By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – Alabama's associate Supreme Court justices yesterday stepped down from hearing an appeal from Roy Moore, who is seeking reinstatement as state Chief Justice.
Moore was dismissed from office for defying a federal court order to remove his Ten Commandments monument from public view in the state judicial building. His appeal of that dismissal will now be heard by a group of randomly selected retired judges and attorneys. Alabama's associate justices met yesterday and drew names of qualified people who could hear the case. Seven retired judges and a list of 13 alternates were selected.
Acting chief justice Gorman Houston called the proceeding "absolutely historic" and "a tragedy".