01 July 2010 :

Ted Calvin Cole, a former death row inmate, will spend the rest of his life in prison, instead. Cole, 53, white, changed his name to Jalil Abdul-Kabir after he was convicted and sentenced to die in 1988 for the December 17, 1987 murder of Raymond Richardson, 66, who was strangled during a robbery at his home. On April 26, 2007 (see), the Supreme Court  tossed out the death sentence because jurors who sentenced Abdul-Kabil had no way to take into account mistreatment and abandonment that contributed to his violent behavior. 119th District Judge Ben Woodward signed the judgment today. District Attorney Steve Lupton, who agreed, said it was unlikely a new death sentence would have survived appeals to be carried out. Cole is eligible for parole after he has earned 15 years of credit. He has served time in Huntsville, but it is unclear at this time where he will serve the rest of his sentence.