Clinton Mayor Phil Fisher welcomed back Clinton police officer Anthony Fox at a press conference today. The presser was vintage Fisher as the former General defended his man while blasting the Hinds County criminal justice system as Fox and his family flanked Mayor Fisher.
Officer Fox did not make any statement nor answer any questions.
Mayor Fisher read aloud the following statement:
Detective Anthony Fox has been released after 551 days of incarnation. The Court of Appeals overturned the Circuit Court’s decision Jan 30th and he finally left jail Feb 7. Many thanks to their decision. Reviewing the entirety of events, and many other events over the last 20 years, I must ask if the innocent can get a fair shake in our county. Many of us have watched as repeated offenders walk free to exploit the population again. We have watched as those with ankle monitors roam the County unsupervised. And every night there seems to be a new horrific crime in our County by those that do not fear prosecution. The problem is not with law enforcement, it is the Judges you elect. Judges should never use their courtroom to pursue a political agenda or to initiate social justice. Doing so removes the blindfold from Lady Justice and tips the scales of Justice against the one very important principle everyone expects from the judicial system. That principle is proving guilt, not proving innocence. Having watched one of the newly re-elected Judges operate in Circuit Court gives me little hope for the future. The very thought of someone like Judge Adrienne Wooten on the Bench should strike terror in the very soul of those that believe in judicial fairness to all. This statement is proven when reading the Court of Appeals reversal. I am amazed at the number of errors made by Judge Wooten. The Court of Appeals found Judge Wooten abused her discretion by improperly disallowing an appropriate jury instruction. While this was the only instance of Judge Wooten’s error that was on review in the appeal, I, and many others that followed this case closely, believe that a review of the trial records clearly show many instances of judicial error and incompetence.
Even a Court of Appeals Judge voting in the dissent stated, “However, I find that the jury was not properly instructed in several respects and would reverse the conviction and remand the matter for a new trial with proper instructions.”
How much more incompetent and mean spirited can a Judge (in this case Wooten) be than to give improper instructions to a jury when a person’s future is at stake. How much stronger could the higher court rebuked any judge’s skills? The Circuit Court Judge hearing the same evidence presented by the DA in the trial of Officers Barney and Lampley threw the case against those officers out before they presented a defense. Why, because the evidence presented by the DA did not prove his case. So, these two outstanding officers were completely exonerated without the defense putting up an argument. The results, with the same evidence, in Detective Fox’s case was the opposite. The Attorney General’s Office, tasked with trying the prosecution case on appeal, disagreed with the DA’s evidence and the Chancery Court findings, and decided against pursing the prosecution in the Court of Appeals. I have never heard of that happening. The Mississippi Court of Appeals overturned the conviction, citing insufficient credible evidence to convict Fox as the basis for their reversal. The Court of Appeals decision to overturn was based on mistakes made by Judge Wooten and the insufficient evidence presented by Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens. I am grateful the Court of Appeals had the courage to right the wrong. Although this nightmare for Detective Fox is over, one must wonder after watching this unfold, if anyone can receive justice from a Hinds County Judge elected to be fair and impartial? One must also ask why, with this lack of judicial support, would anyone go into law enforcement? Moving on, the City of Clinton welcomes Detective Fox back. He was officially rehired at Tuesday night’s Board of Alderman meeting and we looking forward to this outstanding officer return to duty. The City is happy that this great officer is back, helping protect our City. Clinton is a better place with Detective Anthony Fox on duty.
The Mayor was not done as he lacerated Hinds County judges who turn criminals loose while throwing cops in prison. Mayor Fisher said all too often (12:30) that criminals blow off the Clinton Municipal Court because they know they can appeal to County Court where "cases go to die." He said voters complain about crime but elect the same judges and prosecutors.
36 comments:
Hinds county is a cesspool that was created by the people of Hinds county. I mean look at Kenny Stokes. His constituents believe anything that he says, just like the rest of the blind democrats that have taken the justice system to new lows. They have pimped Lady Justice out. Just wait until they are a victim of crime by one of the repeat offenders. It goes back to pure laziness and greed.
Excellent job, Mayor. You said it well. And you wouldn't believe how many of us think the same exact thing.
The Hinds County circuit court has had this coming for years. It’s just a pity that it has taken so long for it to be called out for its incompetence and for its role in keeping the crime problem a real problem.
As a longtime resident of Clinton, I really wish we could secede from Hinds County!
this was one my favorite press conferences maybe ever. the honesty makes you open your eyes wide. you may not like phil but he wont hide how he feels or pussyfoot around an issue.
The main problem with Hinds County voters is that the majority of them are Democrats, and they will vote for the same judges and district attorneys, no matter what. Matt Allen was defeated by Wooten in a runoff in 2018, and we all know why. He would have been the much better choice for circuit court judge.
Refresh my memory - why did Jackson's mayor push to have Anthony Fox prosecuted in the George Robinson incident, & not the two other police officers involved? All had been cleared of wrongdoing by federal authorities, as I recall.
Fox should run faster than the forest fire. Run until you’re out of Hinds county and never return. Rapists and robbers can wait years for their court date. Cops go to the front of the line. Run Fox run. You’re the fox and Wooten, Kidd, Lumumba, reeves and Socrates are the hounds. Run.
This is the kind of racial harmony that makes the Rukia(s) and Jody Owen(s) nervous.
This kind of coming together to support what is right, regardless of skin color, does not bode well for the people that profit from constant shit-stirring.
I've seen zero comments regarding the 4 who did not vote to overturn this conviction. 5 to 4 is a mighty slim margin between freedom and continued incarceration.
What are the thoughts on that?
4:02, try it! Y'all will be welcome to join Madison County!!
