Downs' family 'displeased' with DA's office

BALDWIN CO., Ala (WALA) - Former Mobile County Commissioner Steve Nodine is back behind bars.

He was sentenced Wednesday morning after pleading guilty to domestic violence, ethics, and perjury charges.

Nodine will now spend 2-years in jail and have 36 months of supervised probation.

Murder and stalking charges against Nodine were dropped after he accepted a plea deal, days before he was to go to trial in Dothan, AL for the shooting death of his longtime girlfriend Angel Downs.

FOX10 caught up with the Downs’ family shortly after sentencing.

"We believe Steve Nodine killed Angel, fled the scene, and changed his story multiple times,” said Downs' sister, Susan Bloodworth. “He never called back because he knew my sister was dead. ”

The Downs’ family also had strong words for Baldwin County District Attorney, Hallie Dixon.

Dixon was originally supposed to prosecute Nodine in his murder re-trial, but decided to prosecute on the lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide and perjury.

The Downs family believes the move was purely political.

Dixon was ultimately replaced by David Whetstone after relatives complained to the Attorney General.

“Hallie informed us that day that she thought Angel killed herself and I felt that's what her team was going for,” said Downs’ mother.

“She let her personal get in the way of justice. That is our family's opinion that is our belief,” said Bloodworth.

Dixon said she knew early on that there was no conclusive evidence of foul play. She believes the evidence showed Angel Downs committed suicide.  

“Our evidence conclusively established that it was a self inflicted gunshot wound,” said Dixon. “Now from that I base that conclusion on what the investigators, the medical examiners, forensic experts, the de-constructionist, the fact that there was no blood on his clothing, every bit of the evidence pointed to one conclusion of self inflicted gunshot wound. Now whether he was responsible or not in the end; that was the ultimate question.”

Dixon believes Judge Charles Partin was fair in his sentencing, Wednesday.

She said however she would have not made a deal with Nodine and believes the case should have gone to trial where a jury of his peers would determine if Nodine’s actions were at all criminal.