of jury during the sentencing phase of their trial.
Below is a list of judges known to have imposed the death sentence through the use of their ability to override the jury's recommendation:
JEFFERSON COUNTY 13
Judge Dan Reynolds 2 times
Judge Billy C. Barney
Judge James Garnett
Judge Alfred Bahakel
Judge Gloria Bahakel
Judge William Cole
Judge Teresa B. Petrelos 2 times
Judge N. Pride Tompkins
Judge Inge P. Johnson, Judge Clyde Jones
MOBILE COUNTY 11
Judge Ferrel McRae 6 times
Judge Braxton Kittrell Jr. 3 times
Judge Herman Thomas
Judge N. Pride Tompkins
MONTGOMERY COUNTY 9
Judge H. Randall Thomas 4 times
Judge Joseph D. Phelps
Judge William R. Gordon 2 times
Judge Charles Price
Judge Truman Hobbs Jr.
MADISON COUNTY 6
Judge Daniel Banks 2 times
Judge C. Lynwood Smith 2 times
Judge Jeri W. Blankenship
Judge William Page
BALDWIN COUNTY 4
Judge Robert L.L. Key
Judge Charles C. Partin
Judge Harry J. Wilters Jr.
Judge Robert E. Wilters
MORGAN COUNTY 3
Judge Sherrie W. Brown
Judge Sherrie W. Paler
Judge Bobby Aderholt
DALLAS COUNTY 3
Judge Jack W. Meigs 2 times
Judge C.J. Norton
RUSSELL COUNTY 2
Judge George R. Greene
Judge Wayne T. Johnson Jr.
CONNECUH COUNTY 2
Judge Samuel H. Welch Jr. 2 times
COLBERT COUNTY 2
Judge Hal Hughston
Judge Inge Johnson
ELMORE COUNTY 1
Judge John Bush
MARION COUNTY 1
Judge Bobby R. Aderholt
RANDOLPH COUNTY 1
Judge Philip Dale Segrest
CRENSHAW COUNTY 1
Judge H. Edward McFerrin
LEE COUNTY 2
Judge Jacob A. Walker III
Judge Robert M. Harper
DEKALB COUNTY 1
Judge Randall L. Cole
MARSHALL COUNTY 1
Judge William D. Jetton
COFFEE COUNTY 1
Judge Gary L. McAliley
CALHOUN COUNTY 1
Judge R. Joel Laird Jr.
HENRY COUNTY 1
Judge S. Edward Jackson
DALE COUNTY 1
Judge P. Ben McLauchlin Jr.
FRANKLIN COUNTY 1
Judge Terry Dempsey