Jackson lawyer Rhonda Cooper said Monday she did her job in defending Cory Maye of Prentiss, who was convicted of killing a police officer in a 2001 drug raid. "I was trying to save somebody's life," she said. "It was do or die." On Thursday, Circuit Judge Michael Eubanks ruled that Maye should be removed from death row, concluding that Cooper did not represent her client adequately during the penalty phase of Maye's trial. Eubanks overturned the sentence and ordered a new sentencing hearing for Maye, who fatally wounded Prentiss police officer Ron Jones. The judge said he would rule later on the other matters raised by Maye's new defense team. [continues 605 words]
Allowing officers to conduct searches without warrants is an attack on the constitution, leaves the door open to abuse and must be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court, say two Mississippi defense attorneys. But a law school professor - a former prosecutor - says the 11-4 decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is based on common sense and the high court has already affirmed a similar argument. The 5th Circuit ruled last week that officers don't need a warrant to conduct a swift search of private property to ensure their safety. The ruling affects Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. [continues 888 words]
There's A New Cowboy In Town, And His Name Is George Phillips George Phillips' Low-Key Style In Sharp Contrast To Former Director's Approach The new director of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics is an actual cowboy, raising and training quarter horses near Hattiesburg. He replaces Frank Melton, who was often criticized by some for his "cowboy" tactics. Phillips, a former U.S. attorney, is glad to be back in law enforcement circles after spending his past two years in retirement, but he seems uncomfortable with his new title. The word "Director" appears emblazoned on a bureau badge in a framed poster. "That's the one thing I don't want on the wall," he said. "Sounds boastful." [continues 769 words]
Smith seeking to 'avoid appearance of impropriety' Pike County Circuit Judge Mike Smith has announced he is stepping down from hearing a drug case in which he'd been accused of violating judicial rules. The judge signed an order Monday, citing a Sunday article in The Clarion-Ledger and saying he was stepping down to "avoid the appearance of impropriety." The article detailed accusations the judge had violated judicial rules by talking with a narcotics agent about the case outside the presence of the defense, then sentencing the defendant to 20 years instead of a plea-bargained eight. [continues 653 words]
Jerry Ellington Indicted On Two Counts Of Extortion And Two Counts Of Bribery Authorities arrested Tunica County Sheriff Jerry Ellington Wednesday - the second Tunica County sheriff to face corruption charges in the past four years. He faces charges of taking kickbacks from bail bondsmen and receiving kickbacks from money stolen from drug dealers. His arrest is the latest setback in a county that in recent years has been overwhelmed by corruption. Former Sheriff John Pickett III was sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to extorting more than $86,000 from a bail bondsman. That conviction was one of 10 resulting from a federal probe into corruption in Tunica County several years ago. [continues 754 words]
