(BAY MINETTE, Ala.) - Steve Nodine had no comment Wednesday as he was being led out of a Baldwin County courtroom to be taken back to jail.
He didn't even reply to Angel Downs' sister in the hallway when she yelled "Bye, Steve."
But the family of Angel Downs was very outspoken and ready to vent about how the case has been handled.
"I still don't feel justice has been done for Angel," said Angel's mother, Thelma Hinckley.
For two and half years, Downs' family watched as the state changed prosecutors in the case three times.
They stood back in silence as the charges changed from murder to misdemeanor criminally negligent homicide on Hallie Dixon's watch.
"We felt Hallie had a person vendetta against Judy, and we felt that from day one," said Angel's sister Susan Bloodworth.
After former District Attorney Judy Newcomb failed to get a murder conviction, incoming District Attorney Hallie Dixon presented the case to a new grand jury that came back with the misdemeanor charge along with the felony perjury count.
Some criticized the move was political. It's no secret the two DA's don't get along.
"There was nothing political about it," said Hallie Dixon Wednesday.
Dixon says the family could just never accept the fact her investigation revealed Downs committed suicide.
"I don't think anything I can say will ever make it any better. I can't change the truth. I can't tell them what they want to hear."
"We believe Stephen Nodine killed Angel, fled the scene, changed his story multiple times, never called her again," said Bloodworth. "Why? Because he knew she was dead."
Ultimately, a jury never decided who pulled the trigger May 9th 2010. The state allowed Nodine to plead guilty to domestic violence and perjury.
Nodine was sentenced to two years in jail.
The defense said anyone else would have gotten probation with these charges.
If Nodine qualifies, he will be allowed to do a work release program where he leaves jail during the day, goes to work, then reports back to jail and nights and weekends.
