Powers v. State
Citation | 546 So.2d 1000 |
Decision Date | 18 August 1987 |
Docket Number | 8 Div. 770 |
Parties | Johnny J. POWERS v. STATE. |
Court | Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals |
William A. Owens, Jr., Athens, for appellant.
Don Siegelman, Atty. Gen., and Dorothy F. Norwood, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellee.
This is an appeal from the denial of a pro se petition for writ of habeas corpus. The petitioner alleges that the Alabama Department of Corrections has improperly computed the good time to which he is entitled.
It is undisputed that the petitioner is incarcerated for crimes committed prior to 1980, and that the governing statute is 1975 Ala. Acts 176, No. 182 (July 29, 1976), which was codified as Alabama Code 1975, § 14-9-20 through § 14-9-25. This act was repealed by the Alabama Correctional Incentive Time Act, 1980 Ala.Acts 690, No. 80-446 (May 19, 1980), codified as § 14-9-40 through § 14-9-44, but retained to the extent that it only applies to prisoners serving time before May 19, 1980, and persons who committed an offense prior to May 19, 1980. § 14-9-43.
Act 182 provides, in part, that "[t]he Board of Corrections is hereby empowered to create within the existing classification system a new classification which would authorize a maximum deduction from the term of the sentence of an exceptional inmate of two (2) days for each one (1) day served." By an opinion of the Alabama Attorney General dated September 8, 1976, this section was interpreted to allow a maximum deduction of two days for every day served.
Following the Attorney General's interpretation, it has been the policy of the Department of Corrections to award a qualified inmate one day of good time for every day he served resulting in a "two-for-one" reduction in sentence. Department of Corrections Administrative Regulation Number 437, section IV(6)(b).
It was not disputed that the petitioner had been receiving good time under Act 182 at the rate of one day of good time for each day served. However, the petitioner maintains that the act entitles him to two days of good time in addition to the day he actually serves so that he receives a three-day deduction from his sentence for every day he serves.
After an evidentiary hearing at which the petitioner was represented by appointed counsel, the circuit court judge entered the following written order denying the petition:
The question to be answered concerns the amount of good time to which an inmate is entitled under Act 182. This requires a judicial interpretation of the act.
"The cardinal rule for construction of a statute is to ascertain the legislative intent, which must be determined by examining the statute as a whole in light of its general purpose." Gulf Coast Media v. Mobile Press Register, Inc., 470 So.2d 1211, 1213 (Ala.1985). "One approach in determining the legislative purpose and intent is to examine the prior law, and related statutes, on the subject embraced in the statute being construed." State v. AAA Motor Lines, Inc., 275 Ala. 405, 408, 155 So.2d 509 (1963).
In 1975, the Alabama Legislature passed Act 214 authorizing a maximum deduction of sentence of 15 days for each month served. 1975 Ala.Acts 485, No. 214 (April 30, 1975), formerly codified as Alabama Code 1975, § 14-9-1 through § 14-9-4. This time is referred to as statutory good time (SGT).
In 1976, Act 182 was passed "authoriz[ing] a maximum deduction from the term of the sentence of an exceptional inmate of two (2) days for each one (1) day served." 1975 Ala.Acts 176, No. 182 (July 29, 1976), formerly codified as Alabama Code 1975, § 14-9-20 through § 14-9-25. This time is referred to as incentive good time (IGT). An inmate may earn both SGT and IGT at the same time. Counting SGT and IGT, the maximum deduction from sentence a prisoner can earn in 30 days, under the existing time computation procedures employed by the Department of Corrections, is 75 days: 15 days SGT plus 30 days IGT plus the 30 days actually served.
In 1980, the Alabama Correctional Incentive Time Act was passed. Alabama Code 1975, § 14-9-40 through § 14-9-44. In part, that act provides, "Each prisoner ... may be entitled to earn a deduction from the term of his sentence as follows: (1) Seventy-five days for each 30 days actually served while the prisoner is classified as a Class I prisoner." § 14-9-41(a)(1). The CIT Act specifically repealed Act 214 (SGT) and Act 182 (IGT). 1980 Ala.Acts 690, § 5, No. 80-446 (May 19, 1980). Evidence submitted at the evidentiary hearing revealed that the Department of Corrections interprets § 14-9-41 (CIT) in a matter to give a qualified...
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