State v. Sullivan

The State of Alabama filed this appeal after Judge Chris N. Galanos,1 circuit judge for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, granted Carroll H. Sullivan's motion to dismiss the perjury charge against him. Sullivan had been indicted for first-degree perjury by the Mobile County grand jury that was convened in October 1998. Sullivan's trial was scheduled to begin on March 1, 1999. On that date a jury was empaneled and sworn, the attorneys made their opening statements, and the State called its first witness. After a lengthy discussion with the trial court, that witness invoked his Fifth Amendment…