Advocates Say Birmingham Law Firm Abandoned Habeas Petition Effort Midstream
Following the Alabama Gazette’s recent coverage of the wrongful conviction claims surrounding inmate Murray “Bubba” Lawrence, Jr., his longtime advocacy team is drawing attention to another troubling chapter: the unexpected disengagement of a Birmingham law firm during a critical moment in his post-conviction fight.
Lawrence, now having just completed his second decade of imprisonment, has maintained his innocence from the outset-as does the original court transcript. According to lead advocate Francis Paul Ripp, the firm of Maxwell-Tillman had agreed-verbally and through a formal invoice-and with three advocacy witnesses present-to assist in drafting a federal writ of habeas corpus, after all district, appeal, and state-level avenues were exhausted. Nearly half of the firm’s stated fee was promptly rendered as a down-payment.
Then, without warning, the team received a Non-Engagement Letter. It denied any attorney-client relationship had been formed and stated that materials shared would not be considered confidential unless the firm was formally retained.
“This came after two years of working with us,” said Ripp. “They accepted funds, agreed to collaborate, and suddenly bailed-abandoning the commitment and the case. It’s hard to view that as anything but professional misconduct.”
The Non-Engagement Letter’s language raised immediate alarm. “It seemed to suggest they could disclose privileged information,” said Ripp. “That’s unacceptable. Murray’s life is on the line.”
Advocate and research lead, Nancy R. Koerner, who had served as the portal contact for over a year, was equally stunned. “The case documents they returned to us were mostly motions and filings-plus exhibits I pulled directly from the trial transcript, or crafted myself through months of research and critical analysis,” said Koerner. “They did no real discovery. Nothing compelling. Generic summations. Maxwell-Tillman couldn’t even convince the State of the blatant and multi-faceted Brady violations. They never built any merit-based arguments of their own. The heavy lifting? All of that was us.”
During the firm’s two-year involvement, advocates Ripp and Koerner say phone and email communication was sporadic, shallow, and resistant. Meanwhile, inmate Murray Lawrence was reportedly contacted only twice by phone, and visited just once in prison by the firm’s primary partner, Leroy Maxwell. Gabby Humber, the firm’s assigned attorney, until her unexplained departure in June, had never visited the client.
Ripp emphasized that none of their original hard-earned research-including Koerner’s counter-arguments to the State’s responses-was ever able to be brought forth into an evidentiary hearing. “Among other things, we uncovered a suppressed Alabama State Coroners’ Report detailing the exhumation of the murder victim, and the removal of all seven cervical vertebrae. How bad does this have to be to get attention? Evidence tampering, pure and simple.”
Other pressing concerns-like Murray’s deteriorating medical condition and the prison’s wall-phone failure to connect him to counsel? They ignored it all – even when other Holman inmates, represented by the firm, verified the same wall-phone failures. But when Koerner had pressed the issues, she says she was removed from portal access.
“I asked hard questions, and they didn’t like it,” Koerner said. “Later, when Paul and Mr. Lawrence, Sr. requested that I be reinstated, it coincided precisely with the firm cutting ties.”
Advocates are clear that their purpose is not retaliation-it’s prevention. “Families should know what happened,” said Ripp. “No one should invest faith, time, or money into counsel that won’t follow through.”
Despite the setback, Ripp and Koerner remain dedicated to the case, continuing research, outreach, and exploration of legal alternatives. They also remain hopeful about broader public support and awareness.
“We’re actively seeking a documentary film producer,” said Koerner, “to help bring visibility to Murray’s ongoing fight-and to expose the systemic and professional failures that continue to obstruct justice.”
Opinions in the Alabama Gazette are those of the writer alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Alabama Gazette staff or publishers.