Aniah Blanchard Case: Status Hearing Today

The Ibraheem Yazeed case, involving the tragic kidnapping and murder of Homewood's Aniah Blanchard nearly six years ago, continues. Yazeed is due in court today for a status hearing.

Retired Justice Presiding

Retired Justice Tom F. Young is now overseeing the case. He's stepped in to ensure things move swiftly, thanks to the newly enacted Speedy Trial Act.

Speedy Trial Act Impact

The Speedy Trial Act aims to get justice to victims faster and tackle the backlog of violent crime cases plaguing Alabama. Remember when we talked about the Speedy Trial Act being invoked in this case back in 2019?

Aniah's Law: A Result of the Tragedy

Yazeed was out on bond for other violent charges when Blanchard's murder occurred. This prompted Alabama lawmakers to create Aniah's Law, letting courts deny bond to those accused of multiple violent felonies. We covered the passage of Aniah's Law by the Alabama House, remember?

Media Gag Order Requested

Yazeed's legal team is pushing for a gag order. They're asking the judge to stop witnesses, court staff, and law enforcement from talking to the media during the trial.