The Mobile City Council has voted to provide $1.1 million a year for three years to support prosecutorial services and protect public safety.
The funding follows a formal request from Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood, who warned that without continued supplemental support the office could be forced to eliminate more than 25 percent of its prosecutors—an outcome that would significantly delay criminal trials and prolong justice for victims.
Blackwood said the progress achieved since he took office had been at risk and thanked Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis and each member of the council for recognizing that reality and stepping up to protect the community.
Over the past three years, prosecutors in the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office have eliminated the COVID-era case backlog in one year and reduced the overall backlog by 50 percent—progress made possible through local targeted investments and sustained efforts, according to a release from Blackwood’s office.
While the office prosecutes violations of state law and is an agency of the State of Alabama, more than 60 percent of the felony cases it handles originate within the City of Mobile. Blackwood said staffing reductions would therefore have an immediate and direct impact on public safety within the city limits. He added that the city’s financial support ensures cases continue to be handled promptly, fairly and with the seriousness they deserve.
Mobile Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis, a former prosecutor and judge, said the issue extends beyond Mobile and requires statewide attention.
“Alabama leaders must ensure prosecutors have the resources they need to keep our communities safe, and we will continue working with our legislative partners toward a long-term solution. The reality is that the impact of an understaffed and under-resourced state prosecutor’s office won’t be felt in Montgomery—it will be felt in local communities. We cannot sit by and let that happen in Mobile. I am grateful to the Mobile City Council for recognizing the need for this extraordinary action and standing with us to prioritize public safety.”
Blackwood emphasized that when justice stalls, the entire community suffers. “At the center of every case are victims and families waiting for answers and accountability,” he said. “They are not just case numbers—they are real people, and they deserve their day in court.”
He said delays in prosecution carry real consequences for public safety, creating a revolving door that allows offenders to remain on the streets longer while victims wait and confidence in the justice system erodes.
Blackwood noted that prosecutors in his office are carrying caseloads far beyond professional standards, while significantly more public funding is dedicated to defending criminal cases than prosecuting them. He reiterated his belief that the scales of justice in Alabama are no longer balanced.
Blackwood reaffirmed that the responsibility to fully fund prosecutors rests with the State of Alabama and said his office will continue advocating for long-term, sustainable funding solutions at the state level. He stressed that while legislators work toward those solutions, the need for funding is immediate and the work of prosecutors cannot wait. He described the council’s vote as critical to maintaining stability but not a substitute for the state’s obligation to fully fund justice.
Blackwood concluded by thanking Cheriogotis and members of the council for recognizing the urgency of the situation and acting to protect the community while broader funding reforms are pursued.
