Even as Alabama Department of Corrections prepared to execute a death-row inmate Thursday night, a journalist was stopped from witnessing it. Reason? Apparently her skirt was too short and violated the “prison dress code.”

Ivana Hrynkiw, a reporter and managing producer with AL.com, who has attended seven executions in her career, was told by a prison official that her dress did not meet the dress regulations.

“I have worn this skirt to prior executions without incident, to work, professional events and more and I believe it is more than appropriate. At 5′10″ with my heels on, I am a tall and long-legged person,” she said on Twitter. 
 
However, she tried to salvage the situation by pulling the skirt down to the hips to increase its length. But the prison official wasn’t up for it. Hrynkiw then borrowed a pair of fisherman’s waders from a local television photographer, The Guardian reported.

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“I put on the man’s pants and attached the suspenders underneath my shirt to stay up,” she wrote in her&nbsp;Twitter post.

The matter was still far from resolved as now Hrynkiw’s open-toed shoes became a problem. She changed into a pair of tennis sneakers she had in her car.

“This was an uncomfortable situation, and I felt embarrassed to have my body and my clothes questioned in front of a room of people I mostly had never met,” Hrynkiw’s post further said.

Another journalist, an Associated Press reporter, Kim Chandler, was also subjected to a full-body inspection. She was made to stand and had the length of her clothing checked. However, her dress was cleared for the execution.

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Reacting to the entire episode, Kelly Ann Scott, editor in chief and vice president of content for Alabama Media Group, in a statement on AL.com said, “This was sexist and an egregious breach of professional conduct. And it should not happen to any other reporter again.”

On Friday, a formal complaint was filed by AL.com with the Alabama Department of Corrections, Gov. Kay Ivey and Attorney General Steve Marshall.

The Associated Press has also sent a letter to Ivey asking for an investigation. It has also asked to “ensure such behavior is not tolerated and does not occur again.”

(With inputs from agencies)

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Even as Alabama Department of Corrections prepared to execute a death-row inmate Thursday night, a journalist was stopped from witnessing it. Reason? Apparently her skirt was too short and violated the “prison dress code.

Even as Alabama Department of Corrections prepared to execute a death-row inmate Thursday night, a journalist was stopped from witnessing it. Reason? Apparently her skirt was too short and violated the “prison dress code.” Ivana Hrynkiw, a reporter and managing producer with AL.com, who has attended seven executions in her career, was told by a prison official that her dress did not meet the dress regulations. “I have worn this skirt to prior executions without incident, to work, professional events and more and I believe it is more than appropriate. At 5′10″ with my heels on, I am a tall and long-legged person,” she said on Twitter. However, she tried to salvage the situation by pulling the skirt down to the hips to increase its length. But the prison official wasn’t up for it. Hrynkiw then borrowed a pair of fisherman’s waders from a local television photographer, The Guardian reported. Also Read | The inmate and the officer: Alabama's improbable prison escape “I put on the man’s pants and attached the suspenders underneath my shirt to stay up,” she wrote in her Twitter post. The matter was still far from resolved as now Hrynkiw’s open-toed shoes became a problem. She changed into a pair of tennis sneakers she had in her car. “This was an uncomfortable situation, and I felt embarrassed to have my body and my clothes questioned in front of a room of people I mostly had never met,” Hrynkiw’s post further said. Another journalist, an Associated Press reporter, Kim Chandler, was also subjected to a full-body inspection. She was made to stand and had the length of her clothing checked. However, her dress was cleared for the execution. Also read | US: 2 dead, 1 injured in Alabama church shooting Reacting to the entire episode, Kelly Ann Scott, editor in chief and vice president of content for Alabama Media Group, in a statement on AL.com said, “This was sexist and an egregious breach of professional conduct. And it should not happen to any other reporter again.” On Friday, a formal complaint was filed by AL.com with the Alabama Department of Corrections, Gov. Kay Ivey and Attorney General Steve Marshall. The Associated Press has also sent a letter to Ivey asking for an investigation. It has also asked to “ensure such behavior is not tolerated and does not occur again.” (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Alabama: Journalist stopped from attending execution because her skirt was ‘too short’

A guard with a spotless record and a convict accused of murder&nbsp;this unlikely pair has vexed US law enforcement for days as they investigate an&nbsp;Alabama&nbsp;prison&nbsp;break seemingly planned down to the last detail.

