The killer of Bradley Dew is free. Yes, free. Free to walk the streets. Free to laugh. Free to kill again. Lamar Phillips is free thanks to the Mississippi Parole Board, even though he killed not one but two people. Dew was a star football player at Millsaps, gunned down for fun as he drove home from work late one night in 1992. The case has been nothing but a series of outrages as the police, law, and Parole Board all worked together to deny justice to his family.
Former Hinds County Assistant District Attorney Cynthia Speetjeens prosecuted Phillps and was outraged when she learned of Phillip's parole. "I'm horrified. I'm just horrified. It was as senseless a murder as I've ever dealt with. The victim was a remarkable young man. It was cruel, it was evil. I just can not fathom what could have caused anyone to think Lama Phillips was worthy (of parole). I don't know how this guy should be paroled," protested Ms. Speetjeens.
Heralding from east Tennessee, the 21 year-old Dew was an outstanding linebacker for the Millsaps Majors on the gridiron while earning academic honors in his studies. Dew worked at the Mosquito Grill on Millsaps Avenue. As he drove home on West Street after getting off work at midnight on June 6, 1992, Lamar and Cedric Morris decided to use Dew for target practice with a .32 pistol. They were even sporting enough to take turns using the same gun. A dying Dew crashed into a yard while Phillips and Morris went their merry way. Phillips fired the fatal bullet. He was only 20 years old.
Phillips killed another person several days later.
In what can only be described as typical for JPD, the police said Dew was not a victim of foul play but must have been on drugs and fallen asleep at the wheel (You read that correctly). While JPD smeared Dew, Phillips bragged about his trophy killing. Thankfully, Dew had some friends who showed their true mettle when it counted most.
Blair Sherman and Jason McGonagill went to the wrecker's yard to examine the vehicle. Their worst fears were confirmed as they found multiple bullet holes in the 1990 Mazda pick-up truck. Their discovery forced JPD to investigate with more than a little bit of egg on its face. JPD arrested Phillips and Morris, charging them with murder. Phillips later blamed rap music, weed, and alcohol for causing him to kill that night.
The two men pleaded guilty to murder and received life sentences in 1993. Someone convicted of first-degree or capital murder and sentenced to life is not eligible for parole* today but such was not the case back in 1993 as the killers were eligible for parole after only ten years. Yup, in 1993, life meant 10 years.
The possibility of a short sentence for Phillips and Morris outraged all. Dr. Richard Dew, Bradley's father and a physician in Oliver Springs, TN, said "Justice is not being done here today. There is an eternal justice waiting where there are no lawyers, no plea-bargaining, no deals, and no parole. I think it's absurd that someone can blow someone away just for the hell of it and be able to get out in 10 years. It makes no sense to me."
The Clarion-Ledger chimed in a March 25, 1993 editorial: "That a person can wantonly kill two people in six days and walk away eligible for parole in 10 years is a sickening indictment against our ciminal justice system.... It says "life is cheap." (The editorial is posted below.)
The furor caused the legislature to tighten the law to make life mean life for convicted murderers. Unfortunately, the new law does not apply to Morris and Phillips.
The Mississippi Parole Board released Morris on December 8, 2008. Earlier post.
The Parole Board released Phillips on March 20, 2025 while no one was looking. The ever-gracious Dr. Dew said he received a notification about the hearing but did not attend. Phillips received a parole hearing every 18 months in what can only be described as a twisting of the knife for victims' families in the criminal justice system. Dr. Dew said he went to the first "13 or so" hearings but stopped going and trusted the Board to keep Phillips behind bars for the rest of his life as his feelings about parole were well-known to the Board.
Dr. Dew dedicated his life to honoring his son. He wrote a book, When Sorrow Comes, that is still available on Amazon. Dr. Dew authored several more books as well. He served on the board of Compassionate Friends, an organization dedicated to helping families deal with the grief of losing a loved one.
Bradley's best friend named his daughter "Bradley" in honor of his fallen friend. He said it was amazing how many people thought of Bradley as their best friend.
Tragedy struck the Dews several years ago when they lost their home to wildfires several years ago. Fleeing with little more than the dog and what they had on their backs, they lost everything, including family pictures. All that remains of Bradley Dew is one precious picture his family still has.
Kingfish note: That was the news, now for the opinion. Outrage upon outrage has been visited upon the family of Bradley Dew. Two animals murdered him in cold blood. JPD smeared him before it was held to account. Earlier post. The Mississippi Legislature failed the Dew family by making it possible for a double killer to be eligible parole after only serving ten years in prison. The JFP called his death an urban myth. Now the Parole Board has committed the final outrage as it tramples on the Dew family.
The media will likely ignore this story. It is not worthy of the attention of Jerry Mitchell. The young cubs at the Clarion-Ledger probably won't show any interest in a story that dominated its headlines. It just goes to show catch and release is alive and well in Mississippi and that, my friends, is the bottom line.
