We the Jury
The Alabama State Capitol at dusk

Alabama ended judicial override.
Now it must finish the job.

25 people are sitting on Alabama's death row because of an unconstitutional sentencing scheme the state has already abolished. Governor Ivey can correct it.

Tell Gov. Ivey to Grant ClemencyRead the Issue
25
On death row by override
2017
Alabama ends the practice
1
Last state to abolish
0
Retroactive cases addressed
The Issue

A law half-finished.

In 2017, the Alabama State Legislature passed Senate Bill 16 to end judicial override, an outdated, unconstitutional practice that allowed a single judge to sentence someone to death despite the jury recommending life without parole. Governor Kay Ivey signed the bill into law.

While this was an important step to ensure fair and constitutional sentencing, the bill did not include a retroactive clause. That means 25 people are still sitting on death row, awaiting execution, under a sentencing scheme that Gov. Ivey and Alabama lawmakers rejected as unconstitutional.

An empty jury box in a historic courtroom
What's at Stake

The jury's authority. The Constitution's promise.

  • 01

    The role of the jury

    Under the U.S. and Alabama Constitutions, twelve citizens — not one judge — decide.

  • 02

    Fair and equal treatment

    Two people convicted of the same crime should not receive different fates based solely on the year of sentencing.

  • 03

    Constitutional consistency

    Capital sentencing must apply today's standards across the board, not selectively.

Poster for The Power to Kill, a film presented by We the Jury
Screenings

The Power to Killon the big screen.

We the Jury presents The Power to Kill — the story of what happens when a jury says life and one judge says death. Two screenings around Alabama this month. Doors open early for community tabling, so come a little ahead of showtime.

15Oct
2026

The Capri Theatre

Montgomery, AL
Doors
6:00 PMCommunity tabling
Screening
7:00 PM
Get Directions
Watch the trailer
Watch the trailer on Instagram — We The Jury (@wethejury_al)

Hosting or sponsoring a screening? Get in touch.

Voices

Jurors, justices, and lawmakers — in their own words.

Those closest to judicial override — the citizens who served on these juries, the legislators who ended the practice, and the jurists who saw its consequences — describe what was lost when a single judge overruled twelve.

When I found out the judge had overturned our recommendation I was infuriated because, why? What was the point of us even being in there if we weren't going to matter.
Portrait of Mae Puckett
Mae Puckett
Juror
House Judiciary Committee testimony, May 2023
That's why we pick a jury of the community and they decide guilt, innocence, and punishment. Judicial override flies in the face of that.
Portrait of Dick Brewbaker
Dick Brewbaker
Former Alabama State Senator
WSFA, February 2017
Allowing an elected official to override the judgment of a jury introduced the potential for arbitrariness, political pressure, and injustice into the most consequential decisions our courts make.
Portrait of Drayton Nabers, Jr.
Drayton Nabers, Jr.
24th Chief Justice, Alabama Supreme Court
Op-ed, Yellowhammer News, June 2026
Our careful deliberation didn't mean a thing to the law. An elected judge overruled our decision using a now-illegal mechanism known as 'judge override.'
Portrait of Daniel Pierce
Daniel Pierce
Juror
Juror reflection
Take Action Now

End unconstitutional sentencing schemes.

Gov. Ivey has the clear executive authority to fix this injustice. Through clemency, she can ensure that every death sentence imposed through judicial override is corrected, while carrying out a severe punishment of life imprisonment without parole.

Tell Gov. Ivey to Grant Clemency
Get Involved

Help make sure no one is executed via judicial override.

We are a growing coalition of jurors, judges, attorneys, elected officials, activists, and community advocates. Share your story, sign on, or get in touch.

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