On Monday, April 5, 2004, Mickey Gray Sheffield, a white female, D.O.B. 12/30/1963, address: 8603 Montina Drive, Morris, Alabama, pleaded guilty to Manslaughter, Assault in the First Degree, and Assault in the Third Degree. The plea was taken before Judge Chuck Malone by Assistant District Attorneys Roger Hepburn and Marie Prine. The offenses were committed on March 24, 2003 at 10:50PM on McFarland Blvd. at Greenvillage Drive in Northport. Ms. Sheffield was Driving While Intoxicated and was traveling east, the wrong way, in the westbound lanes of McFarland when she met a compact car, a motorcycle, and a tractor trailer truck. Ms. Sheffield first struck the car head-on which caused it to hit the truck's trailer. In turn, that caused the motorcycle to hit the wrecked car. A passenger on the motorcycle, Samantha Collins of Northport, was thrown from the motorcycle and was killed. The car was driven by Jermaine Polke of Tuscaloosa and he received serious physical injuries which gave rise to the Assault I charge. Billy Smith of Buhl was driving the motorcycle and received injuries which gave rise to the Assault III charge. Ms. Sheffield's blood alcohol level was over twice the legal limit at .17. Before causing the wreck, she had driven from Jefferson County to a convenience store in Coker where she purchased more beer before getting back on Highway 82 and traveling back toward Northport. Both Manslaughter and Assault I are Class B Felonies that carry a range of punishment of 2 to 20 years. Assault III is a Class A Misdemeanor that carries a range of punishment of up to 12 months in the County jail. She was sentenced to a 15 year sentence for the Manslaughter conviction, a 10 year sentence for the Assault I conviction, and 12 months for the Assault III conviction. Sheffield filed a probation application but was immediately put in the county jail pending a probation hearing scheduled for April 13, 2004. Commenting on the convictions, District Attorney Tommy Smith said, "Drunk driving is dangerous and kills people. People who are caught driving drunk will be prosecuted, and those drunk drivers who injure, maim, and kill other people will be severely punished." The victims and their families were consulted and agreed with the settlement.

On Monday, April 5, 2004, the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles denied parole for Joe Nathan Jackson and voted not to reconsider him again until 2009, which is the maximum length of time. Jackson was tried for the August 6, 1986, Capital Murder of Billy Lee Wilson who was a Samford University student. Mr. Wilson had been visiting a friend at the University of Alabama and then left to return to Birmingham. After he failed to arrive home, he was reported missing. Jackson was later found driving the victim's car in Clanton, Alabama, where he was arrested. Upon questioning, the defendant admitted that he and an accomplice named "Robert" robbed Mr. Wilson of his money and car, then bound Mr. Wilson and drowned him in a drainage ditch. Jackson told the investigators the approximate location of the murder. Mr. Wilson's body was found in a ditch between Greensboro Avenue and I-359. Jackson was indicted for the Capital Murder offenses of Murder during a Robbery and Murder during a Kidnapping. On August 26, 1988, a jury found him guilty of the lesser offense of non-capital Murder. The judge sentenced Jackson to Life in Prison as a Habitual Offender with two prior applicable convictions. Regarding the denial of Jackson's parole, District Attorney Tommy Smith said, "This was an especially heinous and gruesome murder that was committed to get a little bit of money and a car. The defendant deserved the death penalty but since that was not possible given the jury's verdict, this office will do all it can to make sure Joe Nathan Jackson is never released from prison to commit this kind of crime again."

The Alabama Child Support Association recently named Mary G. Lewis, Director of the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney’s Office Child Support Division, as the Child Support Coordinator of the Year. Ms. Lewis received the award at the Association’s Annual Conference, which was held the week of March 1 through March 4, 2004. The award recognizes Ms. Lewis for her extraordinary commitment to the Child Support Program. Ms. Lewis has served in her capacity as the Director of the Tuscaloosa County Child Support Division for the past 17 years.

Tracy J. Alexander and Lynitia Kay Sexton Criss each pleaded guilty on February 9, 2004 to the charge of Possession of a Gambling Device. Judge Charles R. Malone imposed a sentence of 75 hours of community service work, a fine of $150, and payment of all court costs.

The case arose from two incidents that occurred on October 1, 2001 in Tuscaloosa. On that date, officers with the Tuscaloosa Police Department executed search warrants at the Playtime Arcade and the Cherry Island Arcade. 37 video slot machines and $2000.18 were seized from the Playtime Arcade, which was operated by Defendant Alexander. 35 video slot machines and $628.00 were seized from the Cherry Island Arcade, which was operated by Defendant Criss.

The District Attorney's Office worked closely with the Tuscaloosa Police Department on the case. The agencies had the machines analyzed by two experts who have been utilized by law enforcement agencies throughout the country on many occasions. The experts found that the machines were illegal and rigged to ensure that people playing them had virtually no chance to win.

A report filed by one of the experts in the case stated. "While it is not known whether a Random Number Generator is utilized to determine the outcome of this device, it is clear the outcome is pre-determined. Thus, the player cannot anticipate which symbol will be displayed when the reels come to a complete stop."

According to Mr. Smith, these were illegal slot machines and games of chance as defined under the law and had been rigged against the player.