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Larry Langford, who had pioneered a journey through the poverty and violence of a real estate project in Birmingham to become a charismatic politician who won the highest elective offices of Birmingham and the County of Jefferson before losing everything after being found guilty of public corruption, died
Langford died on January 8, 2019 in a Birmingham hospital where he had been admitted a few weeks earlier after a federal judge had reduced his sentence and authorized his transfer to a federal prison hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. confirmed by the representative of Alabama, Juandalynn Givan, a close friend of the family.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, who ordered the flags of the city to be dropped in Langford's honor, issued a statement early Tuesday night. "It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of Mayor Larry Langford. We are wholeheartedly with the Langford family at this time of loss, "said Woodfin.
"Mayor Langford had an unparalleled love for his community, a love he expressed through his audacity and creativity. During all our interactions, one thing was always clear: Mayor Langford was an unscrupulous defender of the city that he served. Her passion for change and her passion for people will be part of her legacy, "said Woodfin. "First of all, Mayor Langford loved this city."
"Thank you for keeping the beloved wife of the mayor of Langford, Melva, family members and your friends in your prayers during this difficult time.He's remembering his boundless ingenuity and in his fervent voice for the people, "said Woodfin.
In October 2009, Langford was found guilty of 60 counts of wrongdoing, including corruption, fraud and money laundering, related to his past. Jefferson County Commission Chairman
Langford was sentenced to 15 years in prison, a sentence that at the time worried many people to be sentenced to death because of Langford's state of health.
Langford was 72, born March 17, 1946, according to him. to the prison archives.
Reactions to Langford's death
See photos of Larry Langford over the years.
Langford could be a contradictory study. While swearing like a sailor, he was a pious religious who regularly attended Mass and taught classes in Sunday School. He was one of the first African-American TV reporters in Birmingham, but Langford began to despise the media. He was a man who devoted much of his life to the care and well-being of children, especially with respect to their education. He was the driving force behind the construction of a new high school in Fairfield and a program in Birmingham as mayor, which put laptops in the hands of many students. Langford has also routinely lamented restrictions on schools and parents in the area of corporal punishment of children. Langford was often heard to say that what the children needed was a "good boost" to straighten them up. A long-time smoker, it was not uncommon for Langford to disguise the young smokers he met.
The greatest contradiction is perhaps that which concerns honesty. Langford said that his mother had raised him to never take what did not belong to him. Langford has often told the story of his mother who had beaten him with an iron rope after surprising him taking change to buy biscuits. The blows were so hard that it was necessary to take him to the emergency room.
"From this day to date, you can put anything on the table in front of me and it does not belong to me, it's gone to be on this table at your return, "Langford said in an interview in 1991.
Nineteen years later, in another interview on the eve of his federal trial, Langford had said this after declining to discuss the changes that he had made. in front.
"I am not a crook. My mother taught me the hard way to not take what does not belong to me. "
Yet, this self – declaration of honesty was defeated in Langford as a boy flies in the face of the description of the man that a federal jury found accepted by the government. a quarter of a million dollars in cash and luxury items in exchange for using his office to guide millions of dollars in the Jefferson County bond trade to old friends.
Langford always maintained that the dollars that he received were loans and expensive sums. clothes and other items, just gifts from old friends.
But the jury felt that it was about crimes and the judge sentenced Langford to jail for what he was going to be all his life.
Larry Langford was convicted of 60 counts.
The irony of Langford's life is that, for a man who has reached the peaks of politics in the largest city and in the largest county of Alabama, his fall has filled his bigger fear when he was a kid in projects. Langford spoke of this fear on the eve of his departure.
"I was angry all the time. I was really a punk who was only heading towards a prison and early grave, "said Langford.
" It's funny, after all I've tried to do to people and after all this, "said Langford, pointing to his City Hall office and waving his hand through the rooftops of the city:" I could still be in jail, do not try to tell me that life is right. "
LARRY LANGFORD TIMELINE
CHILDHOOD
Born on March 17, 1946, according to the criminal record, although Langford sometimes indicated conflicting dates. from Loveman Village to Titusville, one of five boys and a daughter of his mother Lillian Nance.
