SUMMARY: On Tuesday, May 20, 2025, News 5 Now covered key local and national stories. NOAA weather radios are offline for 72 hours due to planned software upgrades. Gulf Shores International Airport will celebrate its first commercial Allegiant flight tomorrow. An 18-year-old Fair Hope High School student was arrested for drug possession after a K-9 found drugs in his car and home. Mobile Police reported a recent spike in car thefts and burglaries, urging residents to lock vehicles. A Georgia fugitive involved in a hijacking and shooting was captured after a 60-mile chase on I-65. Community poll topics included mayoral questions and graduation attendance.

Streaming on “News 5 Now”: Why your NOAA radio is out of commission, a Fairhope High School student arrested, and the latest on a manhunt for a Georgia murder suspect. These are the top stories with Rose Ann Haven.

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by Ralph Chapoco, Alabama Reflector
May 20, 2025

An Alabama death row inmate plans to represent himself in a final appeal of his sentence, weeks before his execution.

Gregory Hunt, convicted of the 1998 murder and sexual assault of Karen Lane, will argue that he killed but did not sexually assault Lane, which would reduce his charge from capital murder to murder and make him ineligible for the death penalty.

“I think that Greg is at peace no matter what happens,” Pastor Jeff Hood, who works with inmates on Alabama’s death row, said at a news conference on Tuesday. “I think he is prepared to die no matter what happens, but he wants people to know that he is sorry for killing Karen Lane but that he did not sexually assault her.”

Messages were sent to both the Governor’s Office and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office on Tuesday seeking comment.

Hunt was convicted on three counts of capital murder by a jury in 1990 and by an 11-1 vote, recommended that he be put to death.  Two of the counts alleged Hunt sexually assaulted Lane; the other said Hunt killed her during a robbery.

The first count dealt with killing Lane during the course of a robbery while the other two counts related to allegations that he sexually abused her.

Federal and state courts in recent years have been unwilling to stop Alabama executions, even in the face of evidence of prior issues with capital punishment in the state.

Hunt, who plans to represent himself, will ask the court to delay his execution and argue his trial attorneys did not present mitigating circumstances from his background or evidence that he did not sexually assault Lane.

He has stated similar claims in his appeals in the past that were rejected by the courts.

According to Hood, Hunt is only challenging capital murder charges related to sexual abuse allegations and not the one pertaining to the robbery.

“When you look at the transcripts, the primary aggravating factor they (prosecutors) focused on was sexual assault,” Hood said. “And this is the problem with these cases. The state gets to move the goalposts.”

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Brian Lyman for questions: info@alabamareflector.com.

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Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

The content presents a factual and balanced account of the legal situation involving Gregory Hunt without evident political rhetoric or partisan framing. It covers aspects of the judicial process, the inmate’s claims, and reactions from involved parties in a neutral tone, avoiding advocacy or critique that would suggest a particular political leaning. The focus is primarily on legal and procedural details rather than ideological viewpoints, which aligns with a centrist perspective.

SUMMARY: In 2023, Jefferson County saw a significant drop in overdose deaths, marking the first decline since 2018. The county recorded 483 overdose deaths in 2023, a decrease from previous years. This reduction resulted from policy changes, real-time data collection, and targeted outreach. The formation of the Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council in 2017 and legislative actions, such as the decriminalization of fentanyl test strips and approval of over-the-counter naloxone, helped. In 2024, overdose deaths further decreased to 318. Public outreach, free naloxone distribution, and community education also contributed to these positive trends.

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