For Immediate Release:
February 12, 2026
For press inquiries only, contact:
Amanda Priest (334) 322-5694
William Califf (334) 604-3230
(Montgomery, Ala) – Attorney General Steve Marshall announced that the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction of Jaylion Devontea James, 27, of Alberta, for capital murder. James was convicted in the Marengo County Circuit Court on November 26, 2024.
The evidence at trial showed that on the evening of April 22, 2020, James and two other individuals decided to purchase drugs from the victim, Darryl Bridges, and subsequently devised a plan to rob him. According to an accomplice, he went into the victim’s residence with James under the pretext of purchasing drugs and James subsequently came into the residence and shot the victim four times, killing him instantly. James attempted to blame his accomplice for the crime in statements to police, but that claim was rejected by the jury which found James guilty of capital murder.
Marengo County District Attorney Rachel England’s office successfully prosecuted this case and obtained a guilty verdict. James was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility for parole for his capital murder conviction. James sought to have his conviction reversed on appeal.
The Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Division handled the case during the appeals process, arguing for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to affirm James’s conviction. The Court did so in a decision issued Friday, January 30, 2026.
Attorney General Marshall commended Assistant Attorney General John J. Davis for his successful work on this case and thanks District Attorney Rachel England and her staff, for their valuable assistance in defending the capital murder conviction.
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