Alabama’s ‘Big 10 Mayors’ rally ahead of Aniah’s Law vote

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Several of the mayors of Alabama’s 10 largest cities spoke at a news conference Wednesday morning where they rallied for support ahead of May’s statewide vote on a constitutional amendment to strengthen Aniah’s Law.

The mayors urge Alabama voters to approve a constitutional amendment to update the 2022 law, which gave judges the ability to deny bail to defendants who were out on bond after being charged with certain serious violent crimes, like kidnapping or rape.

The amendment that voters will consider this year adds shooting into an occupied space and any solicitation, attempt, or conspiracy to commit murder to that list.

The mayors say the changes, if approved by voters, will expand the list of non-bailable offenses, including specific weapon offenses and conspiracy to commit murder.

“That (law) gave judges a tool that they did not have prior to the passage of that statewide amendment, this amendment strengthens that law,” said Mobile Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis, a former judge himself.

The case is particularly personal for Auburn Mayor Ron Anders Jr.

Aniah’s Law honors Aniah Blanchard, who was a college student in Auburn when she was murdered by Ibraheem Yazeed in 2019. Yazeed was out on bond for another violent offense at the time.

“As it became clear that there was a perpetrator who had committed a horrible crime on another Auburn citizen, almost killing this person and then to have that person back out on the streets back in our community and continuing to be violent towards our citizens really, really, really is disturbing,” Anders said.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed says a small group of repeat offenders drive much of the crime in the capital city and welcomes the proposed expansion.

“The facts are that you have a small percentage of people creating this (crime) and we need to do a better job on repeat offenders, we’d have safer communities,” Reed said.

The amendment will be on the May 19 primary elections ballot.

Alabama’s ‘Big 10′ mayors include:

• Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin
• Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle
• Auburn Mayor Ron Anders
• Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba
• Mobile Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis
• Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed
• Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox
• Hoover Mayor Nick Derzis
• Madison Mayor Ranae Bartlett
• Decatur Mayor Kent Lawrence

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