Former Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely, who served as Alabama’s longest-serving sheriff, was convicted of theft and ethics charges in 2021. Since late February, he has been held in the Franklin County Detention Center. Buckley, Blakely’s new lawyer based in Montgomery, is seeking to change the terms of his client’s continued incarceration. News 19 investigative reporter Dallas Parker provides further details from the studio.
Blakely was sentenced to three years in a county jail in 2021 but did not begin serving his sentence until February after his direct appeals were denied. After spending approximately eight months in the Franklin County Detention Center, Blakely’s new lawyer is asking the judge to transfer him to the supervision of Limestone County Community Corrections.
The attorney argues that Blakely has not caused any trouble in Franklin County and has serious health conditions that will require significant treatment in the future, including a heart condition, COPD, and diabetes. The attorney also informed the judge that nine community leaders from Limestone County support this move.
However, prosecutors from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office oppose the request to modify Blakely’s sentence, stating that the State Department of Corrections would have to approve his release on probation. They argue that Blakely has not been approved by an 800C and claim that this decision is not within the court’s jurisdiction..
