Who Were the Other Four?

Retired judge Leslie Johnson has announced his selection committee's choice of three applicants to replace retiring Judge Ned Suttle. The three whose names will be forwarded to Gov. Bob Riley are James Hall II, Willson Jenkins, and Gilbert Self.

The missing pieces of the puzzle are the names of the four applicants that were cast aside. It had been rumored that Billy Jackson, a former Lauderdale District Attorney and a member of the Republican Party, had offered his name for consideration. While Johnson's remarks concerning the bi-partisan selection of the applicants sound noble on the surface, we must remember that party affiliation is hardly a secret here in the Shoals.

Hall is the only one of the three finalists to have judicial experience, something he was quick to point out in a TimesDaily interview. Should Hall be selected over the other two applicants, both known for their work in civil litigation, he will not be the first to use the Florence Municipal judgeship as a stepping stone to Lauderdale Circuit Court.

Obviously one must wonder why the names of the four also-rans are shrouded in secrecy. After all, it was a fair and unbiased decision, wasn't it?


What's up with this: For those who might not remember, Willson Jenkins was one of the attorneys who represented Jimmy Neese in his quest to avoid repayment of loans owed the City of Florence.