The guard, Vicky White, had never before caused trouble at the&nbsp;jail&nbsp;in Florence, a small town in the southern US state.

The prisoner, Casey White,&nbsp;the two are not related has had numerous run-ins with the law, and has been sentenced to 75 years imprisonment for kidnapping, burglary and attempted murder, among other crimes.

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Their story began in 2020, when Casey White, already in custody at a state&nbsp;prison, confessed to murdering a woman five years earlier.&nbsp;

His admission was short-lived -- he eventually pleaded not guilty in the case, which is still ongoing -- but as a result he was transferred to a&nbsp;jail&nbsp;in Lauderdale County.

That is where he met Vicky White for the first time, according to Sheriff Rick Singleton.&nbsp;

Special privileges

While Casey White was in Lauderdale County&nbsp;Jail, law enforcement were tipped off about a potential escape plan -- they searched his cell and found a weapon.&nbsp;

He was immediately sent back to state&nbsp;prison, but the two kept in touch.

"He said he had a pen pal, but I had no idea who it was," Casey White's mother Connie White told the New York Post.&nbsp;

She maintains her son never killed anyone, and that his confession was false, only made to force a change in his living arrangements.&nbsp;

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"He just wanted to be out of that&nbsp;prison&nbsp;because it was so bad," she said.&nbsp;

The 38-year-old was nevertheless charged with the killing, and two years later found himself back at the county&nbsp;jail&nbsp;in Florence to attend a nearby court hearing for the case.&nbsp;

That was in February. In the intervening months, until his escape on Friday, the detainee continued to benefit from a relationship with Vicky White.

"We don't have any evidence of any physical relationship," Singleton noted, but other prisoners have told of "special privileges" afforded to Casey White.

"She was doing special things for him that other inmates didn't get," Singleton said.&nbsp;

Now, that same prisoner is on the run, and law enforcement says he is armed and "extremely dangerous."

Casey White's mother said her son "is not the monster they are making him out to be, at all" -- but a former girlfriend told a local television station "Casey White is very dangerous."

"He's dangerous to everybody that is around him," she said, offering advice to Vicky White, if the two are indeed on the run together.&nbsp;

"Get the hell out," the former girlfriend warned. "Do the right thing before you lose your life or before somebody else does."

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Disbelief

Vicky White was a "model employee," according to Singleton. The county's district&nbsp;attorney, Chris Connolly, called her "the most solid person at the&nbsp;jail."

She never displayed any hint that something was amiss.

Last month, 56-year-old Vicky White moved in with her mother, after selling her own house for $95,000 -- less than the asking price -- and announced her retirement.

Her last day at work was Friday, when she fabricated a court-ordered psychological evaluation for Casey White.

She said she needed to drive him to the appointment.

The two never returned, and authorities realized they had disappeared that afternoon around 3:30 pm.&nbsp;

Vicky White's mother Pat Davis was in "disbelief" over the incident.

"I thought at first it was a mistake," she said.

"She's never done anything, I bet she's never even had a speeding ticket," Davis told local TV channel WAAY31.

Nothing in the&nbsp;jail's surveillance footage from the escape offers any clues that the prisoner and the guard were in cahoots.&nbsp;

In the video, she holds the door open for him, but doesn't seem to give him a passing glance until he climbs into the backseat of a sheriff's car, hands and feet shackled.&nbsp;

She is seen walking around to the front, getting into the driver's seat and pulling away, around 9:30 am.&nbsp;

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Casey White and Vicky White were last seen that same day, riding in a rust-colored Ford SUV some 25 miles (40 kilometers) away from the&nbsp;jail.&nbsp;

"I'd be surprised if they're still in&nbsp;Alabama," Sheriff Singleton said.

