DOCUMENT 609

ELECTRONICALLY FILED
10/14/2023 3:38 PM
44-CC-2019-000476.00
CIRCUIT COURT OF
LIMESTONE COUNTY, ALABAMA
BRAD CURNUTT, CLERK
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR LIMESTONE COUNTY, ALABAMA
CRIMINAL DIVISION

STATE OF ALABAMA )(
)(
Vs. )( CC2019-476
)(
MICHAEL A. BLAKELY )(

MOTION TO TRANSFER SENTENCE TO COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS

COMES NOW MICHAEL BLAKELY, by and through his undersigned counsel,

and respectfully moves this Court to transfer his sentence to the supervision of
Limestone Community Corrections. As grounds for this Motion, Mr. Blakely submits the
following:

1. The Defendant has been serving the sentence imposed in this case in the
Franklin County Jail for more than four months, without disciplinary or citation.

2. Mr. Blakely has serious health conditions, which will require significant
treatment in the near future, including heart conditions, COPD, and diabetes. While
allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence in Community Corrections, he will
have the benefit of his income and health insurance for payment for necessary health
treatment.

3. Nine leaders of the Limestone County community are recommending

placement of Blakely into Limestone County Corrections for completion of his sentence,
including ALGOP CHAIRMAN John Wahl, ALABAMA SENATOR Tom Butler,
ALABAMA REPRESENTATIVE Dan Crawford, RETIRED LIMESTONE COUNTY
CIRCUIT JUDGE George Craig, RETIRED LIMESTONE COUNTY CIRCUIT JUDGE
Jimmy Woodruff, ALABAMA SENATOR Tim Melson, ATHENS MAYOR Ron Marks,
ATHENS POLICE CHIEF Floyd Johnson, and ALABAMA ETHICS COMMISSION
CHAIRMAN John Plunk. In a letter compiled by these gentlemen, they have noted that
they have known Mike Blakely for decades and that he has demonstrated humility and
regret for the actions that led to these convictions.

They further note that he demonstrated integrity in advocating to the

Alabama Sheriff’s Association against the discretionary use of prisoner food
money, in accordance with his policy as sheriff, in which prisoner food money
was used to fund food for prisoners. His health necessitates significant treatment
 DOCUMENT 609

in the near future, which they advocate should be funded by him without financial
burden to the State of Alabama or to Franklin County, where he has been
ordered to serve his sentence. He is welcomed back to the community, where he
will continue to positively influence its youth. See letter dated July 6, 2023,
wherein email addresses of these witnesses have been listed, should any party
or this Court have questions or request confirmation of their recommendation.

4. Based on his convictions and sentence in this case, Blakely meets the
statutory qualifications for placement into the Limestone County Corrections Program.

6. Alternative sentencing has been demonstrated to achieve more positive

results than incarceration in correction and rehabilitation. In Blakely’s case, a sentence
to Community Corrections will provide greater accountability for Blakely to the
community, with opportunities to better support and contribute to his community.

8. WHEREFORE, THE FOREGOING PREMISES HAVING BEEN

CONSIDERED, Mike Blakely humbly and respectfully requests this Court to sentence
him to serve the remainder of his sentence in the Community Corrections Program of
Montgomery County.

Respectfully submitted on this 6th day of July 2023.

Lyn Head (DUR006)

3066 Zelda Rd. #377
Montgomery, AL 36106
334-425-3922
lynheadllc@gmail.com

Certificate of Service

I hereby certify that I have e-filed the foregoing Motion, with electronic service on
the Office of Attorney General for the State of Alabama.
Lyn Head
 DOCUMENT 609

JULY 6, 2023

The Honorable Presiding Judge

Limestone Circuit Court Action: State of Alabama v. Michael Blakely
Case Number: 44CC2019-476

To whom it may concern:

The undersigned Limestone County citizens each support Mike Blakely‘s request
for placement into Limestone Community Corrections.

Mike is sincerely regretful of the mistakes he has made which led to the
convictions in the above-referenced case. Mike Blakely has always conducted
himself with humility and continues to do so, in our experience.

Most of us have known Mike for decades. As you may know, Mike Blakely was
the longest serving sheriff in Alabama history. He had the highest conviction rate
of any sheriff. He was never successfully sued for mistreating a prisoner nor was
any confession he obtained ever thrown out due to constitutional violations.
Sheriff Blakely advocated for years to the Alabama Sheriff’s Association to
establish an appropriate prisoner food account policy long before any of the
problems he foresaw with those accounts came to fruition during the last few
years of his tenure. He had given up his food jail account many years before,
although he was never accused of mishandling those funds.

He is the most popular public servant in our Limestone County history and we
and other citizens of Limestone County wholeheartedly welcome him back to our
community. We feel he still has a lot to offer the community, where he will
continue to positively impact our young people.

Mike Blakely meets the statutory qualifications for placement into a Community
Corrections Program and would gladly be accepted into our fine program in
Limestone County. In addition, Mike has been a model prisoner. He has serious
health concerns, which will require significant treatment in the very near future,
for which his medical insurance can provide while serving his sentence in the
 DOCUMENT 609

community. He has earning potential for payment of these and his living expense
without further cost to the State of Alabama or to Franklin County, in whose jail
he is currently housed. Each of our email addresses are included here. We
welcome any questions from you.

Sincerely yours,

John Wahl, Chairman ALGOP

jvh440@yahoo.com

Senator Tom Butler

senbutler@aol.com

Representative Dan Crawford

Danny.f.crawford@gmail.com

Judge George Craig, Limestone County Circuit Court, Retired

gtc729@aol.com

Judge Jimmy Woodruff, Limestone County Circuit Court, Retired

jwoodroof55@icloud.com

Senator Tim Melson

tmelson672@aol.com

Mayor Ronnie Marks, City of Athens

rmarks@athensal.us

Chief Floyd R. Johnson, Athens Police Department

fjohnson@athensal.us

John Plunk, Chairman Alabama Ethics Commission

johnmplunk@gmail.com