Opinion ID: 1900922
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Did Ellard have a liberty interest?

Text: The Court of Criminal Appeals correctly determined that Alabama's parole statutes do not create a liberty interest that cannot be revoked. Andrus v. Lambert, 424 So.2d 5 (Ala.Crim.App.1982); Thomas v. Sellers, 691 F.2d 487 (11th Cir. 1982); Johnston v. Alabama Pardon and Parole Board, 530 F.Supp. 589 (M.D.Ala. 1982). In Thomas the Middle District held as follows: The Alabama statute like the Texas statute calls for discretionary rather than mandatory action on the part of the board. The law directs the board to consider a number of factors in making their determination, which is a subjective rather than objective determination. It does not contain any language that mandates parole as was found in Greenholtz v. Inmates of the Nebraska Penal and Correctional Complex, 442 U.S. 1, 99 S.Ct. 2100, 60 L.Ed.2d 668 (1979)]. When the statute is framed in discretionary terms there is not a liberty interest created. Although Ellard did not have a constitutionally protected liberty interest, nevertheless, we recognize that Ellard was entitled to a due process hearing; here, however, as the Court of Criminal Appeals found, Ellard was accorded substantial procedural safeguards in accordance with the mandates of Morrissey v. Brewer, 408 U.S. 471, 92 S.Ct. 2593, 33 L.Ed.2d 484 (1971).