Authorities have offered up to $15,000 for information leading to the runaways' capture.&nbsp;

A guard with a spotless record and a convict accused of murder this unlikely pair has vexed US law enforcement for days as they investigate an Alabama prison break seemingly planned down to the last detail.

A guard with a spotless record and a convict accused of murder this unlikely pair has vexed US law enforcement for days as they investigate an Alabama prison break seemingly planned down to the last detail. The guard, Vicky White, had never before caused trouble at the jail in Florence, a small town in the southern US state. The prisoner, Casey White, the two are not related has had numerous run-ins with the law, and has been sentenced to 75 years imprisonment for kidnapping, burglary and attempted murder, among other crimes. Also read | Even as US introduces gender-neutral passports, these states still have archaic anti-transgender laws Their story began in 2020, when Casey White, already in custody at a state prison, confessed to murdering a woman five years earlier. His admission was short-lived -- he eventually pleaded not guilty in the case, which is still ongoing -- but as a result he was transferred to a jail in Lauderdale County. That is where he met Vicky White for the first time, according to Sheriff Rick Singleton. Special privileges While Casey White was in Lauderdale County Jail, law enforcement were tipped off about a potential escape plan -- they searched his cell and found a weapon. He was immediately sent back to state prison, but the two kept in touch. "He said he had a pen pal, but I had no idea who it was," Casey White's mother Connie White told the New York Post. She maintains her son never killed anyone, and that his confession was false, only made to force a change in his living arrangements. Watch | Gravitas: US top court is set to overturn abortion rights, reveals leaked document "He just wanted to be out of that prison because it was so bad," she said. The 38-year-old was nevertheless charged with the killing, and two years later found himself back at the county jail in Florence to attend a nearby court hearing for the case. That was in February. In the intervening months, until his escape on Friday, the detainee continued to benefit from a relationship with Vicky White. "We don't have any evidence of any physical relationship," Singleton noted, but other prisoners have told of "special privileges" afforded to Casey White. "She was doing special things for him that other inmates didn't get," Singleton said. Now, that same prisoner is on the run, and law enforcement says he is armed and "extremely dangerous." Casey White's mother said her son "is not the monster they are making him out to be, at all" -- but a former girlfriend told a local television station "Casey White is very dangerous." "He's dangerous to everybody that is around him," she said, offering advice to Vicky White, if the two are indeed on the run together. "Get the hell out," the former girlfriend warned. "Do the right thing before you lose your life or before somebody else does." WATCH WION LIVE HERE: Disbelief Vicky White was a "model employee," according to Singleton. The county's district attorney, Chris Connolly, called her "the most solid person at the jail." She never displayed any hint that something was amiss. Last month, 56-year-old Vicky White moved in with her mother, after selling her own house for $95,000 -- less than the asking price -- and announced her retirement. Her last day at work was Friday, when she fabricated a court-ordered psychological evaluation for Casey White. She said she needed to drive him to the appointment. The two never returned, and authorities realized they had disappeared that afternoon around 3:30 pm. Vicky White's mother Pat Davis was in "disbelief" over the incident. "I thought at first it was a mistake," she said. "She's never done anything, I bet she's never even had a speeding ticket," Davis told local TV channel WAAY31. Nothing in the jail's surveillance footage from the escape offers any clues that the prisoner and the guard were in cahoots. In the video, she holds the door open for him, but doesn't seem to give him a passing glance until he climbs into the backseat of a sheriff's car, hands and feet shackled. She is seen walking around to the front, getting into the driver's seat and pulling away, around 9:30 am. Also read | Phoenix Ghost | Key features: US sends secretive, new suicide drone to Ukraine Casey White and Vicky White were last seen that same day, riding in a rust-colored Ford SUV some 25 miles (40 kilometers) away from the jail. "I'd be surprised if they're still in Alabama," Sheriff Singleton said. Authorities have offered up to $15,000 for information leading to the runaways' capture.

The inmate and the officer: Alabama's improbable prison escape

The US&nbspSupreme Court on Thursday denied last-minute appeals to spare the life of an 83-year-old convicted killer, clearing the path for Alabama's execution of a man who would be the oldest inmate put to death in the modern era of US&nbspcapital punishment.

