On the 48 Hours episode “Power and Passion,” Stephen Nodine is interviewed. The former County Councilman from Mobile, Alabama ran with powerful people as a political operative. There are photos of Nodine with President George W. Bush, John McCain and Newt Gingrich. But Nodine’s political and personal life came to a halt when he was accused of shooting his beautiful, blonde mistress, Angel Downs, to death in 2010. Nodine had a six-year affair with Downs while he was married. According to Downs’ family, before her death Angel had complained about Nodine stalking her after she tried to end their relationship.
On May 9, 2010, Downs was found dead in her driveway. The 45-year-old had been shot in the head. A neighbor who called 911 said he saw a red truck leave very quickly and believed the man in the truck was Stephen Nodine. On 48 Hours, Nodine says “I did not shoot, harm or hurt Angel Downs in any form or fashion.” He says: “Every bit of evidence shows that it was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.” In 2012, Nodine pleaded guilty to felony perjury (he claimed he could no longer afford to pay his attorney) and harassment as part of a deal in which prosecutors dropped the murder charge. After serving two years in jail, he started serving his 36-month probation. In December 2015, Nodine’s probation officer charged him with two “technical violations” of his probation. He failed a drug test and “spent too many days in New Orleans beyond the time imposed by his probation officer while attending a Saints game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.” 48 Hours airs Saturdays at 9pm on CBS.
Angel Downs (center) with friends, photo: 48 Hours/CBS
