The new director of Alabama’s Bureau of Pardons and Paroles said Monday that it will take weeks to resume parole hearings canceled last week.

Director Charlie Graddick said in a news release that the agency must ensure compliance with a new law signed by Gov. Kay Ivey. The office said the law requires that victims get a 30-day notice prior to hearings.

“We’ll resume parole hearings as soon as we’re sure legal requirements have been met,” Graddick said.

The agency on Friday abruptly canceled more than 100 parole hearings that were supposed to take place this week.

He said that was done after the Board of Operations division was “unable to assure me that the docket complies with the law.”

Graddick took office Sept. 1.

Lawmakers this year approved changes in parole board procedure and made the director a gubernatorial appointee.

Ivey and Attorney General Steve Marshall pushed for the legislation.

Ivey appointed Graddick, a former Alabama attorney general and circuit judge, as the director.

Graddick’s first action was to place three agency officials, including his predecessor, on leave pending an investigation into their job performance.

The agency did not elaborate on the reasons.
 (Associated Press, copyright 2019)

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