The lawyer for one of the defendants in an Covington County case of murder is suing use of Aniah’s Law by court officials in light of the defendant’s bail was suspended after bail had been already paid.
Damien LaShawn Beasley, 17 was a suspect in the month of April 2021. He was charged for the murder of Laila Watson, killed by a gunshot at the time of her death on April 6. After his arrest Beasley was released on a $1 million bail.
In June 2022 an application was filed to revoke his bond as it was claimed that he been out of the State without authorization. A warrant for arrest had been issued against Beasley and the bond hearing was scheduled on June 21, which he failed to appear. On June 22 Beasley was seen on the Covington County Courthouse, where he was detained and a hearing on revocation of his bond took place shortly after, and the bond increase by $1 million, to $1.05 million. Beasley was indicted again earlier this year and refused bond under the law of Aniah’s.
Aniah’s law is a constitutional modification that was passed by the Alabama Legislature adopted in 2021, and the state’s voters voted for in November. Before the passage of the law the judges were able to refuse bond to those accused of capital murder. The Aniah’s law expanded to include people who are charged with violent crimes like kidnapping, first-degree rape and sodomy, arson, robbery and family violence, and child abuse that is aggravating.
Beasley’s lawyer, A. Riley Powell IV, has argued against his client’s application of Aniah’s Law to his client’s case, saying there was no reason for re-indicting Beasley aside from the need to apply Aniah’s Law so that his client would not be kept without bond. The lawyer also claims that Aniah’s Law was approved 19 months after his client was first charged.
Covington County District Attorney Walt Merrell III declined comment in light of the ongoing litigation.
The article Lawyer challenges the local court’s use of Aniah’s Law was first published at The Andalusia Star-News.
