SB375 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Hank Sanders

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Capital cases, judge not to override jury verdict of life without parole, Act 2017-131 made retroactive, Act 2017-131, 2017 Reg. Sess., am'd.

Summary

SB375 retroactively applies Act 2017-131, banning the court from overriding a jury’s life-without-parole verdict in capital cases and directing resentencing to LWOP when the jury returns LWOP.

What This Bill Does

It amends Act 2017-131 to apply retroactively to defendants who were sentenced to death after a jury returned a life-without-parole verdict. It also provides that the act applies to defendants charged with capital murder after the act’s effective date, but it does not retroactively apply to those previously convicted and sentenced to death before the effective date. It requires that any defendant sentenced to death by the court after a LWOP verdict be resentenced to life without parole. The act becomes effective immediately upon governor approval.

Who It Affects

• Defendants charged with capital murder after the act takes effect would be governed by the act’s provisions (including no court override of LWOP verdicts).
• Defendants whose jury returned life-without-parole verdict and who were sentenced to death by the court would be resentenced to life without parole; the retroactive effect does not apply to those already convicted and sentenced to death before the act’s effective date.

Key Provisions

• Amends Act 2017-131 to apply retroactively to defendants sentenced to death when the jury returned a life without parole verdict.
• Defines that the act applies to capital murder defendants charged after the act’s effective date; it does not apply retroactively to those previously convicted and sentenced to death before the effective date.
• Requires resentencing to life without parole for defendants who were sentenced to death by the court after a LWOP jury verdict.
• Effective immediately after governor approval (or becoming law).

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Death Penalty