A WAAY 31 I-Team report is grabbing the attention of state lawmakers.
We dug deeper into the Alabama expungement law and learned Demorris Lauderdale will have a capital murder arrest on his record permanently, even after his charges in Huntsville were dropped.
On Wednesday, multiple Alabama House of Representative members said they are concerned after hearing the charges for Lauderdale are permanent. Lauderdale was arrested after 19-year-old Austin Rich was killed in a Huntsville apartment complex in March.
House of Representatives member Andrew Sorrell learned of the situation surrounding Lauderdale and said he is having the legislative service agency do some research on the current law. He said he would consider drafting a bill.
"I'm going to work on it, because it concerns me what's being reported about this unfortunate fellow, that he may have to go through life paying for something he didn't do," Sorrell said.
House minority leader Anthony Daniels said there are bills right now that address expungement, but only in regard to pardoned offenses. Daniels acknowledges there is significant work to do on expungement, and the current bills don't cover all cases like Lauderdale's.
