This page has older updates, which have been moved off of the main page, so it isn’t as cluttered.
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October, 2025
Thanks to everyone who helped celebrate Willie’s birthday last month. It was a great success with lots of cards and contributions to his general fund. We placed an order for a pair of sneakers which he needs. We will be back in early December asking folks to send him cards for the holidays.
The thank you message on our Instagram account.
September, 2025
It’s Willie’s birthday this month.
Please check out the Instagram post for Willie’s birthday.
If you don’t have an Instagram account here look here.
April 24, 2025
An article with that latest information. Which says if the House passes the bill it would need to go back to the Senate. No idea why.
Senate Bill 156 Passes Alabama House Committee, Offering Hope for Sentence Reductions
April 10, 2025
Ok, so as I understand it that bill successfully got out of that committee. Now if there are no additional changes to it, and the full House passes it, it would go to the Gov for her to sign.
April 8, 2025
Bulk email which was just sent out:
I attended a webinar just now with the ACLU of Alabama. They brought me up-to-date on SB156 “Habitual Felony Offender Act”. What has also been called the Second Chance bill in the press. This bill will let Willie ask to be re-sentenced.
Last month I updated the webpage with this story which has details which don’t seem to be correct.
The folks in the webinar said SB156 was passed by the full Senate, but it is still only in the House Judiciary committee. And is schedule to be talked about again tomorrow (Wednesday April 9th, 2025).
The chairman of the House Judiciary committee appears to be Jim Hill
Please call (334) 261-0494 and / or email him jim.hill@alhouse.gov as soon as possible.
You can find all the members by going here and searching for Judiciary. Then selecting each member name will give you their contact information. If you have the time to do that.
March 2025
It looks like there was a bill which might benefit Willie. I guess they are calling it the Second Chance bill, again. I’m posting this on the 20th, and at the moment it looks like this one as a fair chance of passing and getting signed into law.
February 2025
The (very short) Alabama legislative session started last week. I haven’t been able to find any bills which would help Willie get out. I see proposed legislation to try and fix the parole board, which is needed, but that wouldn’t help Willie.
This is the only list which I can find, which gives a helpful overview. https://www.aclualabama.org/en/2025-lege-action-hub
September 2024
Willie’s birthday
Willie’s will be turning 67 years old on the 20th. This will be 42 years that he has been held captive for a crime where no one was hurt. He was sentenced to die in prison, aka life without parole.
If you are able please send him a card, or a short note, letting him know that he hasn’t been forgotten.
2/11/24
Rep. England’s Second Chance bill
Rep. Chris England’s “Second Chance” bill (HB-29) would provide a second chance to some people sentenced to life under the state’s draconian habitual felony offender act.
The Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice has created a website with background information and research data, showing the cruel inappropriateness of Alabama’s three-strike law. The website also tells the stories of individuals who are affected by one of the harshest three-strikes laws in the country. There is also a movie clip on YouTube.
There are over 200 people in Alabama who have been sentenced to die in prison for crimes where no one was physically harmed. Willie Simmons is one of those 200 people.
If you would like to support Willie Simmons, and live in Alabama please contact your elected representatives, and ask them to support Representative Chris England’s Second Chance bill.
[March 2024] Unfortunately this didn’t pass. Beth talks about it in this post.
8/30/23
Sept 20th is Willie’s 66th birthday, and his 41st year in prison for stealing $9.
Unfortunately, we don’t have any concrete updates to share besides that he is holding up health-wise and staying positive as best as he can. It helps him immensely to hear from all of you, so let’s flood him with love for his birthday!
Send cards or letters to:
Willie Junior Simmons
AIS# 112862
St. Clair Correctional Facility
Dorm L2.36
1000 St. Clair Rd
Springville, AL 35146
And as usual, if you would like to donate, you can do so at the link below, or deposit funds directly into his canteen.
Fundraiser: http://spot.fund/JusticeForWillieSimmons
Canteen: Go to https://www.accesscorrections.com and register. Enter Willie Simmons and his AIS#112862, choose ALDOC and follow prompts to deposit funds.
Thank you everyone!
6/25/23
Update: HB 229 – the Second Chance bill – passed the full Alabama House and made it all the way to the Senate floor. Unfortunately, it then fell short one vote on the Alabama Senate floor from becoming law .
5/29/23
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday gave a favorable report to the bill HB 229 that would give a “second chance” or reduced sentence to incarcerated individuals serving life without parole under specific criteria. The bill would allow a review of specific older inmates sentenced to life under Habitual Felony Offender Act.
4/17/23
Alabama Appleseed posted an interesting thread on Twitter regarding the Second Chance Bill, HB 229. There is also a good article with more details on how this bill could give people a second chance who have been sentenced for life for crimes where nobody was physically hurt.
11/9/22
Food in prison is notoriously bad. Willie has lost a lot of weight in the last few months. We are sending money to his canteen account on a regular basis so he can get the calories he needs. He said the hospital finally got him some care, diagnosing high blood pressure, and put him on medication. Willie says that his hands and swelling issues are so much better.
10/20/22
Willie has been moved to the St. Clair Correctional Facility. See below for his new address.
9/14/22
You can now watch Dr. Rashad Richey’s report on Willie’s case on the YouTube channel Indisputable with Dr. Rashad Richey.
9/12/22
Willie sent us a letter on 8/28/22 saying that he is still in solitary confinement despite being told months ago that he would be transferred back to his cell. He told us that he “blacked out” and was sent to the prison hospital. He had complained about his hands swelling up and problems with his left eye, but the treatment in the hospital didn’t bring any relief.
While he was in the hospital his snack food and stamps were stolen.
HB 107 – Repeal Alabama’s Habitual Felony Offender Act
- Details from ACLU of Alabama here
- “This bill would repeal Alabama’s Habitual Felony Offender Act (HFOA), provide for re-sentencing for defendants whose sentences were based on HFOA…”
- Thank Rep. Chris England for authoring this bill
- June 2021 update: the bill got out of subcommittee, and wasn’t voted by the general assembly. Alabama has a rather short legislative session, they are done for the year.
Justice for Willie Simmons 