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Defense Lawyers Examining Brooks Execution, Job Fair in Walker County

Alabama death row
EJI
Alabama death row unit

The state of Alabama is scheduled to execute its first inmate in more than two years, and defense attorneys want to monitor the proceedings a little more closely.

Lawyers representing several Alabama death row inmates have asked a federal judge to let them view preparations for tonight’s execution of Christopher Brooks.

Last week, the attorneys filed a motion asking that one of them be allowed to view the insertion of the intravenous line before Brooks is put to death by lethal injection.

Execution witnesses do not normally see the preparations.

The attorneys represent six inmates challenging the constitutionality of Alabama's execution method. The lawyers also asked for drug packaging and other records to be preserved.

The Alabama attorney general's office opposed the request, saying that it would be disruptive.

Brooks is scheduled to be put to death at 6 PM tonight for the 1992 rape and beating death of Jo Deann Campbell.

A new Japanese auto parts manufacturer in Walker County will take part in today’s county job fair.

A total of forty employers will be handing out applications. That includes workers lost their jobs from the recent layoffs at Walter Energy coal mines in Birmingham. The event gets underway at 9 a.m. at the Community Health Systems Activity Center in Jasper.

Tara Hutchison is with the Alabama Department of Labor. She says people should come prepared.

“They need to bring their resumes. They need to come dressed for success and be prepared to interview. Obviously, people should come out if they’re looking for a new job, or if they’re looking to expand their careers, or are trying to change careers. It’s a great opportunity. We hope to see as many people as can come out.”

The Yorozu Automotive plant is expecting to bring hundred new jobs to the county.

Alabama motorists are keeping an eye on gas prices, and the news lately has been pretty good.

Lower demand and more oil on the market have combined to lower gas prices by fifteen cents a gallon over the last month, and observers are wondering how much lower it might go.

Clay Ingram is with AAA Alabama. He thinks Alabamians should take advantage of gas stations with low prices.

“We need to reward the stations that are trying to keep their prices as low as possible, rather than reward the stations that are trying to keep their prices as high as possible. So pay attention to what the prices are when you are out there riding around and know where the cheapest gas is that you need to buy in your local area.”

Ingram adds with the statewide average currently at $1.65 per gallon, he doubts it will go below $1.50.

Forecasters say a large storm system expected bring blizzard conditions to the East Coast could also dump more than an inch of snow on parts of northern Alabama.

The National Weather Service says by Saturday morning, about 1.5 inches of snow could fall in the northeast corner of Alabama.

Snowfall forecasts frequently change, but the weather service is currently predicting just over 1 inch of snow in Huntsville, with less than an inch in the Florence, Russellville and Cullman areas.

Forecasters say they expect rain to begin changing to a rain-snow mix early Friday afternoon, with precipitation turning to all snow by Friday evening.

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