FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
December 14, 2016
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 COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS
UPHOLDS PIKE COUNTY MURDER CONVICTIONS
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Luther Strange announced the Alabama
Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday upheld the felony murder convictions of Brandon
Jamal Ryles. Ryles, 27, of Brundidge, was convicted in September of 2014 of the
murders of Mark Adams and Carla Smilie.
The evidence at trial revealed that on April 4, 2011, Ryles drove to Mark Adams’
trailer with co-defendant, John Foster, and two others. Foster took a shotgun from
Ryles’ vehicle, went inside Adams’ trailer, and began shooting Adams and Carla Smilie
who were inside the residence. Ryles followed Foster inside and stabbed Smilie and
Adams multiple times with a knife. Ryles and Foster then pulled Adams’ body from the
chair he was sitting in and took his wallet out of his pocket.
The case was prosecuted at trial by Pike County District Attorney Tom
Anderson’s office. Ryles was sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment
for his felony murder convictions. He subsequently sought to have his convictions
reversed on appeal. Two capital murder cases against Foster are pending.
The Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Section handled the Ryles case during
the appeals process, arguing for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to affirm the
convictions. The Court did so in a decision issued on Friday, December 9.
Attorney General Strange commended Assistant Attorney General Ferris
Stephens of the Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Section for his successful work in
this case.
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us
