June 2023 Grand Jury Report

News

Monday, 19 June 2023 10:50

GRAND JURY REPORT

JUNE 2023

We, the Grand Jury for Jackson County, Alabama, having completed our work for this session,

submit the following report:

We have reviewed 144 cases and return in open court 126 True Bills.

We toured the Courthouse and found it to be clean and well maintained. As we toured, we noticed some issues that we recommend be addressed: The public bathrooms are in need of updating. The courthouse elevators are in need of improved elevator shafts. The cracking foundation of the Courthouse remains an issue; however, we do understand there have been measures taken to remedy this problem in the future. We agree that the moving of the Probate Office and the Revenue Commissioner’s Offices to a separate location would be beneficial to all county residents, one of those benefits being additional parking on the Courthouse square. It would also create office space in the Courthouse, allowing all law enforcement and judicial agencies to be housed within the same building. Further, when additional funding sources are developed, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office needs monies to be able to hire additional deputies and/or replace patrol cars. We would encourage the Sheriff’s Office and/or the County Commission to look into available grant funding to replace aging equipment or other needed items.

We would add that it is encouraging to know that these Grand Jury Reports are reviewed and responded to as we note that the recommended changes and suggestions are being addressed from previous grand juries.

We would like to extend our appreciation to the members of law enforcement who appeared before the Grand Jury for the presentation of their cases, including the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Scottsboro Police Department, Stevenson Police Department, Bridgeport Police Department, Alabama Department of Mental Health, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and Jackson County Community Corrections. The District Attorney and his staff were professional and helpful in explaining to the Jurors their duties they were required to perform and for clarifying any questions involved in each case or indictment.

Having completed this session of the Grand Jury, we respectfully request that we be recessed.

Submitted this the 15th day of June, 2023.

All indictments are submitted, along with this report, in open court and in the presence of the foreperson and seventeen other members of this Grand Jury, and filed in Court this the 15th day of June, 2023.