Looks like our little controversial judge who likes to administer hometown justice got into some hometown helpings. State Auditor Stacey Pickering issued the following press release:
Demand Issued Against Jones County Judge
JACKSON - Circuit Judge Billy Joe Landrum of the 18th
Circuit Court District has not been following state law in
administering a Jones County Community Services Program for offenders
coming through his court, according to the State Auditor’s Office.
Landrum created the program in 1997 and has managed the account since
2005.
“The financial management by Judge Landrum does not conform to state law,” State Auditor Stacy Pickering said.
Pickering’s office has issued a demand against Landrum for $313,726.73.
Acting
on an official complaint filed with his office, the Auditor’s
investigation shows $4,699.52 in fuel purchases; $82,637.77 for vehicle
purchases and $197,439.50 in courtroom security officers’ salaries and
employer salary expenses were paid from the Community Services Program
account but not associated with the program. One or more vehicles
belonging to the program were utilized for private travel. The mileage
and usage costs for the specific trips have been calculated by the
Auditor to be $4,605.94.
The
Jones County Community Services Program allows offenders to pay extra
fines to perform public work instead of being incarcerated. The extra
funds deposited into the program made it self-sustaining.
“While
the program has merit as an alternative to costly incarceration of
offenders, Judge Landrum did not use accounting practices that must be
followed when dealing with payments to public entities,” Pickering
said. “His intentions may have been honorable but he did not follow the
law.”
Donations from a public entity to private individuals are prohibited by Article 4, §66 of the Mississippi Constitution.
The
findings and information of this investigation will be made available
to the District Attorney’s Office and turned over to the Judicial
Performance Commission to determine if or what additional actions may be
warranted.
11 comments:
I guess since pickering is buying ads from kingfish we can never make a negative comment. He will block them like he does with Bill Billingsly.
This is obviously the Republican Auditor's attempt to derail Judge Landrum's re-election bid. I hope it backfires, and Judge Landrum is re-elected despite this transparent smear campaign.
Funny story. Taking a depo in jury room in Jones County Courthouse in Laurel. There are plenty of bathrooms in building. There is a private bathroom in jury room. Landrum interrupts depo and precedes to go number two in bathroom, telling us "this is my bathroom." You could hear him put the toilet seat down and everything. Hilarious. Everyone was cracking up when he excused himself to leave.
I find it offensive that Pickering feels it necessary to comment in the record that 'Landrum's intentions were honorable' and that 'I've known him all my life and we're both from Jones County'. Who the hell cares about that trivia? That has no place in public record or legal procedings.
Is Pickering:
A) Pandering to Landrum
or
B) Pandering to the rest of us who he hopes will conclude that 'Boy, this Pickering guy is even prosecuting his friends. He must ba an upright, honest and election-worthy public servant.
In either case, I call bullshit.
I've never had a single comment blocked. I just haven't made any in awhile.
This state has some terrible judges.
The payoffs from the plaintiffs bar weren't enough for the judge? Rumor for a while has been that his casino debts get paid off by friends of the court.
7:50- They do and Jones county in particular does, which is kind of ironic considering how Republican of a county it is.
A well known family in Wayne County has had him on the payroll for years to keep their son out of trouble with the law. But he did a crime in another county that they can't buy! No telling how many DUI's this kid has - I know of three in Mississippi and one in California - where he was supposed to be drying out at the Betty Ford Clinic. Drug Court in Hattiesburg with a 3 felony DUI county - with Landrum's help, he case would have been wiped clean last December. That is until he was charged with another felony where Landrum can't help! Thank God the Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood's office is keeping a close eye on this case. The folks in Jones sand Wayned County need to step up to the plate and say enough to Labdrum and all the illegal activities such as drugs, etc. that is beig overlooked by Landrum and his thugs! I see the Judicial Performance Commission taking some action in the near future for Landrum.
They need to look at the deeds to his condo he once on the Alabama-Florida coast. An Attorney with a case before Landrum transferred ownsership to him before the case came up in Landrum's court, and yet Landrum did not recuse himself! DIRTY! Downed IRTY! DIRTY!
August 29, 2014 at 7:50 AM said:
"This state has some terrible judges."
While that may be a true statement 7:50 AM, we also have some of the best judges that money can buy!!!
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