Disgraced former Vicksburg Mayor Paul Winfield is trying to get his bribery conviction overturned even though he pleaded guilty to the crime over ten years ago.
A federal grand jury indicted Winfield for bribery in February 2013. An FBI agent's affidavit in the criminal complaint stated:
On July 17, 2012, a Confidential Human Source (CHS) spoke with Winfield on the telephone and asked for a meeting to discuss pre-event disaster contracts for the City of Vicksburg. Winfield agreed to meet the CHS the following day at a restaurant in Jackson, Mississippi.
On July 18, 2012, the CHS met with Winfield at a restaurant in Jackson, Mississippi. After dinner, Winfield and the CHS met inside the CHS’s vehicle and the CHS asked Winfield what would need to be done in order for the CHS’s company to get the pre-event disaster contract. Winfield responded “Ten” and held up ten fingers, signifying $10,000. The CHS asked Winfield if the CHS could pay $5,000 now and $5,000 once the contract was awarded. Winfield agreed and the CHS paid Winfield $5,000 (fifty $100 bills) in United States Currency. Earlier that day, the CHS had been given $5,000 by the FBI in the event that the CHS was solicited for a bribe from Winfield.
On August 9, 2012, Winfield contacted the CHS via telephone and told the CHS that Winfield had $4,300 in taxes due and was “in a bind.” Winfield asked if the CHS could advance Winfield “something” to help Winfield pay the tax bill. The CHS asked if Winfield was asking for an advance on the second $5,000 payment, to which Winfield stated “Yes.” Winfield told the CHS that the deal would remain the same, meaning that the CHS would still receive the pre-event disaster contract.
On August 17, 2012, the CHS met with Winfield in Natchez, Mississippi, in the parking lot of a McDonald’s restaurant. Winfield entered the CHS’s vehicle. The CHS gave Winfield $2,000 in United States currency and asked if another $3,000 would be enough. Winfield stated “Yes.” The CHS then promised Winfield another $3,000 after the pre-event disaster contract was awarded. Earlier that day, the CHS had been given $2,000 by the FBI for the purpose of paying the bribe that Winfield had solicited.
Winfield pleaded guilty to one count of bribery in November 2013. U.S. District Judge David Bramlette, III sentenced Winfield to serve 25 months in prison while fining him $5,000.
Fast forward to 2025. Winfield filed a motion to vacate his conviction on June 25. The defendant argues:
(5) Grounds raised: The grounds were based upon Winfield being charged, indicted and convicted for a crime that was nonexistent. Winfield was indicted for allegedly committing bribery. Facing a baffling array of charges and significant penalties, the mayor pled guilty-even though the indictment did not detail how he undertook an official act(s) or describe with particularity what official act(s) he could have undertaken in pursuit of the alleged bribery, or describe the business, transaction, or series of transactions purported to have been influenced. Nor did the indictment describe what "thing of value" the mayor received, nor whom he received it from or for what reasons.
Attorney Dennis Sweet, III represents Winfield.
20 comments:
This is an insult to everyone with a brain! He is saying he pled guilty to a theft he had nothing to do with. Rot in jail and quit insulting our intelligence.
I am stil amazed that people continue to hire Dennis Sweet. Does anyone recall the last time he won a case?
response should be holding up one (1) finger
These people have no shame.....
Filing it ten years later with Dennis Sweet as your lawyer - 0% chance of success.
to the moron at 9;04.......which dennis sweet? there is more than one.
and just for the tally books dennis sweet , and his son dennis sweet III have won more cases than mississippi has rednecks.
In "magic jurisdictions" or jurisdictions where he's paid local preachers to push his agenda. But one of the laziest lawyers ever.
To the unapproved comment, n what the hell are you talking about?
Sweetness has won a case or two in his day. You give him the right judge and the right jury and the right facts and he can do some damage.
He heard Shaun's ad. Just because you did it, doesn't mean you're guilty.
you are really dumb
Remember, Jerry, it's not a lie if you believe it.
"Winning" in Hinds county circuit courts should count for half. At best.
I could believe that...if you were only counting Hinds county.
9:04 and 9:41 you're delusional and/or completely uninformed. Dennis Sweet has won more cases and obtained more large jury verdicts than any lawyer in the State of Mississippi. Love him or hate him, the man is one hell of a lawyer. Just ask any one of the many lawyers he has completely destroyed. I offer this opinion from first-hand knowledge.
When he is on his game, he is pretty damn good.
$10,000? That's chump change. He obviously wasn't tutored by Chowke (right?) and Rukia (pay your taxes).
Dennis is a great lawyer. But he keeps some odd company.
3:14 who gives a damn about the “company” he keeps. Whatever that means. Dennis Sweet is simply a superb lawyer. What sort of “company” do you keep? I don’t think he needs your permission or approval for his choice of “company.”
So, the former mayor wants to have his conviction removed, I would like to have my bootlegging conviction from 52 years ago removed, also. I will see how that works for him.
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