The execution of Walter Moody had been scheduled for 6 pm&nbspCDT (2300 GMT) at the William C&nbspHolman Correctional Facility in Atmore but was delayed as the court considered the appeals.

The Death Penalty Information Center, which monitors US&nbspcapital punishment, said the oldest inmate put to death since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976 was 77-year-old John Nixon in Mississippi in December 2005.

There have been seven executions this year in the United States.

Moody was convicted of mailing a bomb in 1989 that killed US&nbspCircuit Court Judge Robert Vance, 58, and another explosive that killed Georgia civil rights attorney Robert Robinson.

Prosecutors have said Moody sent the bomb to the judge in anger over a 1972 bomb conviction that Moody felt derailed his career, and sent the other to the civil rights lawyer to confuse investigators.

Lawyers for Moody asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to spare Moody's life based on his transfer from the federal court system to Alabama's.

The court did not offer details on why it denied the appeals.

Moody first received seven life sentences in a US&nbspditrict court in 1991 for the deadly bombings. Alabama later indicted him on capital murder charges and his trial began in the state in 1996, court records showed.

Moody's lawyer argued the transfer to an Alabama prison was illegal and he should first serve his federal sentence.

Lawyers for Alabama responded that the federal government consented to the transfer and the state had the right to implement the death penalty handed out by an Alabama court.

Although it has not been an issue in Moody's last-minute appeals, age and poor health were major factors in a botched execution in Alabama earlier this year when the state tried to put to death Doyle Hamm, 61, who had terminal cancer and severely compromised veins.

The execution was called off while Hamm, who survived the ordeal, was on a death chamber gurney and medical staff could not place a line for the lethal injection.

The execution of Walter Moody had been scheduled for 6 pm CDT (2300 GMT) at the William C Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore but was delayed as the court considered the appeals

The US&nbspSupreme Court on Thursday denied last-minute appeals to spare the life of an 83-year-old convicted killer, clearing the path for Alabama's execution of a man who would be the oldest inmate put to death in the modern era of US&nbspcapital punishment. The execution of Walter Moody had been scheduled for 6 pm&nbspCDT (2300 GMT) at the William C&nbspHolman Correctional Facility in Atmore but was delayed as the court considered the appeals. The Death Penalty Information Center, which monitors US&nbspcapital punishment, said the oldest inmate put to death since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976 was 77-year-old John Nixon in Mississippi in December 2005. There have been seven executions this year in the United States. Moody was convicted of mailing a bomb in 1989 that killed US&nbspCircuit Court Judge Robert Vance, 58, and another explosive that killed Georgia civil rights attorney Robert Robinson. Prosecutors have said Moody sent the bomb to the judge in anger over a 1972 bomb conviction that Moody felt derailed his career, and sent the other to the civil rights lawyer to confuse investigators. Lawyers for Moody asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to spare Moody's life based on his transfer from the federal court system to Alabama's. The court did not offer details on why it denied the appeals. Moody first received seven life sentences in a US&nbspditrict court in 1991 for the deadly bombings. Alabama later indicted him on capital murder charges and his trial began in the state in 1996, court records showed. Moody's lawyer argued the transfer to an Alabama prison was illegal and he should first serve his federal sentence. Lawyers for Alabama responded that the federal government consented to the transfer and the state had the right to implement the death penalty handed out by an Alabama court. Although it has not been an issue in Moody's last-minute appeals, age and poor health were major factors in a botched execution in Alabama earlier this year when the state tried to put to death Doyle Hamm, 61, who had terminal cancer and severely compromised veins. The execution was called off while Hamm, who survived the ordeal, was on a death chamber gurney and medical staff could not place a line for the lethal injection.

Supreme Court allows Alabama to execute Walter Moody

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Alabama: Journalist stopped from attending execution because her skirt was ‘too short’

The inmate and the officer: Alabama's improbable prison escape

Supreme Court allows Alabama to execute Walter Moody