1960s
Graduate of Parker High School, 1965.
Served in the US Air Force, 1965-1971
The 1970s
He worked at WBRC-TV, 1971-77, where he was one of the first black reporters of the station.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. The University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1973, with a dual specialization in anthropology and sociology and a minor in philosophy.
Filing a personal bankruptcy, establishing the debt list of $ 40,000 and a net profit of $ 7,500.
Married with Linda Delores Green in 1973, a marriage that ended in divorce.
Member of the Birmingham City Council, 1977-1979. Was a frequent critic of the mayor of the time, David Vann, accused of acting too slowly in the context of major projects.
Mayor of Birmingham in 1979, defying Vann and several other candidates, including Richard Arrington, who won the election. 19659002] The 1980s
Hired by KAR Products in 1980, he held a position until the press revealed to him that he had entered into contracts without appeal. Offers with the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board for various purchases, including duplications of purchase orders. . Langford is licensed by the company.
In 1982, he moved to Fairfield.
He marries his current second wife, the former Melva Ferguson, in 1982.
Hired in 1982 by Birmingham Budweiser beer distributor as Director of Community Relations.
Elected mayor of Fairfield in 1988. First black mayor of the city.
1990
Re-elected mayor of Fairfield in 1992 and 1996.
Was the driving force behind the eventual agreement of 11 municipalities of Jefferson County on the funding of a project of $ 90 million to finance the construction of the Visionland amusement park at Bessemer in 1998.
2000s
Re-elected mayor of Fairfield in 2000.
In 2000, he formed the computer charity Computer Help for Kids with John Katopodis, former Jefferson County Commissioner and member of the Birmingham City Council. Katopodis was sentenced in July 2009 for 99 counts of federal mail and wire fraud charges for using the charity as a "personal piggy bank".
In 2002, Visionland declared bankruptcy with a debt of $ 100 million. It was sold to a private operator for $ 5.25 million. It has been renamed Alabama Adventure and is still operational. He was won by the Jefferson County Commission and was won in 2002.
He was chosen as the Democratic chairman of the county commission, although Republicans have the table. As president, Langford oversaw the county's finances.
advocated a series of bond deals in 2002 and 2003 to refinance the county's $ 3.2 billion debt relief. The transactions included a series of complex interest rate swaps and other transactions that eventually collapsed, causing the county's cleanup debt to skyrocket and forcing it to bankruptcy of $ 4.23 billion. of dollars. At the time, it was the largest municipal bankruptcy in the history of the United States.
In 2004, the board approved a $ 1 billion local sales tax plan to fund the construction of schools in every Jefferson County District.
Re-elected to the Jefferson County Commission in 2006, he lost the presidency in favor of Republican Bettye Fine Collins.
The Securities and Exchange Commission opened an investigation into financial transactions in Jefferson County, including Langford's interest in 2007.
Elected mayor of Birmingham in 2007, winning 50.3% of the vote in 10 candidates.
mayor projects, including raising the sales tax by 1 cent on the dollar, lobbying for a domed stadium, cleaning up neighborhoods, repaving downtown streets, demolishing abandoned houses, building a museum from baseball to historic Rickwood Field and revitalize Fair Park. [19659002] The SEC filed a federal civil lawsuit against Langford, Montgomery 's investment banker Bill Blount, and lobbyist Al LaPierre, alleging an on – going payment system as part of a lawsuit. operations on sewer obligations in the counties. December 1, 2008, against Langford, Blount and LaPierre.
In October 2009, Langford was convicted of 60 counts of wrongdoing, including corruption, fraud and money. basement related to his time as chairman of the Jefferson County Commission. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his crimes.
While serving his sentence of imprisonment, appeals were made to the presidents and the federal system for release on compassionate grounds. Here is his wife Melva in 2015 pleading for his return home.
Al.com columnist Roy Johnson contributed to this story
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