The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals has rejected the request from the convicted former Limestone County Sheriff.
Sheriff Mike Blakely, who had been sheriff of Limestone County since 1983, was booked into his own jail on Aug. 22, 2019, after a grand jury indicted him on multiple ethics charges.
Six felony counts of use of official position or office for personal gain
Two felony counts of first-degree theft
Two felony counts of second-degree theft
Two felony counts of third-degree theft
One misdemeanor count of fourth-degree theft
Blakely was convicted by a jury of felony theft and felony ethics charges in August 2021 and sentenced to serve 36 months in a Franklin County jail.
Evidence showed the Democratic Sheriff took over $29,000 in interest-free loans from an office safe holding his inmates’ money. The jury heard testimony that Blakely routinely directed his subordinate to give him hundreds of dollars in exchange for IOU notes that accumulated in the safe.
On Friday, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals rejected Blakeley’s claim that there was insufficient evidence to secure his conviction.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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