{"data":{"id":"us-al/ala.-code-12-21-220","jurisdiction":"us-al","citation":"Ala. Code § 12-21-220","heading":"Right of Defendant to Be Witness; Effect of Prosecution’s Comment on Defendant’s Failure to Testify.","body":"On the trial of all indictments, complaints or other criminal proceedings, the person on trial shall, at his own request, but not otherwise, be a competent witness, and his failure to make such a request shall not create any presumption against him nor be the subject of comment by counsel. If the district attorney makes any comment concerning the defendant’s failure to testify, a new trial must be granted on motion filed within 30 days from entry of the judgment.","path":["Title 12 Courts.","Chapter 21 Evidence and Witnesses.","Article 2 Criminal Cases.","Division 2 Witnesses.","Division 1 Competency."],"source_url":"https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=12-21-220","current_through":"Act 2026-611","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-03T14:01:52Z","sha256":"4ccc38406c1ce6fa9fc291f7a5ac206284e9b5fbe8b043ca298d3534efbe486c","source_id":"us-al","stale":false,"prev":"us-al/ala.-code-12-21-203","next":"us-al/ala.-code-12-21-221"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}