Mississippi
4 Mississippi judges tapped to help with backlog of cases
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — 4 former circuit court docket judges will assist deal with a backlog of prison circumstances which have accrued in Mississippi’s largest county in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mississippi Supreme Court docket Chief Justice Mike Randolph appointed Andrew Okay. Howorth of Oxford, Betty W. Sanders of Greenwood, Stephen B. Simpson of Gulfport and Frank G. Vollor of Vicksburg.
Administrative Workplace of Courts director Greg Snowden stated in a information launch Thursday that Hinds County has an pressing must deal with circumstances that have been postponed when courtrooms have been closed to stop the unfold of the virus.
“Accused individuals have a proper to their day in court docket, whether or not they’re incarcerated pending trial or out on bond,” Snowden stated. “If defendants are discovered responsible, they must be despatched to jail, but when they’re discovered not responsible, they must be launched.”
Howorth retired in June 2020 after greater than 18 years as a circuit choose within the third Circuit in Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Lafayette, Marshall, Tippah and Union counties.
Sanders retired in December 2014. She was a choose for 20 years within the 4th Circuit in Leflore, Sunflower and Washington counties. Earlier than that, she served 5 years as a particular Justice of the Peace listening to circumstances filed by prisoners on the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman.
Simpson is a former state lawmaker who served eight years as a choose within the 2nd Circuit in Hancock, Harrison and Stone counties. He resigned in Could 2008 to change into state public security commissioner, serving virtually three years.
Vollor is a former Warren County prosecutor who served 20 years within the ninth Circuit District in Issaquena, Sharkey and Warren counties. He returned to personal regulation observe in Could 2009.