Tuesday, August 23, 2016

D.A. charges A.G. had him arrested as a pre-emptive stike

Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith turned up the heat on Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood last Friday.  The D.A. accused the Attorney General of arresting him because two of the A.G.'s prosecutors feared the D.A. was going to seek an indictment against them from a Hinds County grand jury.  Mr. Smith was arrested in June on six misdemeanor counts of improperly helping defendants and using a grand jury to intimidate a Circuit Court judge.


The D.A. made these allegations against the A.G. in a response filed in the County Court of Hinds County last week.
The A.G. had asked the Court to consolidate all proceedings under one judge. The A.G. also requested the Court stay all proceedings in the criminal prosecution of Mr. Smith until a "motion concerning the grand jury" was resolved (One can probably presume that the A.G. is seeking an indictment against the D.A. since he raised the point that he had to be indicted if the A.G. wanted to prosecute him.).

Mr. Smith argued that the Attorney General could not obtain an indictment against Mr. Smith because the prosecutors are prejudiced against him:

2. The Mississippi Attorney General cannot obtain a valid indictment because he is prejudiced against Smith. The accused is entitled to have a Grand Jury directed by a prosecutor whose advice is restricted to “matter of law, sufficiency of service and proper dispatch of the public business. Neither the court nor [a prosecutor] can say to the grand jury that the facts, as shown by the evidence, are sufficient to authorize them to find a bill... The “duties and powers bestowed upon the District Attorney by law, vest that official with substantial control of grand jury proceedings, requiring the exercise of completely impartial judgment and discretion.” People v. DiFalco, 44 N.Y.2d 482, 487 (New York, 1978)(NEW YORK CITY????)

The Mississippi Attorney General arrested Smith and seeks to indict Smith not because of any good-faith belief Smith has committed any crime, but because two Assistant Attorney Generals feared that they were about to be indicted. See, Affidavit of Jamie McBride, Exhibit “C.”

The State should be allowed only a reasonable time to obtain a valid indictment, and Smith requests a speedy trial, to which he is entitled by the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution. (Speedy trial? The irony)

Mr. Smith also opposed consolidating the various cases under one Judge because he said the Mississippi Supreme Court made the assignments and thus made its will known.



The D.A. pulled another arrow from his quiver and fired an affidavit from one of his prosecutors at the Attorney General. Assistant District Attorney Jamie McBride alleged in an affidavit submitted with the D.A.'s response that the two A.G. prosecutors contacted him:


2. During my employment I met, worked with and developed a friendship with Patrick Beasley, Esq. and Shaun Yurkturan, Esq., who also served as Hinds County Assistant District Attorneys. Both Patrick Beasley and Shaun Yurkturan had terminated their employment with the Hinds County District Attorney's Office, and in the Fall of the year of 2015, both were employed as Special Assistant Attorney General's with the Mississippi Attorney General's Office. I have maintained contact with Patrick Beasley and Shaun Yurkturan since they left the employ of the Hinds County District Attorney's Office.

3. A previously empaneled Hinds County Grand Jury was meeting in June of 2016. Late Friday afternoon, immediately prior to the week the June Grand Jury was to be recalled, I received a telephone call from Patrick Beasley. Patrick was very concerned and asked me if I had any knowledge that my office was going to be seeking a criminal indictment against him. I told him that he knew I could not tell him anything regarding what was going to be presented to the grand jury. Patrick told me that he was concerned that he would be arrested and needed to know if was going to need to get legal counsel and a bondsman. I told him that I had no knowledge about him being criminally prosecuted. He then told me that he had heard from a very reliable source that he was going to be indicted and that it was going to be in connection with the State v. Christopher Butler case. I told Patrick that I had participated in a meeting earlier that day, that I believed I was aware of Robert's concerns regarding the Butler case and that to my knowledge none of those concerns had anything to do with him. Present at the meeting to which I was referring were myself, District Attorney Robert Smith, Assistant District Attorney Ivon Johnson, another Assistant District Attorney and a District Attorney's Investigator.

4. Later over the weekend I received a telephone call from Shaun Yurkturan. Shaun was also concerned that Robert Smith planned to seek a criminal prosecution against him. He like Patrick told me that he had heard from a reliable source that our office was going to present evidence seeking an indictment against both he and Patrick. I told him that I had no knowledge that he, Shaun Yurkturan, was being criminally prosecuted.

