Attorney General Jim Hood issued the following press release.
Hinds County District Attorney Indicted on Four Charges
Attorney General Jim Hood announced today that a Rankin County Grand Jury has indicted Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith on two felony and two misdemeanor charges.
Smith, 45, of Jackson, is charged with two misdemeanor counts of simple domestic violence and two felony counts of (1) aggravated stalking and (1) robbery. These were filed as two separate indictments.
Christie Edwards, who is described in the indictment as having a former relationship with Smith, reported the alleged assault to the FBI, who then turned the case over to the Attorney General’s Office for prosecution. The indictment, which was filed May 25, states Edwards claimed Smith put her in fear of harm by pointing a firearm at her and making threatening comments. She also claimed he threw her against a counter. These crimes were reported to our office after news coverage began on the Hinds County cases. The victim has previously reported the crimes to the FBI.
Smith turned himself in to the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department Tuesday and was released on his own recognizance with a signature bond. Smith waived arraignment, and a trial date has been set for October 23.
The case is being investigated by Lee McDivitt and will be prosecuted by Special Assistant Attorney General Robert Anderson.
As with all cases, a charge is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
26 comments:
Jim: get a hold of your people. This is insane. They are making you look like a bag of ass.
12:07 - Did you miss the part where the woman reported these criminal activities to the FBI and they subsequently turned the matter over to Hood's office?
I'll assume you're either a speed reader or can't read, one or the other, so you get the benefit of the doubt for about five seconds.
Even a jury in Rankin County will not be able to convict him based on this thin evidence.
many persons report activity to the FBI, which commonly then refers the matter to state authorities. that circumstance, by itself, means nothing.
Looks like the Tot's and/or the eyebrow's are out in force against Hood
More evidence that Hood isn't running for Governor.
Crucify him! Crucify him! Crucify him!
7:19 - Actually what it means is when a criminal complaint is reported to or filed with the FBI and is then turned over to the appropriate agency for whatever action they deem appropriate, it would be unwise for that agency to simply ignore it. Welcome to the dumbass club.
If Hood had ignored the referral or had given it the 'I can't investigate family' brushoff, you people would be all over his ass eventually for not acting on it. I despise the man and his personal politics but it seems to me he's doing his job in this case.
It looks like Shawn O'Hara will finally get my vote in 2019.
I cannot see myself voting for Tater Covfefe or Jim Hood.
Pitiful that neither political party cannot come up with better choices.
So Hood and Co. jumped right on it, almost two years after it allegedly occurred. Indictment signed one day after Hood and Co. couldn't convict Christopher Butler. Coincidence perhaps.
Definitely sounds like their out to get him for anything. But, the commernitty of Hinds County love him, they don't care, and will vote him back in if he decides to run.
If you never convict your voters, they'll always re-elect you.
Or a ridiculously low bond, a No Bill, Time served, released for not having their initial hearing in a timely manner..or paper work just mysteriously disappears..
Yada yada yada...Bla, Bla, bla..
Maybe residence in another state will ease your pain 8:43.
7:51 am is wrong. Hood knows he'll get a huge percentage of Black votes just by having the D. This is a play for White votes.
Why couldn't the Rankin DA prosecute?
I cannot see myself voting for Tater Covfefe
Wow! Up to the minute (and pretty damned funny)!
>tip of hat<
Everyone lamenting the delay in the complaint: let's assume the acts alleged in the indictment are true. The DA of the largest county in Mississippi pushes a woman against a counter, points a gun at her, and makes threatening comments. So where does she go to complain? Don't you think maybe she'd be scared and think no one would believe her. Then things change, and circumstances make it such that maybe people will be more willing to believe her, and she files her complaint with the FBI.
Unable to process Covfefe. Translate from French please.
Jim, I'll translate your comment: Jim Hood is playing a blatant race card to solicit white votes.
Thanks for stopping by Jim. Always good to hear a liberal Donkeycrat honestly call the balls and strikes!
Smith had a baby with a woman years ago and there were allegations then that he used some strong arm tactics to deprive her of custody. Anyone remember the specifics?
I bet he claims self defense. "If I hadn't taken the gun away she would have shot me. She attacked me and I restrained her and told her in no uncertain terms to settle down." Then it is he-said / she-said. His and her demeanor on the stand and any character information that could get introduced would go a long way in convincing the jury. Is it a crazy woman who assaulted a district attorney who defended himself but chose not to prosecute her? Or is it a crazy man who abused the power of his office to scare and threaten a current/ex girlfriend? It seems like it could go either way. Surely there is more evidence than her testimony.
@11:05
She runs to the FBI, which has zero jurisdiction. Not to whatever Rankin LE agency would have jurisdiction, not a one of which would care a whit that Smith was Hinds DA. But, assuming they wouldn't do anything why not go to AG office? They have a whole division of Domestic Vioence. All that aside, why almost 2 years? No non massive white collar crime takes 2 years to investigate, especially something that consists of he said/she said. And why isn't Guest's office, or Richard Wilson's or whatever municipality's prosecutor for that matter not prosecuting this? There are way too many unusual occurrences in this whole thing. Everybody put aside there like, dislike, whatever of Smith and look at this for what it really is.
Does anyone here think this ever comes to light if Smith had been convicted last go round?
I'd go to the FBI as well...if I was afraid no local authorities would take me seriously or investigate my claim. What's the issue with that?
The FBI is totally giving a pass to corruption in Madison County, but, otherwise, I guess I'd run to them too.
Did somebody say 'Eyebrows Smith' "had a baby with some woman". I'm flabbergasted. Wait...Shep Smith also has a child.
If a woman went to any law enforcement agency in this state, or any county prosecutor or DA, or the AG, or any non-profit advocacy group, and told them she was the victim in a domestic situation 2 years ago they would have likely told her that too much time had passed to do anything about it. This is all too odd, the story is leaked, camera crews are positioned and then 2 year old very iffy charges are brought.
but, 6:17, the flaw in your scenario is the suggestion that she waited two years to report it. She reported it two years ago when it occurred.
And what, pray tell, makes the charges 'iffy'? Are they iffy because you don't like the timeline or because you don't like Hood or because you don't like democrats.
He's got problems in that venue.
11:05 PM If it was actually reported 2 years ago it should have moved forward at that time.
6:04 - Smith's lawyer would have gotten two years worth of continuances anyway. So, now he's had that same amount of time to get his shit together.
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