The mayor sounds mentally challenged. He may be right, but that was embarrassing.
Same reason Mayor and Davis suspended Terrio for a year after he merely defended himself when Chauncy Reed's brother started shooting at him at a gas station in south Jackson.
Clinton PD will look like the Rankin County Goons in no time. Blindly supporting officers no matter the crimes they commit only leads to escalating abuses. Clinton taxpayers, get ready to pony up for those settlements. This is going to get expensive.
It would be one thing if the appeals court ordered a new trial, but to just toss a unanimous jury verdict and disregard their work on a single vote is troubling.
>How much stronger could the higher court rebuked any judge’s skills?
How about censure and disbarment?
@5:48 - how about a unanimous vote instead of 5-4?
5:42
Define “work”??
Clinton has a good mayor and a good board...even though they don't like each other :) And, they also have some outstanding white citizens and black citizens who have common goals....good schools, good infrastructure and safe neighborhoods. The black folks in Clinton, Ridgeland, Brandon and Madison are living in those communities to get away from the insanity of what is going on in Jackson's city hall.
The only hope for Jackson and Hinds County is for Clinton to do a "hostile takeover" of Jackson.
Must have missed all Phil’s press conferences lamenting the more than several times Jeff Weill was reversed for failing to properly instruct a jury. Yawn.
7:47. LIAR. Jeff was overturned less then the rest of the bench combined. LIAR.
Gosh that was painful to read and listen to, simultaneously. He’s either a terrible speaker or he can’t read that well. If only folks knew how common it is for judges to be reversed on erroneous jury instructions, I’m sure your favorite judge has been reversed for the same. 5-4 is hardly a slam dunk to indicate incompetence on this judge’s part. But carry on.
Hey Mayor, is the system just unfair for Fox or is it unfair for everyone who your officers arrest? Does the average, non officer, defendant get fair and impartial judges? Mayor you realize every felony arrest, innocent defendants included, have to go through the same system? Still outraged?
@5:20 and the other two following - maybe first you ought to learn how to read. Or count, whichever your failing is. Maybe both.
The vote on the Court of Appeals was six to four (6-4 for those with reading deficits), not 5-4.
8:34 six to four, nit five four. And it wasn't on a failed jury instruction, although they did also say they would remand it for that reason also, and with a larger majority there.
@ 9:01 - Is 5-4 the same as five to four? I'm still learning to cypher and stuff. Please clarify.
In any event, it was a slim margin and the question remains the same. Since you've no doubt forgotten the question, here it is again: What are your thoughts on the reason for the slim margin?
If the majority felt so strongly in favor of overturning, why would not the minority? If a point of law is that clear to some, why not to all?
Thank you Mayor (BG, Ret.)) Fisher. Political leaders must follow your actions in criticizing political abuse from the bench. And thank you for leading by example. Rangers Lead the Way!
Jane posted excellent info on the "Fox Freed" post. Copied/pasted below.
“do you have the transcript? Because I do. Those witnesses lied. They lied to the grand jury and they lied at trial. As I stated above, the prosecution did not believe them. The pathologist ONLY ruled it a homicide because he was wrongly told Robinson was assaulted by law enforcement officers based on the liars. So you can quit talking about a beating. The prosecutors don't believe he was beaten. Only the liars and idiots are keeping this false narrative of a beating.”
“There are major ethical issues when a lawyer puts a witness on the stand and knows the witness is lying. That's exactly what the prosecutors did here. They dropped any theory of a beating prior to trial but they put those lying witnesses on anyway and tried to get them to testify that what they saw was a bodyslam. Those prosecutors were not seeking the truth. The entire case was a witch hunt.”
“Ya'll realize that every person released from prison after an investigation exonerated them was convicted by a unanimous jury? Are you really contending that juries NEVER get it wrong? Fox supporters aren't advocates for abuse by police. We want the justice system to be fair for everyone. What you can't understand was that there was no beating. The prosecution did not contend that Robinson was beaten. That is a fact. If you want to argue about that you are proving you don't care one iota about the facts. If you insist on arguing a reality that doesn't exist, your opinion - which you are entitled to have - is completely worthless.”
And as to the Clinton Mayor, well done.
@7:47. Well, if Richard McGahey bad been a Clinton officer, you probably would have seen a similar presser from the mayor condemning the Hinds County DA's office and Judge Weill. Unfortunately, McGahey worked for JPD and the mayor of Jackson could have cared less. If you're not familiar with the case, there are loads of news stories about it.
Richard McGahey found not guilty in bribery trial
I was very familiar with the McGahey case. Like Fox's, the FBI dropped it and the Hinds County DA wouldn't let it go. Same song, different verse.
His conviction may have been overturned, but anyone with sense should not allow this man to wear a badge. Scoring political points will come back to bite Clinton PD.
@2:01. Nah. Fox has always been a good cop. He had a lot of respect in the neighborhoods where he worked. Clinton will be fine. I doubt Fox will stay there forever, though. If I had to guess, he'll eventually jump to Capitol PD. He loved working in Jackson and I think that's where he really wants to be. It wouldn't look good right now considering how Clinton stood by him through all of this.
Mcgahey was indicted by Stanley Alexander from Attorney Generals Office, not Hinds County DA. Hinds County DA’s office actually assisted in the expungement. It was horrible what Jeff Weil prevented the jury from hearing (that the governments only witness had been designated a “liar for money” by two federal agencies and the jury was NOT to know this) Thankfully McGaheys lawyers got it in despite Judge Jeff throwing a screaming fit .
When Stanley Alexander was in the Hinds County DA's office, you could pretty much guarantee he would do something that would get the case reversed on appeal.
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