Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signs Speedy Trial Act, seeks action in Aniah Blanchard case
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Governor Kay Ivey signed the Speedy Trial Act into law this morning. Surrounded by key supporters of the legislation, Governor Ivey thanked Chief Justice Tom Parker Stewart, Senator Will Barfoot, and her Chief Counsel Katherine Robertson for their efforts in turning the bill into law.
“After the bill became law, I hand-delivered my first speedy trial request to Chief Justice Stewart,” State Attorney General Steve Marshall announced in a statement. “Aniah Blanchard’s family has waited for justice for too long—this one’s for her.”
House Bill 307, known as the Speedy Trial Act, allows the governor to request the appointment of a specially-sitting judge in cases involving violent crimes, particularly when there are significant delays that prevent justice from being served in a timely manner.
Governor Ivey’s first official use of the new law was to urge Chief Justice Stewart to appoint a specially-sitting judge in the high-profile case of State v. Ibraheem Yazeed. Yazeed is charged with the 2019 kidnapping and murder of 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard, whose body was later recovered in Macon County. Although he was indicted in November 2022, the trial, which was originally scheduled for April 2024, has been postponed indefinitely.
“The repeated delays in this case have caused angst and frustration not just for the Blanchard family, but for people across Alabama,” said state officials. “I believe fast-tracking this case will restore confidence in our justice system and serve the public interest.”
Blanchard’s case has garnered widespread attention and emotional support since her disappearance in October 2019. Her tragic death became a rallying point for criminal justice reform in Alabama, inspiring both Aniah’s Law—a constitutional amendment allowing judges to deny bail to violent offenders, and now, the Speedy Trial Act.
Supporters of the new law say it offers hope to families who often feel forgotten in lengthy court delays. “This law is about restoring balance,” Senator Barfoot stated during the bill signing ceremony. “Victims deserve to see justice served—not stalled.”
Governor Ivey’s bold first step under the new legislation signals a renewed focus on accountability and swift justice in Alabama’s court system. The next move lies with the Alabama Supreme Court, which must now decide whether to grant Ivey’s request for a specially-sitting judge in the Yazeed trial.
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