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Story summary
- Governor Kay Ivey commuted Toforest Johnson’s death sentence to life without parole.
- Governor Kay Ivey announced the commutation on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in a letter to Commissioner Greg Lovelace.
- District Attorney Danny Carr supports Johnson’s request for a new trial, citing witness Violet Ellison’s $5,000 reward and credibility concerns.
- Governor Kay Ivey said the commutation reflects insufficient direct evidence, not a finding of innocence.
- Johnson was convicted of capital murder for the July 1995 shooting of Deputy William G. Hardy in Birmingham.
