FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
January 13, 2017
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Page 1 of 1
AG STRANGE ANNOUNCES INDICTMENT OF JEFFERSON COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY-ELECT ON FELONY PERJURY CHARGE
(MONTGOMERY)–Attorney General Luther Strange announced the indictment today
of Jefferson County’s district attorney-elect, Charles Todd Henderson, on a felony perjury
charge. Henderson surrendered this afternoon at the Jefferson County Jail.
Attorney General Strange’s Special Prosecutions Division presented evidence to a
special grand jury in Jefferson County, resulting in Henderson’s indictment today. This action
was taken following an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office on information received
from the Alabama State Bar in December of 2016.
Henderson is charged with one count of perjury under Code of Alabama ß13A-10-101,
which is a class C felony. Specifically, the indictment charges that Henderson did swear falsely
and gave a false statement material to a proceeding before Judge Patricia Stephens in the case of
Charbel Akl v. Yareima Carmen Valecillos Akl on September 26, 2016.
No further information about the investigation or about Henderson’s alleged crime
other than that stated in the indictment may be released at this time.
If convicted, Henderson faces a maximum penalty of one year and one day to 10 years,
and a fine of $15,000.
Furthermore, Code of Alabama ß12-17-188 provides the following: “When it shall be made
known to any court that an indictment is pending therein against the person who is acting as
district attorney of the county in which the court is held, the court shall make an order
suspending such district attorney. The district attorney so suspended shall not act as district
attorney until such order of suspension shall be set aside.” The presiding judge of the Jefferson
County Circuit Court will appoint a temporary replacement after he is officially sworn into
office on January 17.
*An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us
