Birmingham, Alabama

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has commuted Toforest Johnson's death sentence to life in prison without parole, citing insufficient direct evidence to justify execution. Johnson was convicted in 1998 for the 1995 murder of Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff William Hardy, largely on testimony from a paid "earwitness." Ivey said the move was not a declaration of innocence. The decision followed years of advocacy from former Attorney General Bill Baxley, former chief justices, convicting jurors, and the original prosecutor, over strong objections from Attorney General Steve Marshall, who urged Ivey to respect the jury's verdict. Critics note prosecutors gave contradictory accounts across multiple trials of who fired the fatal shot. Johnson's attorneys continue pursuing a new trial; Ivey has now commuted three death sentences while overseeing 27 executions.

Alabama's Black Belt, a historically rich but impoverished stretch of counties across the state's midsection, remains among the poorest regions in the country. Seven Black Belt counties rank in the nation's top 100 for family poverty, with residents facing shortages of maternity care, hospitals, jobs, and internet access. Decades of absentee land ownership, mostly by outside timber interests, has left tax bases weak and local economies struggling.

The discussion follows the Black Belt Community Foundation's presentation of its Legacy Award to Bryan Stevenson, director of the Equal Justice Initiative, for his work on the region. Stevenson and foundation director Chris Spencer argue the state owes the region more than charity — citing its outsized cultural contributions, from quilting to blues and jazz, despite being built on slavery and exploitation. They call for sustained investment, political commitment, and policy changes, including Medicaid expansion and voting access, to transform the Black Belt from the state's poorest counties into a model for opportunity.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed drew national criticism, including from Rod Blagojevich, Ted Cruz and the Republican National Committee, after saying on TV he couldn't wait for the University of Michigan "to beat Ohio" in football. Critics framed it as proof he didn't know the sport, but Michigan politicians of both parties, including Fred Upton, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Justin Amash, along with the University of Michigan's own social accounts, have long used "beat Ohio" as shorthand for Ohio State.

Separately, U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin urged Michigan Democrats to back El-Sayed in his race against Republican Mike Rogers, without formally endorsing him earlier. Retiring Sen. Gary Peters completed his final "Thank You, Michigan" motorcycle tour, with Slotkin joining part of the ride. Rep. Tom Barrett and Democratic challenger Will Lawrence are set to debate Oct. 6 in the closely watched 7th Congressional District race, seen as pivotal to House control.