Jackson Jambalaya

Right, can't be lack of evidence, has to be malfeasance.

What is abnormal, from a legal standpoint, is Judge Weill's continued efforts to make the DA's office waste time and money by prosecuting cases that have no chance of resulting in conviction. The only person in the county that has prosecutorial discretion is Robert Smith, not Judge Weill. And if I recall, the citizens of Hinds County voted overwhelmingly, despite this site's best efforts, to give Smith that discretion.

Where are the "rather um, interesting" motions? Must have left them beside your sour grapes.

and...he will win the next election too...

One more reason why the City of Jackson has turned into a cesspool!

How is it editorial bias that a judge holds a DA accountable for the same rules as other members of the bar?

I just think you like your side deals kept in the dark, 1:48-2:00.

I smell something in the woodshed

There is no such thing as a habitual offender in Jackson. If you read the newspapers or listen to the news you will see people who have been sentenced to life in prison for murder three separate times out of jail and committing crimes again.

@4:02 that's really cool that you say that, but you're full of it. There's no way someone convicted of murder in the state of Mississippi can be out of prison before the age of 65. (Except in the cases of juveniles after Miller vs. Alabama). But, by all means, keep spouting a bunch of BS. You don't know what you're talking about.

Perhaps you're conflating manslaughter and murder? That's certainly possible. But, if you are, at least say so and become aware that there's a difference between the two.

Or, just be an ignorant gasbag. Your choice.

Not sure what's worse, that idiot Robert Smith being re-elected, or you morons on here defending him. He isn't special. He should be held to the same standards as every other attorney and he doesn't get to decide what orders the Court enters, no matter their substance.

Robert Smith is not just part of the problem with Jackson, he is the BIGGEST part of the problem. Nothing will change while he is in office, and apparently people are too dumb to recognize blatant incompetence.

Right on, 4:16

Kingfish, I'm surprised that you let the 2:15 post get past the filter. Enough said.

Welcome to the new Jackson baby. Get rid of the flag. That should help.

I would have to agree that the DA is one of the BIGGEST problems we have. JPD arrests and RSS drags his feet. Another of our BIGGEST problems is the lack of investigative reporting by the Clarion-Ledger. If more people were made aware of what goes on, then we might stand a chance of electing someone who is not part of the problem.

This drug dealer must have the some serious shit on the DA to get him to do this. Kinda like the Clintons must have had something similar on Biden to keep him from running for POTUS.

How long before Smith really embarrasses Weill? Weill has gotten into litigated fights with the DA, the Public Defenders Office and private defense counsel. After a while, isn't the problem "you"? If Weill refuses to sign Nolle Pros orders, something unheard of in the other 81 counties if for no other reason the Judge shouldn't know the facts of the case, Smith should set the matter for trial, seat a jury, call no witnesses and rest. Case dismissed, County hit for cost of jury, and same result. If Weill has some personal knowledge why the Nolle Pros shouldn't be granted, he should recuse himself from the case.

Ethics this, philosophy that.....blah blah blah blah.... Ideology here, Latin word there............
Just exactly how much money is being put into the back pockets of you lawyers by drug cartels and their mules?
Now, we can't really prove it, but we know what's up. It's been going on for too damn long. EVERYBODY KNOWS. And I'm an advocate for legal cannabis, but until then whiskey will do.
Secularism isn't ruining society, race isn't ruining society, conservatives aren't ruining society, neither are 'liberals'. Nanny state laws are.
I'd love to see the "war on drugs" tally of dough since its inception.

8:48... Are you suggesting judges just sign orders blindly without learning why they should sign? How hard would it be for the DA to include a simple statement in a motion to dismiss or just include the language in the nolle pros order?

That same DA who has the discretion to not prosecute, as you've suggested, also had the discretion to not present the case to a grand jury in the first place. Why is this so hard to explain? It doesn't have to be a novel. I would imagine a sentence or two would do.

What's really amazing is that the DA ignored the judge's order to provide the explanation. In my experience, if you don't agree with a judge's ruling, you appeal it - not ignore it.

Nothing changes in Jackbekistan as long as the Circuiteer jokes like Green and Kidd are only accountable to voters in specific districts. Both know where the bread gets buttered and both know who is hiding the jam.

@10:11
Hey there legal scholar, no discretion to not present to the grand jury when a probable cause determination is made and a Defendant is bound over to the grand jury.

@8:48 - is that you Ogden??

Smith embarrassing Weill ... that's the most ridiculous thing in all of these ridiculous comments.

Could someone please explain to me how this is going to help improve the quality of classroom teaching? This seems to me to be a way to appear to be doing something on education but not really accomplishing anything at all.

