Man sentenced for 2020 Montgomery murder

A man has been sentenced for murder in the death of a woman who was killed during a 2020 shootout in Montgomery.

District Attorney Azzie Oliver says Stevie Coleman has been sentenced to 30 years in prison in the death of Stephanie Hale, who was struck and killed by gunfire during a shootout stemming from a dispute over drug money.

On December 17, 2020, Oliver says Coleman confronted a man in the 5600 block of Carmichael Road who he said owed him money for drugs. Coleman shot the man in the leg, then ran in front of
a car belonging to his girlfriend, Hale, who was sitting in the passenger seat. Coleman used Hale’s vehicle as a shield and next began shooting at a third uninvolved individual who fired back at Coleman. During the shootout, Hale was struck and killed.

Oliver said, “Stephanie Hale’s loved ones are sadly among the multitude of families in our community who are suffering because of these senseless murders. Gun violence in Montgomery is out of hand. Innocent people are losing their lives because of the careless and thoughtless actions of others. My team of seasoned prosecutors and investigators and I will use every tool and resource at our disposal to make sure these offenses are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

“However, our community must work collaboratively and collectively to come up with solutions to address this ongoing crisis.”