“Big 10″ Mayors Urge Aniah’s Law Expansion Vote May 19th
Seven years ago, 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard was kidnapped and murdered, a tragic event that shook Alabama to the core and left her family devastated. The accused, Ibraheem Yazeed, was out on bond for another kidnapping when he spotted Aniah at a convenience store in Auburn, forced her into her own car, kidnapped her, and shot her to death.
At the time of the girl's murder, only capital murder suspects could be denied bail. But with the backing of the Auburn student's parents, Angela and Walt Harris, Aniah’s Law was passed by the Alabama Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ivey last May. At the time Ivey signed the legislation Alabama's "Big 10 Mayors" (chief executives of the state's ten largest cities) praised the governor and lawmakers for passing the law.
Now the "Big 10" are voicing strong support for strengthening and expanding the law with a constitutional amendment on the May 19th primary ballot. Statewide Amendment #1 would include adding attempted murder and other violent crimes to Aniah's Law and allow a judge to deny bail under certain circumstances.
During a press conference this morning, Mobile Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis, who was one of the first judges to utilize Aniah's Law when he was a judge, joined several of the mayors in support of the amendment. He applauded the legislature for attempting to improve public safety and added it is his job to encourage a "yes" vote on the amendment. He credited the original law for giving judges another tool to protect the innocent and points out the amendment to be voted on next month strengthens that law.
Auburn Mayor Ron Anders added that the suspect in that case should never have been allowed to be on the streets when the murder occurred. "Aniah's murderer has been put away forever and has received a life sentence...and we are asking the citizens to approve amendment 1 which goes further than the original Aniah's Law and will keep violent criminals in jail who have attempted to murder someone or have shot into occupied buildings. We believe this is the next step in keeping Alabama as safe as possible, keeping those who don't want to live the right way, with respect for everyone, who have bad intentions, where they belong, which is in jail."
Tuscaloosa's Mayor, Walt Maddox, was unable to attend due to a previously scheduled appointment but in the past has expressed similar support for Aniah's Law. In a joint op-ed writing, Maddox joined the other nine mayors in encouraging voters to, "Join us in strengthening this law so we can empower our legal system to keep our communities safe."
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