Jackson Jambalaya

Correction: Post stated Dennis Sweet, III, Esq. represents defendants.  Mr. Sweet represents Robinson's family in a civil suit filed against Fox, Lampley, and Barney. 

Former JPD officer Anthony Fox accused accused District Attorney Jody Owns of hiding a video tape that will clear him of a second-degree murder indictment in a motion to dismiss that was filed Monday in Hinds County Circuit Court. 

A Hinds County grand jury indicted former JPD officers Lincoln Lampley, Anthony Fox, and Desmond Barney for second-degree murder in the death of 62 year-old George Robinson as they searched for a murder suspect.  The family sued the officers as well.  Attorney Dennis Sweet, III represents the Robinson family. 

The three JPD officers encountered Robinson during a search on Jones Street for a suspect in the murder of Pastor Anthony Longino.  Two men killed the pastor as he opened the doors to his church on Sunday morning on January 13, 2019. The death outraged city. There was much pressure on JPD to find the killers. Earlier post. *

The three police officers allegedly pulled Robinson out of his vehicle and arrested him on a misdemeanor charge. Witnesses said police struck Robinson in the head with a flashlight. Family members told WAPT that UMMC doctors said Robinson died of head trauma. Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart ruled his death was a homicide after he died of blunt-force trauma to the head.  Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens obtained indictments for second-degree murder against the three men in August 2020.  The indictment charges the defendants: 

 used physical force on George Robinson, causing George Robinson's death, which included physically removing him from his vehicle, body slamming George Robinson head first into the roadway pavement as well as striking and kicking George Robinson multiple times in the head and chest, all acts, whether occurring individually and/or cumulatively, that were eminently dangerous to George Robinson and evincing a depraved heart, regardless of human life, all occurring within the jurisdiction of this court. Earlier post and copy of indictment.

However, Hinds County Circuit Judge Faye Peterson dismissed the indictments against Barney and Lampley in May 2021.  The District Attorney criticized the decision and said he would still prosecute Fox.  

Fox's motion to dismiss states the District Attorney gave provided files to the defendant as part of discovery in September 2020.  Fox's lawyer claims he discovered in October 2021 that District Attorney Owens called Clinton Police Chief Ford Hayman the day before the grand jury indicted Fox.  Clinton police hired Fox and Lampley before they were indicted. They are still employed at Clinton PD.  Chief Hayman stated in an affidavit: 

Shortly before Officers Anthony Fox and Desmond Barney were indicted,  Hinds County DA Investigator Derrick Jordan contacted me saying that District Attorney Jody Owens would call me shortly. DA Owens contacted me via cell phone and during a brief conversation  mentioned that his office would be indicting two (2) officers employed by the Clinton Police Department. DA Owens identified the officers as Anthony Fox and Desmond Barney and said that they would be indicted the following day, by a Hinds County Grand Jury.

DA Owens stated that he had evidence, a tape or video, of the officers beating George Robinson and that he had a statement from a deposition of Anthony Fox admitting to beating George Robinson  in the head with a flashlight. He informed  me that he was using this evidence to indict the officers for the murder of George Robinson. I thanked DA Owens for his call and we ended the call.

The motion states "no such items of evidence" have been provided to Fox.  Fox asks the Court to dismiss the indictment or disqualify the District Attorney. 

Fox filed a motion to disqualify the District Attorney for a conflict of interest Monday as well.  Fox is now a Clinton Police Officer.  The motion states the D.A. is attacking Fox's credibility in in his criminal case while using his testimony in other cases.  Fox said he will call seven JPD officers as witnesses of the arrest or Robinson's physical condition after the arrest.  The motion argues: 

the HCDA cannot accuse these officers of lying in this case and then put them on the stand as credible, truthful witnesses in other criminal cases.

 A hearing will be held on the motions on April 8 at 1 PM.  The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Adrienne Wooten. 

Kingfish note: Fox's motion for summary judgment in the civil case provides much more information about what took place that night.  JJ reported on April 2, 2021: 

The defendants filed a motion for summary judgment yesterday.   The motion states the only injury Robinson suffered that night was a "minor abrasion" on his face.  They argue under qualified immunity, the estate did not prove the defendants used excessive force on Robinson. 

