Chief Justice Sarah Stewart has appointed retired Circuit Judge Allen Jolley to preside over State of Alabama v. William Chase Johnson in Macon County Circuit Court, implementing the Speedy Trial Act passed by the Alabama Legislature last year.
Johnson is charged with capital murder in the November 2019 shooting death of Lowndes County Sheriff John “Big John” Williams at a Hayneville gas station.
Attorney General Marshall’s office requested the visiting judge to move the case forward after the previous judge withdrew. The appointment under the Speedy Trial Act allows the chief justice to assign sitting or retired judges to violent criminal cases to reduce backlogs at the request of the attorney general or a district attorney.
Governor Kay Ivey signed House Bill 307 into law in May 2025. “The legislation is swiftly achieving its goal of tackling court backlogs and delivering swift justice for victims,” Marshall’s office said.
Stewart wrote in her order that “the interests of the public require the expeditious resolution of this case to prevent undue delay and ensure the prompt administration of justice.”
The Macon County Circuit Clerk has been directed to give Jolley full access to the case file and notify all attorneys of record of the appointment.
