Jackson Jambalaya

Hinds County Circuit Judge Tomie Green withdrew her request to speak to the Hinds County Board of Supervisors about her dispute with Sheriff Tyrone Lewis. Judge Green and Sheriff Lewis are battling over who has control over the bailiffs in Hinds County. Judge Green asked to meet with the board. Sources tell this correspondent the Senior Circuit Judge sought to have the funding for the bailiffs transferred from the Sheriff's budget to her office. Earlier post with copy of order.

Judge Green issued an order on February 17, 2011 blocking the Sheriff from demoting, transferring, or reducing the salaries of any bailiff. Judges Patricia Wise (Mother of the Board Attorney), Melvin Priester, and Bill Gowan (Formerly Sheriff McMillin's attorney)signed the order. Judge Green took the action after Sheriff Lewis attempted to transfer and demote some bailiffs who were not law enforcement certified.

Editorial: That was the news. Now for the opinion. Sheriff Lewis has every right to run the bailiff program as he sees fit. Judge Green has no business whatsoever issuing an order as she did. Before we go any further, here are the facts. There are 31 bailiffs:

2 Captains
5 Sergeants
3 Corporals
21 Deputies

Only one captain and two deputies have been through a law enforcement academy. The Sheriff sought to reduce the number of bailiffs and replace the non-certified bailiffs with certified law enforcement officers. Sheriff Lewis also sought to have the number of bailiffs present in the courthouse reflect the actual needs of the courthouse at any time. The Sheriff told me if there were no hearings scheduled on a particular day, then the bailiffs' supervisor should be able to send the bailiffs to other duty outside of the courthouse.

There are only one or two bailiffs working the door at the courthouses in Madison and Rankin counties and one bailiff is assigned to work the courtroom. Hinds County assigns two bailiffs to each judge. Everyone has seen the 3-4 deputies that are present at each door. Sheriff Bailey told this correspondent in Rankin County they used retirees for bailiffs, dress them up in blue blazes like the federal bailiffs, and it seems to work just fine. As Sheriff Lewis said in the interview, Captains and Sergeants should be out supervising deputies, not sitting in a courthouse all day.

It should also be pointed out the Attorney General has twice ruled only the Sheriff can hire and fire the bailiffs, transfer them, change their pay, or reduce their rank. The Mississippi Code states they serve at his will and pleasure- he can fire them at any time. Judge Green forgets she is a judge and thinks the courthouse is her fief and all those who work there are her servants. This is a legitimate separation of powers issue and Sheriff Lewis should take Judge Green's order down to the Mississippi Supreme Court. one can only imagine how Chief Justice Bill Waller will handle such an order from Judge Green. Judge Green is wrong. Period. Sheriff Lewis should ignore her order and the higher courts should put her in her place.