Originally published November 14, 2019. Statements about the law were updated in October 2026; the box below gives today’s rules.
In November 2018, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) denied compassionate release to Larry Langford, the 72-year-old former mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, even though he was critically ill. The BOP said releasing him would downplay his crime and endanger the community.
Who is Larry Langford?
Langford was convicted of public corruption in 2010 and sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. He has been in prison for nearly ten years and is in failing health.
Why the BOP said no
In a document obtained by AL.com, the BOP explained why it denied his request:
“Mayor Langford has a history of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema, pulmonary hypertension, right heart failure, sickle-cell trait, plantar fascial fibromatosis, bursitis, esophageal reflux, dysphagia, hypertension, sensorineural hearing loss, pterygium, and anemia. He was issued an oxygen concentrator and nebulizer and ambulates with the use of a wheelchair. However, his release at this time would minimize the severity of his offense and pose a danger to the safety of the community.”
A system that rarely lets people go
Decades ago, Congress created a way to release certain prisoners early when their health is failing and they are near the end of life. It made the BOP the first and final decision-maker.
Looking back, that was a mistake. As part of the Department of Justice, the BOP is naturally reluctant to release anyone.
Langford’s family has been called to the prison in Kentucky where he is in critical condition. Yet despite his long list of illnesses, the BOP still sees him as a threat to society.
Other paths to release
Alabama State Representative Juandalynn Givan has led efforts to ask President Trump for executive clemency for Langford.
The recently passed First Step Act also gives him another option: he can now ask the court directly for compassionate release.
Congress has made it hard on purpose for prisoners to get any relief from their sentences, so it matters to use every opportunity you have. If your loved one is seriously ill in federal prison, Criminal Center handles federal post-conviction work, including compassionate release petitions.
If you want help with a compassionate release request, book a consultation.
Src. www.al.com, “Former Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford in Critical Condition, Denied Compassionate Release,” Roy S. Johnson 12/2018.