Committee approves bill to create an innocence commission

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – A Senate committee has approved a bipartisan bill to create an Alabama Innocence Inquiry Commission to review capital murder convictions.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill Wednesday.

Bill sponsor, Republican Sen. Dick Brewbaker of Pike Road, said there have been high-profile cases of death row inmates who have been exonerated.

North Carolina has exonerated nine people after starting a similar commission in 2007.

The attorney general’s office and a victim’s advocate spoke against the bill.

Assistant Attorney General Thomas Govan told the committee that there are already “layers and layers” of appeals. The bill would also place a moratorium on executions until June 1, 2017.

The bill was approved unanimously, but some committee members said it faced an uncertain future on the Senate floor.