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Alabama has life without parole.Sentencing
is decided by a judge, who can override the jury's recommendation.The
Governor has sole authority to grant reprieves and commutations in
capital
cases. Sentences that are commuted to life are not eligible for a
pardon
from the Board of Pardons and Parole unless the Board receives
sufficient
evidence to indicate that the person is innocent of the crime of
conviction
and unanimously approves the pardon with the Governor.

Alabama recently changed its method of execution
to Lethal
Injection, but retained Electrocution as an option available to the
condemned.
Wesley Quick became Alabama's fifth
exoneration
in 2003. He was acquited during his third trial, as jury misconduct had
been found in the original trial and witness inconsistencies were found
in the second. In the latter, the second trial judge refused a copy of
the transcripts which would have helped convict the prosecution's star
witness of the crime.
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