The Alabama Senate passed House Bill 59 Thursday making it a capital crime to murder a first responder in the state of Alabama.
State Sen. Tom Whatley, R-Auburn, said a police officer in his district was killed in the line of duty on Sunday...
HB59 passed the Senate after a very quick debate. The change in the law, if signed into law, would make it an aggravating circumstance if a murder victim was a law enforcement or correctional officer, first responder or was under 14 years of age.
Murdering a law enforcement officer was already a capital crime. This would add ambulance drivers, firefighters and paramedics to the capital crimes list.
The district attorney is able to seek the death penalty in a capital murder.