Circuit Judge Alfred Bahakel sentenced death row inmate Taurus Carroll to life in prison without parole Friday after the Alabama Supreme Court overturned the death sentence Bahakel gave Carroll in 1997.

The justices ruled in July that Bahakel did not give adequate weight to mitigating circumstances when he sentenced Carroll to death, ignoring a jury's 10-2 recommendation for life in prison. The justices also said the death sentence was "excessive and disproportionate," and ordered Bahakel to resentence Carroll to life in prison without parole.

Carroll, convicted of killing Betty Long during a 1995 Kingston laundry robbery, showed no emotion in court as the judge resentenced him. However, his family expressed relief, with at least 2 saying, "Thank you, Jesus," in hushed tones at the hearing.

"I hate that about the Long family, but I do thank God that (Carroll) has a chance to turn his life around and give his life to the Lord," Teresa McLemore, Carroll's aunt, said after the hearing. "He is also sorry about the incident that happened. He does have remorse about that."

Prosecutor Mike Anderton argued at Carroll's 1997 trial that Carroll should receive the death penalty.

"I feel like it was a death penalty case but this court has ruled otherwise," Anderton said after the hearing. "We have to go with what they ordered."

Anderton said Long was killed for no reason she offered no resistance during the heist but was shot anyway in the abdomen in front of her daughter. 90 dollars was taken, along with the daughter's necklace, Anderton said.

Long's family did not attend the hearing. Her husband had asked Bahakel in 1997 to spare Carroll's life so that everyday Carroll could remember what he did.

A 2nd defendant, Mack Dailey, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for Long's death. Dailey was 15 when the killing occurred and was not eligible for the death penalty because of his age. Carroll was 17.

"I'm very pleased that Taurus Carroll is no longer a dead man walking," said Carroll's defense lawyer, Joe W. Morgan III.

(source: Birmingham News)

            Court says judge erred in overriding jury recommendation
                                                       Associated Press
The Alabama Supreme Court has reversed the death sentence given to a convicted robber and murderer, partly because the judge did not go along with the jury's recommended sentence of life in prison without parole.

The Supreme Court ruled Friday that Jefferson County Circuit Judge Alfred Bahakel should have gone along with the jury's recommendation, on a 10-2 vote, that Taurus Carroll be sentenced to life in prison without parole. Carroll was convicted of capital murder in the 1995 robbery and murder of Betty Long, owner of a Birmingham dry-cleaning business.

The court's decision follows last month's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, in an Arizona case, that juries and not judges must decide whether a person is sentenced to death. That ruling immediately affected more than 160 killers in 5 states where the judge, not the jury, sentences inmates.

The courts did not immediately address what the effect would be in states like Alabama where the jury makes a sentencing recommendation, but the final decision is made by the judge.

The Alabama Supreme Court decision in the Carroll case, written by Justice Champ Lyons, did not mention the Arizona case. But, in a concurring opinion, Chief Justice Roy Moore said he was going along with the rest of the court because of the U.S. Supreme Court decision. About 40 to 45 of Alabama's 187 death row inmates were sentenced to death by the trial judge after the jury had recommended life without parole.

The Court of Criminal Appeals originally reversed Carroll's death sentence, saying Bahakel gave too much consideration to the fact that Carroll had been convicted earlier as a youthful offender. After a 2nd
sentencing hearing, Bahakel again sentenced Carroll to death and the Court of Criminal Appeals upheld that sentence.

But the Supreme Court said Bahakel should have given more attention to the jury's recommendation and to the fact that the victim's family had recommended a life without parole sentence.

"Here we have overwhelming support of a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, as evidenced by the jury's vote of 10-2 for such a sentence," Lyons said.

Age 21, Death Row inmate seeks openminded, loyal queensized beauties
to fill my lonely hours.  While I fight hard to prove my innocence I'm currently sitting on Ala. death row looking for someone to build a friendship with etc.
I need to correspond with a special lady on a regular basis whoever that may be?  I don't play games and don't have time for game players.
I need someone to bring some joy and happiness in my life.  I'm looking for some nice female 22 plus  I'll answer all who write me. Feel free to write me anytime I'll like to share my world with all those willing to share theirs with me.  Just feel free to write me I'm here.  Thanks for your time,  please write soon.
                                                   
                Taurus Carroll - 174140
                            G3-C 22CT
                    1000 St. Clair Road
                   Springville, Alabama 
                           35146  USA

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