sheriff

Fayette County Sheriff Byron Yerby defeated four challengers to win the May 24 Republican Primary for sheriff without a runoff. Since there were no Democratic challengers for the office, and no independent candidates have announced, Yerby is virtually assured of a second term as Fayette County’s sheriff.

Horace Moore, owner of The Times-Record, The Northwest Alabamian, The Journal-Record and The Pickens County Herald, will become the new sheriff of Winston County on New Year’s Day.

Hubert Norris, a former long-time sheriff of Fayette County, passed away on December 12 at the age of 84. His funeral was held on Dec. 16 at Nelson Funeral Home with burial in the Bethabara Cemetery in Berry. Norris had a long and legendary career in law enforcement, beginning as police chief with the Berry Police Department in 1967, and continuing with the Fayette Police Department from before being elected sheriff in 1974.

A lawsuit filed by The Southern Center for Human Rights and the Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice against 49 Alabama sheriffs has been dismissed after a judge granted a judgement in favor of the defendants. The lawsuit was filed against the sheriffs, including Sheriff Rodney Ingle of Fayette, in an effort to gain access to inmate food records that the advocacy groups claim they had been denied. The lawsuit alleged that some sheriffs have been mishandling funds that were intended to adequately feed jail inmates.