Jackson Jambalaya

Rankin-Madison District Attorney Michael Guest issued the following press release:

Four-Time Convicted Felon Receives 25-year Sentence For Assaulting His Mother and Girlfriend

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Michael Guest announced today that Ronald Derrick White was convicted by a jury last week of aggravated and simple assault of a person over the age of 65. White was sentenced on Monday and received a 25-year sentence. White was convicted and sentenced as a habitual offender, and therefore he will be required to serve his entire sentence and will not be eligible for probation, parole or early release.

On the morning of January 1, 2013, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call at 122 Sykes Avenue in Florence. The caller stated that White had been drinking earlier that evening and once he had returned to the residence he began to violently attack his girlfriend. When officers arrived, they discovered the victim covered in blood. The victim was transported by ambulance to the hospital where it was then determined she had broken bones to the face and nose, broken ribs, missing teeth and a lacerated liver.

Investigators from the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department began to speak to witnesses at the scene and learned that the altercation began outside the residence. The mother and father of White tried to calm him down as the victim ran into the house and locked the door. White then proceeded to kick in the door to the residence and beat the victim until she lost consciousness. White’s mother was also injured when White punched and pushed her as she tried to prevent the assault.

White was arrested and taken to the Rankin County Jail. The following day, White was interviewed by investigators from the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department. He admitted that he had assaulted his girlfriend following a verbal altercation.

Guest stated, “White is a violent individual who has been in and out of prison a half dozen times over the last the fifteen years. He has been convicted of crimes throughout the metro area, and will finally be held accountable for his criminal acts. White will now spend the next 25 years of his life behind bars to pay for his cowardly assault of these two women.”

Guest added, “The jury in reaching their verdict rejected White’s arguments that these crimes did not arise to the level of felony offenses. The testimony at trial showed that White had no remorse for the injuries that he caused his girlfriend and his mother, and the jury found White guilty on both counts after deliberating for less than an hour.”

Guest concluded, “The Rankin County Sheriff’s Department did an outstanding job, and because of their rapid response, they prevented White from causing more harm to the victim. This cause is an example of how the criminal justice should work as a habitual offender was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced in a period of only a few months.”

White has previous felony convictions from Hinds, Madison and Rankin County. His convictions include: Burglary of a Dwelling, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Felony DUI and Possession of a Weapon by a Convicted Felon. White had been released from prison less than six weeks prior to these convictions. He was released from the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections onto Earned Release Supervision on November 19, 2012, following his incarceration on a probation revocation.

District Attorney Michael Guest was sworn into office in January 2008 and represents the Twentieth Judicial District, which encompasses Madison and Rankin Counties. For more information about the District Attorney’s office, please visit www.daguest.com.