Oxford man serving life sentence receives more prison time

A 24 year old  Oxford man already serving life in prison was sentenced to an additional five years Tuesday in Talladega County..

Christopher Surles

Christopher Isaac “El Safari” Surles,  was convicted of murder in August and sentenced to life in prison by Circuit Judge Bo Hollingsworth in September.

While he was in jail awaiting trial on the murder charge, a large, handmade shank was discovered in Surles’ cell, and he was also charged with promotion of prison contraband. He pleaded guilty to that charge last month, just before a jury trial was scheduled to begin.

The guilty plea came as something of a surprise to prosecutors.. Surles is apparently a follower of the sovereign citizen movement, and has represented himself in court. During the murder trial, the thrust of his defense that was that he did not commit the crime and, in any case, the court and the state of Alabama had no jurisdiction over him.

The five-year sentence will be served at the same time as the life sentence.

Surles also has a pending robbery in the first degree charge in Calhoun County. If convicted on that charge, he will face an additional 20 to 99 years or life in prison