State of Alabama agrees to pay $1M settlement to family of Bibb County Deputy Brad Johnson

On June 30, 2022, Bibb County Deputy Brad Johnson died after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head in the line of duty.

Just after the one year anniversary of his death, the state of Alabama has agreed to pay a $1 million settlement to Johnson's estate, including his two young daughters. This is the maximum amount of damages allowed under state law, and the settlement addresses allegations around the circumstances that led to Johnson’s death.

“Fundamental flaws in Alabama law granting correctional incentive ‘good time’ to inmates failed Deputy Johnson and his family,” Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement on Wednesday. “Alabama stands behind our law enforcement personnel and we must do all we can to ensure they are afforded every protection under the law to safely do their jobs.”

Johnson was 32 years old when a fleeing suspect in rural Bibb County fired at him and his partner, Deputy Chris Poole. That suspect was identified by law enforcement as Austin Patrick Hall, a 27 year old Shelby County man who had previously been convicted of several felonies. After Johnson and Poole were shot, other law enforcement officers engaged in a 16-hour-long manhunt to arrest Hall.

Since his teens, Hall has faced at least 46 criminal charges. In one instance in 2019, Hall escaped from a work release center in Camden where he was serving time for second-degree theft of property. He was later released early from a 10-year prison sentence under good time incentives, according to state records.

Hall was out of jail — where he was booked in connection with a different robbery — for two months before the Bibb County shooting occurred.

When Hall’s criminal history came to light after Johnson’s death, government officials across the state began to criticize the “good time” laws that allowed him to be out of prison in the first place.

In April, Ivey signed the Deputy Brad Johnson Act into law, rolling back how much time inmates can shave off of their sentences for good behavior.

Two months later, a jury indicted Hall on capital murder charges in Johnson’s death. He faces three counts of capital murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle.

"Deputy Johnson was more than a law enforcement officer; he was a devoted public servant and a true hero, and we will never forget his sacrifice," Birmingham attorney Tommy James said in a statement. "His tragic death is a stark reminder of the dangers our law enforcement officers face every day.”

James represented Johnson’s estate in the case.

“Now that this settlement has been reached, Deputy Johnson’s family can focus on the criminal case against Austin Patrick Hall,” James said. “They are hoping for swift and severe justice.”

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office has previously released statements saying that  Hall faces the death penalty or a sentence of life imprisonment without parole for each of the three charges of capital murder, if convicted.

Hadley Hitson covers children's health, education and welfare for the Montgomery Advertiser. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work, subscribe to the Advertiser.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama settles with estate of late Bibb County Deputy Brad Johnson