ATHENS, Ala. — UPDATE JULY 14:
Today was day 3 of jury selection for the trial of Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely.
46 possible jurors showed up to the Limestone County Courthouse at 9 o clock this morning and as the selection wrapped up this evening - there were only 30 jurors remaining.
This is out of a pool of 500 possible jurors mainly due to the status of this case. Those 16 who got excused from their duties today had reasons varying from being too close to Blakely to already having their minds made up.
This issue of being to close to the sheriff was seen throughout the day because Blakely has been serving limestone since '83 and has become a pillar in the community.
But with 11 indictments currently under his belt, whatever jury is selected will have to judge him both fairly and impartially.
Many questions were asked both individually and in a group setting to make sure that everyone selected could judge from an unbiased point of view.
The selection process is not over and the trial cannot start until the jury is seated.
UPDATE JULY 13, 2021 PM: Judge Pamela Baschab has reversed her decision to not allow media in the courtroom during the jury selection process for the trial of Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely.
When jury selection began on Monday, July 12, the proceedings were closed to media and the public. After being denied admission for a second day on July 13, a group that included the Alabama Broadcasters Association and media groups including WZDX filed a motion requesting that the proceedings be opened and citing various legal precedents backing up the request.
Media will now be allowed into the courtroom during jury selection under specific rule, including the use of electronic devices
Baschab, a Baldwin County judge who came out of retirement for this case, said that in her time as a judge, she has never seen news media sit in on jury selection. She added that her reasons for barring media Monday and early Tuesday was to try to guarantee that members of the jury pool felt comfortable honestly answering questions.
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A longtime Alabama sheriff accused on theft and ethics charges is set to stand trial nearly two years after he was indicted.
Jury selection is underway for Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely's trial. He has continued to serve despite facing a dozen felony counts alleging he stole campaign donations, got interest-free loans and solicited money from employees.
Media were not allowed in the courtroom for jury selection.
According to court documents, earlier this year, a request was made that potential jurors who had not filled out a questionnaire sent to a large jury pool should be excluded from jury selection. Both sides agreed to this request. One of the reasons given was that it would take additional time to question jurors who had not responded to the questionnaire, which was seven pages long and contained questions on everything from a person's employment background to their political donations. The questionnaires were send out as a way to screen jurors in advance of in-person jury selection.
The 70-year-old Blakely has pleaded not guilty and announced plans to seek an 11th term in office if acquitted. While state law doesn’t require the removal of a sheriff under indictment, a conviction would result in his automatic ouster.
Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely was arrested and booked into the Limestone County Jail Thursday morning.
Blakely posted the $49,000 bond and is back at work.
A press conference was held Thursday afternoon to, according to Public Information Officer Steven Young, provide assurance to the people of Limestone County the office will continue to provide them professional service, as they always have. He also stated that Sheriff Blakely will continue his open-door policy and that he will remain available for anyone who wants to come talk to him about anything.
The Sheriff’s Office also posted a statement about the case on their Facebook page:
Sheriff Mike Blakely has been indicted by a Limestone County grand jury, initiated by the Alabama State Attorney General’s Office, on 13 charges. Sheriff Blakely posted $49,000 bond and is back at work today.
A grand jury indictment is not a conviction; in fact, it’s the process typically used when an agency cannot obtain enough probable cause to get its own warrant. As Sheriff Blakely once said, “You can indict a ham sandwich.” We will not discuss the details of this case as it is not a Limestone County Sheriff’s Office case, and any further discussion could affect future court proceedings.
We want to ensure that the people of Limestone County know that the service the sheriff’s office provides them will not be affected by today’s events. Sheriff Blakely and the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office have provided the most professional and personable service possible for the citizens of Limestone County over the last 37 years, whether it’s been changing a tire in the rain or wading through debris to rescue tornado victims, whether talking to residents who are stressed over personal problems or protecting them from an imminent threat by a violent aggressor.
We will continue to proudly serve the great people of Limestone County with the same level of professionalism and vigor as always. Sheriff Blakely also wants to ensure the people of this county that he will continue his “open door policy,” and that he will remain available for anyone who wants to come talk to him about anything.
We at the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office are like family. We argue amongst ourselves sometimes and we aren’t perfect. We laugh together and we cry together. We are human like all of you. This affects us all. But we all remain united in our mission to serve the great people of this county with our very best, and we will continue to do that come hell or high water.
Alabama Attorney Steve Marshall released information on the indictment, which included the following:
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL INDICTMENT
- The first four counts charge Blakely with four separate thefts from his campaign account that total $11,000
- Counts five through 10 charge Blakely with theft or ethics charges stemming from his illegal taking money from Limestone County funds, including from the Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Fund.
- Count 11 charges Blakely with soliciting a $1,000 wire transfer from a subordinate other than in the ordinary course of business.
- Counts 12 and 13 charge Blakely with using his official position or office to acquire interest-free loans. Specifically, count 12 charges Blakely with using his official position or office to obtain interest-free loans in the form of a $50,000 cashier’s check and/or a $22,189.68 credit. Count 13 charges Blakely with using his official position or office to obtain interest-free loans by taking money from a safe that was used to store the Limestone County inmates’ personal funds.
12 of the charges are felonies.
During an afternoon press conference, Young declined to share any details on the case, stating, “It is not a Limestone County case and any further discussion here could affect court proceedings.” Those asking about the charges and the Sheriff’s continuation in office were referred to the AG’s office or Sheriff Blakely’s personal representative.