A memorandum in support of the summary judgment motion states Officer Fox observed a possible drug transaction taking place.  A woman standing next to Robinson's car handed money to him as he sat behind the wheel.  The woman fled while Robinson stuck his hand between the seat and center console.  Officer Fox told him to stop and show his hands.  Robinson allegedly refused to comply.  The memorandum states: 

When Mr. Robinson failed to comply, Officer Fox for his safety made the decision to remove Mr. Robinson from the vehicle.²³ Officer Fox opened the driver’s side door and grabbed Mr. Robinson by his elbow.²⁴ Mr. Robinson then twisted his body toward the center console pulling Officer Fox partially into the vehicle.²⁵ Mr. Robinson did this so that he could use both hands to try to gain possession of whatever he was trying to get...

The officers told him to stop reaching. They pulled him out of the car when he would not comply.  The narrative continues: 

After getting Mr. Robinson out of the vehicle, Mr. Robinson was clutching his left hand to his chest tight with his right hand on top.³⁵ Mr. Robinson went to his knees and then to the ground while being held by Officers Lampley and Fox.³⁶ While on the ground, Mr. Robinson continued clutching with his hands held tightly together underneath him.³⁷ At some point, Officer Barney assisted with trying to gain control of Mr. Robinson’s hands.³⁸ Mr. Robinson resisted while working to get his hands to his mouth.³⁹ Mr. Robinson was tucking his head to try and get his mouth closer to his hands.⁴⁰ Despite the efforts of all three Officers, Mr. Robinson was ultimately successful in getting his hand to his mouth swallowing whatever he had.

The officers claim they did not beat Robinson and that he only suffered "a minor superficial abrasion above his right eye."  They called an ambulance even though Robinson told them not to do so.   AMR personnel treated the abrasion and JPD field-released Robinson.   He allegedly showed no signs of slurred speech, stumbling, or other visible signs of a brain injury.  He returned to his hotel room on Highway 80.  An ambulance was called to the room three hours later when he became unresponsive.  

AMR records state paramedics were called to the hotel at 11:15 that night.  The report states:

Arrived on scene to 62 yo male lying in bed.  Patient has a chief complaint of head injury post blunt trauma... Patient also has haematomas to the right side of the forehead.  Wife on scene states patient stated earlier that he was resisting arrest and obtained an abrasion to the forehead.  Wife further states patient began to complain of a severe headache.  Wife states patient collapsed on the bed and began to display seizure like activity.  Wife on scene is too hysterical to obtain any further information on the patients.

An examination revealed he had blood pressure of 215/90 and tested positive for cocaine.  He died due to a subdural hemorrhage.  The defendants state the only visible physical injury was the small abrasion by the eye.  There were no broken bones, bruises, or swelling.  However, the deceased did take two blood thinner medications that made bleeding much easier.  He also suffered from diabetes. 

 UMC records state  Robinson had a "2cm superficial abrasion 2 cm above R eyebrow and a 1.5 cm superficial abrasion 2 cm lateral to R eye.   No other lacerations or abrasions noted to head." The records also stated an emergent right craniotomy was performed.   The description of findings (p.13) state there was an arterial frontal bleeder, clot.  The AMR report states Robinson only had a small, superficial abrasion near his eye.  

Robinson passed away at the hospital.  

The autopsy reported contusions and subarachnoid hemorrhage.  However, the defendants claim the autopsy report was issued without an actual examination of the body and has several errors.  They charge none of the injuries reported in the autopsy were reported in the UMC CT scans.   A craniotomy performed at UMC caused the injuries mentioned in the autopsy.  They claim he was at a higher risk of  bleeding to death internally due to his medications, pre-existing conditions, and drug use.  

 Robinson was treated for a stroke at UMC in December 2018.   Dr. Timothy Usey stated in an affidavit that Robinson tested positive for meth and cocaine at his December visit to the hospital.