State ex rel. Seigelman v. Reed

On October 3, 1988, the State of Alabama, through its attorney general, Don Siegelman, filed with the Circuit Court of Montgomery County a petition for the writ of quo warranto. The petition set out the facts surrounding the indictment and trial, in federal district court, of State Representative Thomas Reed on charges of interference with commerce by threats or violence (racketeering) in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951, and interstate travel or transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1952.

In its petition to the circuit court, the State claimed that because…