FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
January 30, 2018
For More Information, contact:
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Steve Marshall
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Page 1 of 1
Alabama Attorney General
AG STEVE MARSHALL PARTNERS WITH NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
ATTORNEYS GENERAL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING IN OVERDOSE
DEATH INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION IN ALABAMA
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Steve Marshall partnered with the National
Attorneys General Training and Research Institute (NAGTRI) to provide specialized
training for law enforcement and prosecutors in Alabama on how to best handle cases
involving deaths caused by overdoses of heroin and fentanyl. Approximately 100
representatives of state prosecutors’ offices and law enforcement agencies attended a
seminar today at the Attorney General’s Office in Montgomery.
In Alabama and elsewhere, deaths from drug overdoses have reached crisis
proportions, with reports showing that a majority of these are due to use of opioids and
heroin. In 2016, such overdoses claimed the lives of about 750 victims in Alabama.
“Drug abuse is more dangerous than ever, with certain opioids such as fentanyl being
fatal in very small amounts but being sold indiscriminately by dealers,” said Attorney
General Marshall. “This can be tantamount to murder, with victims having no way of
knowing they were taking something so powerful and deadly. It is important that we
recognize this as something more than a tragic accident, and that these death scenes be
evaluated with possible homicide in mind. Those involved in the sale of these opioids
are profiting without care or regard for the lives destroyed by their lethal wares, and
they should be held to account. The training provided today teaches how to build a
strong investigation and successful prosecution of such cases.”
The Alabama training session included presentations about changing the mindset at
overdose death scenes and promoting cooperation among agencies to hold accountable
those who dispense, manufacture or supply drugs that kill; gaining a better
understanding of tactics and components of an overdose death investigation and
related legal issues; how to gather and coordinate the sharing of intelligence acquired in
such investigations; and about the role of medical examiners in overdose death
investigations.
NAGTRI is the training and research branch of the National Association of Attorneys
General. Its mission is to provide high-quality, responsive, innovative training to state
and territory attorney general offices.
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us
