ALABAMA (WDHN) — Only a small portion of the 412 inmates set to be released on Tuesday, January 31, has been turned over to the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles.

Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles Director Cam Ward says 92 of the 412 inmates have been released today.

According to Director Ward, the ADOC is in charge of the transport process from facilities and his department is only in control of the electronic monitoring.

All inmates released have electronic monitoring devices and a “home plan” on where they are going and law enforcement will be notified if anyone goes somewhere not aligned with their plan.

Inmates who don’t have a ride home were dropped off at bus stations across the state with a ticket and an ankle monitor.

On Monday, January 30, AG Marshall filed a lawsuit in the Montgomery County Circuit Court to stop the release of the 412 inmates across the state.

According to a lawsuit, roughly 60% of the 412 inmates set to be released on January 21, 2023, committed violent crimes against an individual, and at least 50 inmates are serving time for murder or manslaughter.

The grounds for the release stems from House Bill 2, now Act 2021-549, which was signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey on October 1, 2021. This bill provides the mandatory release of certain inmates who are to be released three to twelve months early into the custody of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles.

The only inmates ineligible for mandatory release are those imprisoned for a sex offense involving a child under 12, those serving a term of probation, or those already released on parole.

The lawsuit was specifically filed against the Director of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles Cam Ward and Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm.

Marshall accuses Commissioner Hamm of not fulfilling his duty to provide victims and interested parties with the required notice prior to an inmate’s early release, which is required before Director Ward can accept inmates into his supervision.

Every violent crime leaves behind a victim or a victim’s family. That is why state and federal laws have long recognized the rights of crime victims or their families to be notified by the relevant government agency when their offender is up for parole or is soon to be released from prison.

Attorney General Steve Marshall’s Lawsuit

Director Ward says all inmates being released were in for crimes for which the victims have been duly notified or there was no victim related to the crime.

After the lawsuit was filed, Judge Pool set an emergency hearing for the case at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, January 30, and denied the request to enter an injunction and stop the release of the inmates.

Act 2021-549 went into effect on Tuesday, January 31, 2023.

You can see the full list of prisoners being released and their crimes here.