A TKO may not be a KO but it still counts as a win. Former Jackson State University President William Bynum won his appeal of a prostitution conviction after the arresting officer failed to appear in court. However, his victory might be short-lived as the city of Clinton wants a rematch.
The Clinton police department issued the following statement on July 9, 2020:
A Clinton Municipal judge has sentenced William Bynum in relation to three charges stemming from a February prostitution sting.
Bynum was charged with procuring prostitution, possession of marijuana in a vehicle and statement of false identification to a law enforcement officer.Clinton Municipal Judge Steven Boone handed down the following punishment to Bynum:
- Procuring prostitution: $200 max fine with 6 months in jail suspended and 6 months court watch;
- Possession of Marijuana: $350 (vehicle enhancement) 6 months in jail suspended and 6 months court watch. Both sentences run concurrent;
- False statement of ID: $350 fine
Shonda McCarthy was sentenced to:
- Procuring prostitution: $200 max fine with 6 months in jail suspended and 6 months court watch;
- Possession of Marijuana: $350 (vehicle enhancement) 6 months in jail suspended and 6 months court watch. Both sentences run concurrent.
Bynum and McCarthy pled nolo contendre (no contest) to the charges. Pleading no contest or nolo contendere means you admit no guilt for the crime, but the court can determine the punishment.At the request of counsel, Judge Boone entered a 10 day stay of the order.
Bynum appealed the case to Hinds County Court. The case just sat on the docket for nearly three years until Judge Johnnie McDaniels held a docket call and dismissed the case. Judge McDaniels decreed on August 7:
THIS CAUSE having come before the Court on the motion ore tenus of the City of Clinton, the Court finds that said motion is well taken and therefore granted.
The arresting officer is no longer with the City of Clinton police department and is unwilling or unable to return to testify.
IT IS THEREFORE ordered and adjudged that the above citation for False Statement of I.D., Possession of Marijuana less than 30 gr., and Prostitution, which were appealed from the City of Clinton are hereby dismissed. Any appeal bonds and cost bonds shall be returned to the defendant.
"On Monday August 7th a docket call for all pending appeal cases from the City of Clinton : held in this Court. The undersigned reviewed the case above and determined that the officer :don the case had left employment with the City and was out of state. Based upon the cer's unavailability, said Order of Dismissal was submitted to the Court. Upon further review, there were other officers involved who are available to testify in matter. There is no prejudice to the Defendant as he was not present at said docket call and not sign off on the Order. The City is simply requesting that this case be returned to the trial ket for further proceedings."
Judge McDaniels scheduled a hearing for the motion on September 20 at 9:30.
Stay tuned.
17 comments:
For $10,000 I would also fail to appear.
Not ready for prime time. Wait a few years.
Too bad. The college board needs this fumble to quietly go away. They are in the process of vetting another doofus to run Jackson State into the ground. It's a tough enough problem without this mess shedding light on their "selection process' for JSU presidents.
A college president? With weed on him? Am I the only one left? Are you all, every one of you, smoking weed now?
"A college president? With weed on him? Am I the only one left? Are you all, every one of you, smoking weed now?"
Yes.
Who wants to read all that bullshit? Kingfish sometimes thinks he's sitting in 101 law class over at MC.
Just get to the nutt-cuttin'. PLEASE!
If this patrolman did not show up, the fix is in and the chief and mayor are complicit. No other way to see it.
Also, Miz Altman is cleared, again.
The judge who dismissed the case is a JSU alum. Potential conflict?
In the 21st Century it's ridiculous for prostitution, or solicitation thereof, to be a crime. Just regulate it (including health checks), tax it, and confine it to a zone. Sheesh ...
Bill Dees...sheesh.
Read more, post less.
Bill Dees - Exactly. This is all a carry-over from the Puritans. The politicians who won't support legalization are the ones out getting some strange.
I agree with Dees, make poontang legal and taxed. Do it for the children. The government taxes all kind of stuff, and everybody seems to be just real happy with that.
Bynum "beats it?" Bwa ha ha.
If shadow or Reshadow end up being involved in this. I give up HA
3:36 No conflict. JSU and it's alums wanted to get rid of this IHL stooge in the first place. He was half a scandal looking for the other half.
Claiming prostitution should be legalized is irrelevant. Fact is...it's NOT legal and the law has to be enforced accordingly.
If there was some sort of hearing associated with this 'dismissal' Clinton should have had representation there. That's the point at which the city should have voiced its petition for continuance.
Why do the Clinton police think someone can be “sentenced” to charges? That’s either remarkable sloppiness or concerning ignorance by law enforcement officers of the very basic law enforcement process.
5:34 - 'Clinton police' didn't 'think' anything. What you might find 'concerning ignorance' is the work product of an attorney.
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