Jackson Jambalaya

The Jackson Free Press reported the mother of Heather Spencer, Linda Francomb (disclosure: Ms. Francomb has posted on this blog several times) filed a wrongful death action against the Bells on June 2, 2008 in Hinds County Circuit Court. http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/survivors_of_murdered_women_file_suit_071608/
Unfortunately there are several errors in the story, as well as reporting which is slanted to say the least:
"The previous June, he had attacked Spencer as she slept, attempted to strangle her, and beat her bloody with a mallet before Spencer’s roommate scared him away. That beating resulted in 57 staples in Spencer’s head. Jackson police never arrested Bell for that beating, for reasons not made clear by police documents obtained by the Jackson Free Press.."

The reason for the failure to arrest Mr. Bell for these charges is actually pretty simple. When he was scared away by Heather's roommate, he immediately fled Jackson. He eventually wound up in a drug rehab facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma. When he returned to Jackson, he killed Heather 48 hours later. Given the time available to JPD and the fact Ms. Bell probably did not tell JPD where George was, it's hard to see how JPD could have arrested Mr. Bell when they had little if any opportunity to do so. However, slamming JPD and Melton fits the JFP template for writing stories as shown in this story. However, the JFP's ignorance does not stop there but continues:

"But the original, felony charge of aggravated domestic assault had already inexplicably been reduced to a misdemeanor by June 12..."

As discussed in an earlier post, "Why were the charges reduced?" http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2007/10/heather-spencer-case-update-after.html, it is clear there are several possible answers to the question of why the charges had been reduced. The first is the Bells used their political connections to get the charges against George, III reduced to a misdemeanor. However, several JPD officers told me it was the only way to keep the prosecution against George alive without Heather's consent. If Ms. Mott had bothered to read the law, she would have learned a complaint for aggravated assault requires the consent of the victim for the prosecution to proceed, whereas for simple domestic assault, the victim's wishes are immaterial if the police have strong evidence that such a crime occurred (which JPD did in this case). However, it's easier to fit the facts into the anti-JPD and Melton template than actually learn what the law says.

"But Bell, who allegedly is addicted to cocaine and steroids, fled JPD’s jurisdiction in Spencer’s green Camry, eventually entering a drug program in Oklahoma. ..."

You can't have it both ways: bashing JPD for not arresting him then reporting he fled JDP's "jurisdiction" immediately after beating Heather. "Allegedly"? He admitted to it in open court.

"It’s unclear whether Spencer died immediately from her wounds that night, or whether she lingered, (Ms. Mott, do you read your own archives? see below) although Spencer’s family members have stated that Spencer died many hours after the beating. Allegedly, Robbie Bell’s first call was not to the police or to summon an ambulance but to her friend and lawyer, Tom Royals. George Bell was arrested the next day after holding his mother hostage for several hours at a local gas station. By then, Heather Spencer was dead. Bell pleaded guilty to kidnapping and capital murder charges Feb. 4, and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole...."

This is probably the worst paragraph in the whole story. Sources have told me Heather didn't die immediately after the beating by George. One must ask the JFP which story is correct? Its earlier reporting as fact the autopsy showed Heather did not die for several hours, or that it is not clear if she died immediately?

Then there is the question of Robbie's call to Tom Royals. Since this claim has been made, the question must be asked what exactly was said to Mr. Royals. An attorney is required to notify the authorities if he knows a crime is in progress. Did Ms. Bell tell Mr. Royals what had happened that night? If so, why did Mr. Royals not call the police? This is not meant to cast Mr. Royals in a negative light, but the question of what he was told must be asked. This of course begs the question, how could Robbie call Mr. Royals yet not call the police?

This leads to the next flaw in the story. The story makes NO MENTION of George's kidnapping (He pled guilty to the kidnapping charge) of Heather's roommate. He kidnapped the roommate (her identity, while known and public record, will not be revealed in this post) around 7:00 AM and was gone from the Bell home for approximately an hour. At this point Ms. Bell did NOT call the police, 911, or an ambulance. Unfortunately, the JFP story leaves out this information and instead makes the wild claim that George held his mother hostage for "several hours". This is not true as there has been no testimony George restrained or pointed a weapon at his mother or was held hostage. Indeed, when the car pulled up at the gas station and the police car was spotted, Ms. Bell immediately jumped out screaming "he's got a gun!".

The JFP story also ignored another fact, which is that George's uncle, former Hinds County Judge and local attorney James Bell, was at the Bell home that morning. Why exactly was he there? Who contacted Mr. Bell (It should be noted all sources have told me Mr. Bell was the only voice of sanity in this whole ordeal as he was the only one saying things had to stop. I am not questioning his character as I was told he was in shock, which is to be expected.)?

So how could Ms. Bell contact two lawyers, both who are known as members of the Ed Peters crowd, yet not call the police? Especially when she was alone while her son kidnapped the roommate? Why did Ms. Mott fail to mention these facts or ask these questions?

The JFP has treated Ms. Bell with kid gloves in its coverage of this story. In what can only be described as a grotesque example of bad taste, the local alternative weekly named Ms. Bell one of the "Most Intriguing Jacksonians of 2007" in its "Best of" issue. It reported:
"Robbie Bell, once a matriarch of the Jackson business world, is currently awaiting trial for charges connected to her son’s alleged murder of his girlfriend on Sept. 11. Charged with being an accessory after the fact, Bell allegedly did not seek help for Heather Spencer after George Bell III raped and beat Spencer with a flashlight. An autopsy revealed that Spencer did not die for several hours after the attack.
Bell was with her son when he surrendered to police after a four-hour standoff at a Jackson gas station the next morning. Spencer’s body was in her house, which was also the scene of the crime. Authorities charged George Bell III with first-degree murder, rape and assault, the last charge stemming from a beating he gave Spencer in June. Both Bells pleaded not guilty to the respective charges.
Bell is the former vice president of business development for the Mississippi Business Journal, a post she filled until Spencer’s murder; her name no longer appears on the Journal’s Web site. In that role, she organized many high-profile business events in the city, including the Integrity Awards and the Mississippi Leading Business Women awards." http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/most_intriguing_jacksonians_2007/

"Intriguing" indeed (It should be noted that one of the co-owner's of the Jackson Free Press, Donna Ladd, was named by Ms. Bell to her list of one of the leading Business Women in Mississippi.). The description of Ms. Bell also states the autopsy showed Heather died several hours after the beating, contradicting Ms. Mott's story. However, naming Robbie Bell "Most Intriguing", even if selected by readers, is one of the more disgusting items I have seen in any publication. The fact it even appeared speaks volumes about the owners of the local alternative weekly.

The Spencers and Ms. Francomb have been through enough hell over the last year and have been subjected to media coverage that has been outrageous to say the least. One can only hope that they will eventually get some justice as well as some answers and fair media coverage.