8:05, there isn't many people who read the CL. I have posted several times about an article in the CL and no one believes it. Either people are not reading it or have a terrible memory.

9:41, keep the faith. Kingfish posts CL stories from time to time, which is appreciated. I will continue to subscribe, but their investigative reporting has a checkered history. It improved greatly awhile back, but that improvement seems to be fading back.

Speaking of which, this morning's CL has a story about a community meeting in South Jackson about the crime problem, and even the DA is demanding that the "judges" stop allowing perps to walk with low bail. I'm not holding my breath waiting for Judge Green, et al., to change their dangerously lenient ways.

No one has answered the bigger question. Why is the DA, a prosecutor defending a known drug dealer? It is a matter of public record that Butler is a known drug dealer I thought the DA and drug dealers were not supposed to be "there" for each other.

@ 11:17 am

Smith is not defending a drug dealer. He is basically telling the court that there is not enough evidence for a reasonable jury to convict him, therefore, it would be a waste of money and resources to take it to trial.

For those of you who do not work within the legal profession, or criminal justice system, this is very routine. Every DA's office in the country nolle prosequi cases on a regular basis. Weill's refusal is the only thing that makes this unique. Any one can go to Madison or Rankin Circuit Clerk today and find at least 5 motions for nolle prosequi in he last month that were routinely made and granted.

11:53 pm. They most certainly have the discretion to decline to prosecute and dismiss pre-indictment. And if they didn't have PC to begin with, why did they pursue an indictment and how did they get it?

Don't live in Hinds County and don't care what happens. I'm viewing this purely from an academic standpoint. I'm not buying all this "The DA's protecting drug dealers" conspiracy theory bs either. My guess for the real reason the judge has dug his heels in is that when KF or some other watchdog starts looking at pre trial dismissals, somebody is going to say, "Why is the judge letting these drug dealers go?" You and I would agree that is the DA's business who to prosecute, not the judges.

No doubt a nolle pros is routine. I ask again... Where is the harm in the DA explaining why he is dismissing?

(1) He might not have enough evidence to make his case. Acceptable

(2) He might be following in the footsteps of our former Mayor, the youngsters
swimming teacher, and only wants to arrest and/or prosecute those drug dealers that aren't his. Frankie put up billboards about roughly half of the major dealers in town - amazing which ones never got their mug up for all to see. From the rumors that have been floating around about the DA's office, my bet goes to these guys might be doing a little business with some of the folks in that part of the county complex.

I practice law in Judge Weil's Court. I have had him refuse to dismiss a case even though the State admitted they didn't have the evidence to go forward. A judge is supposed to "fair and impartial". If the State says they want to drop the case and obviously the defense doesn't oppose how in the world does a "neutral" judge not grant the motion? Also, all Nolle Pross orders give a boiler plate reason. Why does the "neutral" Judge need a drawn out explanation? It's none of his business.

A fair judge works both ways. If the judge realizes that a defendent is not getting adequate representation, the judge should deal with the situation and get proper defense provided. By the same token if the judge realizes that the state is not getting adequate prosecution the judge should make sure that the public is protected as well.

If the DA is not prosecuting - for whatever reason - then a 'fair judge' would take steps to insure that the accused gets a fair trial but that also the public gets its interests represented as well.

I work within the Hinds County criminal justice system and it is improper that Jeff Weill refuses to Nolle Pros cases. He requires an "explanation?" Why? The judge does not determine whether a case merits prosecution or not.

Having said that, why is Robert Smith personally invoved in this case? As everyone knows, he hasn't prosecuted or tried many cases over his 8 years. So why this one? Hmm.

Now he is fighting with Judge Green. I know many readers of this site are not fans of hers but in this instance she is correct. An attorney cannont slander the court in the media like that. He has obviously has no evidence for this. He saw the blame going his way from Lee Vance and he tried to use her as the scapegoat.

Doesn't all his erratic behavior seem odd? Judge Weill and now Judge Green?

8:02, it isn't slander and she isn't a scapegoat if it is true. If it isn't true she should take him to court. If it is true she will not take him to court. Want to make any bets?

8:02. Sounds like withdrawal symptoms to me. Wonder if that's why he is anxious to nolle pros this case. Hmm.

Where is the Judge Greene coverage? She sets $5000 bonds for murders. $5,000 bond means a murder only has to put up $500 to get out of jail.

But those $5000 bonds are only going to those who feel bad. They are too sick to be put in jail even though they are in good enough shape to kill other people.

The judge is not there to bolster or help the State with their case, nor is he there to bolster, help, or damage the defendant's case. He is supposed to be the neutral person in the courtroom. He is to rule upon only evidence that is produced in the courtroom. If he wants to be the District Attorney or the attorney for the defendant, he should step down off the bench.