MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — With hundreds of inmates due to be released early from Alabama prisons, some crime victims say they weren’t given any notice, and now they’re frightened for their lives.
WKRG News 5 spoke exclusively with a woman who says she is concerned that her accused attacker is out and she was given no notice.
That woman feels like she’s been let down now that the man who is accused of beating her and nearly killing her has been released from prison.
Roughly 400 Alabama inmates announced to be released, as a new law to ease overcrowding in state prisons takes effect.
One of those inmates, Lance Lucas. He was convicted of a 2016 domestic violence case in Mobile County and was on probation when he was arrested again in March 2021 on new domestic violence charges.
“I thought it was supposed to be a release of non-violent offenders, and if you read the list of names, which you can and it says all of their crimes, a lot of them are violent,” she said. “A lot.”
We’re not identifying this woman because she fears retaliation, but she has accused Lucas of beating her nearly to death.
“No one’s been notified of his release,” she said. “He was supposed to be picked up by the Feds from his release, they don’t have him. Where do we go from here? I need answers.”
Another female victim has been in contact with her about his release, but they both were not notified. The other female victim called the Alabama Department of Corrections after seeing his name on the list of inmates to be released.
“They said they had notified Mobile County of their release,” said the woman who spoke with WKRG.
And now, she doesn’t know where he is. He’s not listed on the Alabama Department of Corrections’ current inmates online.
“It can be frightening,” she explained. “I’m just going to be looking over my shoulder, just be aware of my surroundings, because that’s obviously all I can do, can’t rely on the state,” she explained.
Lucas is due in court for trial in April, she’s worried she’ll never get justice.
“What if he hurts someone else because y’all let him out,” she questioned. “Or he comes back and finishes the job with me?”
The Alabama Department of Corrections sent us their latest update about the inmate release in response to inquiries Thursday afternoon.
In that release, it states, “some inmates that qualify to be released from ADOC have detainers/pending charges from other law enforcement agencies and they will be transferred to those agencies.”
Full release from ADOC:
MORE INMATES TO BE RELEASED FRIDAY TO MANDATORY SUPERVISION
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – In accordance with changes to Alabama Code Section 15-22-26.2
(Mandatory Supervision Period on Certain Sentences) that went into effect January 31, 2023, the
Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC), continues the process of releasing inmates to the
supervision of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles (ABPP). This action is required by
retroactivity provisions contained in Act 2021-549 that made previously excluded inmates
eligible for release to mandatory supervision.
Some inmates that qualify to be released from ADOC have detainers/pending charges from other law enforcement agencies and they will be transferred to those agencies.
The remainder, once out of ADOC custody, are processed by ABPP, fitted with an ankle
monitor, and released. They are then picked up at the facility by friends or family or taken to
local bus stations to be returned to their county of conviction. The ADOC purchases one-way,
non-refundable, non-transferrable bus tickets.
The release process is a fluid situation, but as of today:
• ADOC has released 134 inmates from its custody.
Approximately 170-200 will be released Friday, February 3, 2023. However, no inmate has been
or will be released without victim notification. As victim notifications are made, those inmates
are added to the list to be released.
Individuals convicted of a sex offense involving a child (under the age of 12) are excluded as are
offenders serving life sentences. Release of eligible inmates is based upon the length of sentence.
