Mitchell Ad Spotlights Former Montgomery Officer
Jay Mitchell campaign releases new ad featuring former officer Aaron Cody Smith and a message centered on law enforcement support
Former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell released a new campaign piece this week featuring former Montgomery police officer Aaron Cody Smith, as the Republican race for Alabama Attorney General enters its final stretch.
The video highlights Smith’s account of his legal battle and Mitchell’s decision to leave the Alabama Supreme Court to seek the State’s top law enforcement post.
Many on the campaign trail, Mitchell said, have questioned why he would step away from what he described as a secure seat on the State’s highest court to enter a competitive statewide race.
Mitchell answered those questions directly in a statement released alongside the campaign piece.
“As a Supreme Court Justice, I watched politicians abandon a good police officer and the family that depended on him. I watched an honorable man get thrown to the wolves while career bureaucrats chose to look the other way. I watched that officer’s community descend into lawlessness because the Attorney General lacked the courage to stand up and say what was true. I did everything I could for Cody from my seat on the bench.
“I chose to run for Attorney General because I’m done watching our leaders let Alabama drift toward the chaos consuming the rest of this country. I’m running to fight back—for law enforcement, for victims, for the rule of law, and for every Alabama family that deserves to feel safe in their own community. And I will not back down.”
Smith, a former Montgomery police officer, was convicted of manslaughter in the 2016 shooting death of Gregory Gunn. The case drew statewide attention and later became the subject of post-conviction legal challenges and review by the Alabama Attorney General’s Office.
Mitchell resigned from the Alabama Supreme Court in 2025 to run for Attorney General. He has centered much of his campaign on support for law enforcement, violent crime prosecution, and public safety issues. Mitchell has built support from Sheriffs, Police Chiefs, and other law enforcement officials across Alabama.
Alabama’s Republican primary for Attorney General is scheduled for May 19.
“Only” may be seen on YouTube and below:
