HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – One former North Alabama law enforcement officer is in jail and one is out on bond after judges decided their fates Friday.

Former Huntsville police officer William Darby is sentenced to 25 years in prison for murder.

While former Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely was sentenced to 3 years in jail, originally to be followed by another 2 years of a probationary term for theft and ethics charges.

On Monday, Judge Pamela Baschab eliminated that probationary period.

Robert Tuten is the attorney for both men, and he plans to appeal both sentences…starting that process as soon as possible.

Former Sheriff Blakely is currently out of jail right now, free on bond pending appeal.

Darby, on the other hand, was taken into custody at the Madison County Jail after Friday’s sentencing, where he will stay until a space opens at a state prison.

Attorneys plan to take both cases to the state court of appeals and even the Alabama Supreme Court if they need to.

Until attorneys exhaust all of former Sheriff Blakely’s appeal options, he will remain out of jail. If he does serve time, the judge orders it will be in a facility other than the Limestone County Jail.

Former officer Darby is in the Madison County Jail right now until a prison space opens, but even when his attorneys begin to appeal his sentence of 25 years, Darby will be ineligible for that same appeal bond Blakely received, and he will stay behind bars during the process.

Darby will likely be transferred to Kilby Prison in Montgomery for processing and then head to his assigned facility.

He currently remains in isolation away from the general population.

Should Blakely end up in jail, he, like Darby, must be isolated from the general population for his own protection.

We will continue giving updates on both men’s cases as we learn more.