Here are some of the biggest court cases of 2024. See what’s on the list

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – No doubt if you’ve watched the news over the past year, you’ve noticed many WLBT journalists reporting from courthouses across the state.

Numerous high-profile cases made headlines in 2024, from the Carly Gregg murder trial to the indictment of three local leaders in connection with a bribery scheme in the capital city.

The biggest story of the year was probably the Jackson bribery scandal.

So far, three Jackson city leaders, the Hinds County district attorney and a local businessman have been involved.

In October, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, Ward Six Councilman Aaron Banks and District Attorney Jody Owens were indicted on multiple charges in connection with what is believed to be a plot to bring a convention center hotel to downtown Jackson.

Months earlier, former Ward 2 Councilwoman Angelique Lee and Hinds County businessman Sherik Marve’ Smith pleaded guilty to their roles in the alleged scheme.

According to court records, the mayor, Banks and Lee accepted bribes from FBI sources posing as out-of-state developers interested in a mixed-use development planned for a property across from the Jackson Convention Complex.

Owens faces one count of conspiracy, three separate counts of bribery in a federal program, one count of use of an interstate facility to assist organized crime, honest services wire fraud, money laundering and making false statements.

Lumumba faces one count of conspiracy, one count of bribery in a federal program, use of an interstate facility to assist organized crime, honest services wire fraud and money laundering.

The banks’ charges include conspiracy and bribery in federal programs.

All three pleaded not guilty to the charges during their initial appearance in U.S. District Court. It is unclear when the matter will go to trial. Attorneys for both sides asked for a postponement, citing the large amount of evidence.

See our Coverage of Jackson’s bribery scheme here.

Carly Gregg convicted of murdering her mother

Another story that made headlines this year was not about elected leaders, but about a Rankin County teenager who murdered her mother.

In September, Carly Gregg was sentenced to life in prison for killing her mother, life in prison for trying to kill her stepfather, and 10 years for tampering with evidence.

He The sentences were handed down after a dramatic week-long trial in Rankin County Circuit Court.where defense attorneys attempted to portray the teen as a troubled young man who had no memory of the violent incident that took place.

According to court records, Gregg shot and killed his mother, Ashley Smylie, a mathematics teacher at Northwest Rankin High School, at point-blank range with a .357-caliber handgun.

Gregg then texted his stepfather, Heath, using his mother’s phone to ask when he would be home. After Heath arrived, the teen shot him in the shoulder, less than six inches from his face.

Video from inside the home captures the sound of Gregg firing the initial three shots. Evidence also revealed that she invited a friend to her house to show her Ashley’s lifeless body.

Gregg, now 15, is being held at a youth offender facility under the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. His case is on appeal before the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Sheldon Timothy Herrington Murder Trial

Sheldon Timothy Herrington also went on trial this year, more than two years after his alleged victim was last seen alive.

In December, jurors were divided 11-1 on whether Sheldon Timothy Herrington should be convicted for the 2022 death of former University of Mississippi student Jimmie “Jay” Lee.

As a result, a judge declared a mistrial.

Herrington is accused of killing Lee in July 2022. Prosecutors say Lee and Herrington were in a sexual relationship and that Herrington killed Lee because he did not want it to be discovered that he was gay.

The defense maintained their client’s innocence, pointing to the fact that Lee’s body was never recovered.

Lee was last seen on July 8, 2022, his mother’s birthday. A judge declared him legally dead in November.

Former Hinds County sheriff convicted on corruption charges

While jurors could not reach a decision on Herrington, the 12-member panel had an easier time convicting former Hinds County Sheriff Marshand Crisler of federal corruption charges.

After just two hours of deliberation on Nov. 9, a jury found Crisler guilty of two counts related to accepting bribes while serving as acting sheriff.

According to court records, Crisler received $9,500 in exchange for providing ammunition to Tonarri Moore, a known convicted felon.

He faces up to 20 years in prison (10 years on each count) and is expected to be sentenced in February. U.S. District Judge Tom Lee denied a request for a new trial.

Polo represents himself and loses new trial

A local radio and social media personality known as Polo will spend the rest of his life behind bars for shooting and killing John Davis.

The shooting occurred in May 2022. Following a trial in December, William “Polo” Edwards was found guilty of first-degree murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

During the trial, Edwards represented himself, comparing himself to Jesus, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr., saying he was attacked for speaking truth to power.

“The greatest atrocity of all occurred about 2,000 years ago on a hill called Calvary because a man told the truth. Jesus Christ. They crucified him for the truth. “People don’t like the truth,” he told the jury.

Prosecutors say the truth is that Polo shot Davis to death while he was at Shadow Robinson’s home and fled the scene in his truck.

The incident occurred on May 1, 2022. On May 3, he had been arrested in New Orleans. He was later extradited to Mississippi.

The first trial took place in 2023 and ended with a deadlocked jury. The second time, Polo was convicted on two counts.

Video evidence revealed during the second trial It showed Edwards holding a gun-shaped object as he passed a business near the crime scene just minutes after 911 was called. Other data showed Edwards’ phone rang several times as he traveled to and from Clinton near Clinton. the crime scene.

Further evidence was a post by Edwards on social media on the day of the shooting: “God, I don’t need you to forgive me for anything I do, except for those I send to you.”

After less than two hours of deliberation, the jury returned a guilty verdict. He was sentenced on December 17..

Edwards is currently being held at the South Mississippi Correctional Institution in Greene County.

Justice for the family affected by Beth Ann White

After a hung jury in 2023, a woman who killed a mother and her six-month-old child while driving drunk also had a new trial. And like Edwards, she was found guilty.

That woman is Beth Ann White. In May, she was found guilty of four counts of aggravated DUI and one count of fourth-offense DUI. She was sentenced to 110 years in prison.

the white was drunk when she crashed and killed Allison Conaway39, and his son Alex, and seriously injured his two daughters in November 2021.

White’s attorneys also appealed the verdict.

Goon Squad responds for 2023 torture night

Five former Rankin County sheriff’s deputies and a former Richland police officer found themselves on the wrong side of the law this year after being convicted in connection with the torture of two black men at a home in Braxton.

The officers were part of the infamous Goon Squad. Members included Brett McAlpin, Hunter Elward, Christian Dedmon, Jeffrey Middleton, Daniel Opdyke and Joshua Hartfield.

All six were sentenced in U.S. District Court and Rankin County Circuit Court and each is expected to spend decades in prison.

The former officers were accused of sexually abusing and torturing Eddie Parker and Michael Corey Jenkins at a home on Conerly Road in January 2023.

Prosecutors said officers tortured the two men for 88 minutes, dousing them with food and liquids, hitting them with household objects and dry-tasering them multiple times in a game of “Taser hot potato.”

Officers used several items found in the home to abuse the men, including a dildo, a wooden kitchen implement, a sword and pieces of wood.

An officer, Hunter Elward, fired a gun into Jenkins’ mouth. He then attempted to do so a second time, when the gun went off, seriously injuring Jenkins.

Following their sentences in federal court, all six were later sentenced in Rankin County Circuit Court.

(READ: ‘It’s a long time coming’: Goon Squad sentenced on state charges weeks after federal sentences)

McAlpin is currently appealing his sentence to the United States Court of Appeals.

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