5. I received a second phone call from Patrick on either the following Monday or Tuesday. He was again very concerned that our office intended to seek a criminal indictment against him. He reiterated that he had heard the same from a very reliable source. I told him again that I him that I had no knowledge about him being criminally prosecuted .

6. Subsequent to Robert Smith's arrest I reported to him the conversation I had with Patrick and Shaun as set forth herein above.
The Court dismissed without prejudice several motions and said the Attorney General could submit them to Judge Roberts:

*Motion to disqualify Jim Waide as Mr. Smith's counsel.
*Motion to disqualify Mr. Smith and his prosecutors from attending the Hinds County grand jury

Stay tuned. 

Kingfish note: That was the news, now for some commentary.  It is not illegal to ask a prosecutor if his office is presenting a case to the grand jury.  Many reporters would be thrown in jail if such would the case as well as a few spouses.  The D.A. is probably trying to use the affidavit to show that the A.G. was prosecuting the D.A. in bad faith. In other words, the A.G. had him arrested so he couldn't attempt to indict Mr. Hood's prosecutors thus the arrest was a pre-emptive strike against the D.A.

Then there is the Clarion-Ledger, which can't seem to get basic facts correct.  Mollie Bryant reported last Friday:

 Before the Hinds County grand jury was to meet in June, Assistant Attorneys General Patrick Beasley and Shaun Yurkturan called Assistant District Attorney Jamie McBride with concerns that Smith's office could be planning to prosecute them, according to his affidavit notarized on Thursday. Both Beasley and Yurkturan previously worked at the district attorney’s office and joined the attorney general’s office last fall. McBride said his conversations with Beasley and Yurkturan took place before Smith's arrest.

Actually, no Mollie.  Mr. Beasley joined the Attorney General's office in 2010, shortly after he concluded the prosecution of Karen Irby as a Hinds County Assistant District Attorney.  Mr. Yurkturan began working for the Attorney General over 18 months ago and left several months ago.  Neither one of them "joined the Attorney General's office last fall."  This error was communicated to the editor but no corrections were made to the story.   A simple search of the newspaper's archives would have shown earlier stories reporting prosecutions by these two attorneys.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

This error was communicated to the editor but no corrections were made to the story. A simple search of the newspaper's archives would have shown earlier stories reporting prosecutions by these two attorneys.

If you don't do the research for them the C-L staff sure as hell isn't going to do it. It is a 'wing it' operation.

Anonymous said...

Is this CL error significant to the story? Understand getting facts straight but trying to see if it makes a difference.

Also, RSS is making a big deal about not having been indicted by a Grand Jury. Would some knowledgeable barrister opine on whether a grand jury indictment is required for these specific misdemeanor charges.

Anonymous said...

the statute defining the offense provides that it can only be prosecuted by a grand jury indictment. it is specific to this alleged offense and does not apply to any other misdemeanor offenses. my assumption is that it to prevent exactly what Jim Hood did in this case. my question is why has no indictment been obtained at this point in time?


JD 1980

Anonymous said...

Is this CL error significant to the story? Understand getting facts straight but trying to see if it makes a difference.

Feel free to decide for yourself while others do the same. But rest assured we don't need you to determine if it makes a difference for us.

someoneinnorthms said...

When Jimmy Hood erroneously prosecuted Jeremy Martin for campaign finance violations, he sought an indictment even though it was a misdemeanor. Of course, it seemed that Jimmy thought it was a felony based on his comments that he would send Jeremy to Parchman. I think Jimmy doesn't really read the law much.

North MS rednecks suck said...

He may not 5:35, but some smart MOFO's work for him. Hold your breath. You are hearing from one side. The thunder will roll. Trust me on that.

Anonymous said...

6:47. Spot on. This is going to be fun. And the circle will get bigger. Can you spell Chris's Epps?

5th grade english teacher said...

Chris's ?? Obviously you can't, 7:29

Anonymous said...

8:11. You spelled it DH.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't Yurtkuran RSS campaign manager for first term? I thought those two were thick as thieves?

Anonymous said...

Yurtkuran was the one who was a runner for Richie Schwartz, got hired by RSS, and after a few years bragged that he had tried 100s of trials when ain't no hundreds of trials TOTAL in that courthouse.

Anonymous said...

Probably will turn out like the Epps deal. Has anyone ever spent the night in jail yet on the whole Epps thing? We hear a lot of people are crooks but they are still walking the streets.

Anonymous said...

RSS be gaspin at skraws.


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.