* The killer can petition the court for release if he is at least 65 years old and served 15 years of his sentence.
 |
| September 4, 1990 |
 |
| June 9, 1992 |
 |
| May 20, 1993 |
 |
| May 21, 1993 |
56 comments:
Who cares. Shut the fuck up white boy
The death of Brad Dew, a Mosquito employee and Millsaps honor student, was too traumatic for the close-knit community to survive and too frightening for the patrons to ignore. His wrecked, bullet-pocked car was found one night after he closed the club and then failed to meet his friends at W.C. Dons. The story obtained urban-myth status, and even now, details are muddled.
The fix was in.
Shout out to Cynthia Speetjens!
The original news articles are at bottom of post.
@11:26 pure trash
As I've heard many times, there is no justice until those unaffected by crime are as indignant as those who are. As one who has been through the victim process of violent crime, the court system, etc., I can tell you the justice system is just a game, a job for people on both sides of the isle. There is no pursuit of justice, just people doing what they are paid to do. Justice is the myth that exists only in movies, books and hell. May this convicted killer move to parts Jacktown where he can live the rest of his life as the hunted, hiding from yung-uns who are into rap music, drugs, and have no regard for human life. He may find prison was not so bad after all.
They do it ALL THE TIME
Free the killers, free the land. Right?
Notice that not one of the current crop of mayoral candidates, except Kim Wade, has uttered even a peep about the need for reform of the HindsCo justice system.
11:26: Feral animal.
I believe it's no accident that the attitude of JPD at that time coincided with Jackson's previous homicide records.
Then came Lumumba, who gutted and demoralized JPD 30 years later. Presto, new homicide records were set.
Causation is not hard to figure out on this one, as much as Lumumba tries to say it isn't his fault.
It's a perception of crime. Right?
Oak tree. Now.
After 15 minutes on the streets of Jackson, he will have his hands on a Glock 17 stolen from an unlocked F350 in Flowood, that now has an illegal Glock switch installed.
💩💩💩
1:00, with his remarkable powers of deduction, has figured out that Jackson's gun violence problem is the result of people in Flowood (presumably white) leaving leaving Glocks in their unlocked trucks.
Brilliant!
Explain “perception of crime” that pops up regularly on this site.
What a sad story. It is likely that if Phillips has not been "rehabilitated," he won't make it long on the streets. What goes around, comes around.
I can attest to JPD's ineptitude in the early 1990's. My home was burglarized, and it took them a good 45 minutes to respond. Once the officer got there, he seemed like he could care less. I pointed out several things that he overlooked. JPD was a top notch agency in the 1970's and 1980's.
Idiots David Walker and Jimmy Hollywood Wilson ran JpD back then. Finally Ditto lucked into Robert Johnson. Walker managed to get his car repoed while chief
"Erodes public confidence" could be Jackson's new motto. Hinds County too.
@1:35 you must be new here.
It was a Lumumba response to the media estimating and reporting the murder rate that City Hall and JPD were intentionally obfuscating.
Nope. It was Harvey. Electionman
Was Jimmy Wilson the one that wore the sunglasses all the time? I think he's the one that had all of the correspondence "degrees."
I definitely agree!!!!!
Yes JPD refused to file crime reports when someone who worked for Lee Cole was kidnapped from his office on Hwy 18. She told me about it & said she said JPD NEVER called her back. I then called someone who worked with a federal law enforcement agency who said JPD wasn’t reported to keep crime stats low. Feds reached out to my friend. Robert Johnson was one of the best chiefs to serve COJ.
The failure of the legal system will create another form of justice. Then, no one should say anything when the perps start disappearing.
I specifically saw/heard Chowke state "perception of crime" and that "there are no gangs in Jackson." Not hearsay, but I heard it first hand.
a reckoning is coming
KF, is this release conditional on good behavior (no future arrests) or is he free and clear?
Stat waiting to happen.
"Justice can be found in a courtroom, but it is strictly serendipitous"
Lee Cope I meant
11:26 You Need a mouth washing. There is no need for vulgar language!
Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t Jimmy Hollywood Wilson the Jackson Police Chief Kane Ditto hired that had been in Washington DC? The Leftist Democrat propaganda outlet Washington Post was so excited about the hire they wrote about Wilson becoming Jackson’s Police chief.
Regardless, Jimmy Wilson was the cancer that really began the spread of crime and chaos Democrats purposely use to gain and keep control of cities like Jackson, MS forever. Thankfully Jimmy’s gone, and may he rot in hell for what he and his Democrat cohorts did to this once fine city.
As my attorney son says from his experiences, Mississippi has a legal system, not to be confused with a justice system.
What a disgrace. This would have never happened when Pickett was over the parole board before he retired. It’s been pure chaos and destruction ever since Belk’s appointment thanks to the good ole boy buddy system. Paroling double murderers is crazy. I can’t believe Tate is tolerating this insanity from his token pick. Shameful.
1:34, you can wish 1:00 is wrong all you want, but that doesn’t change anything. The dope boys know they can go to Madison, Flowood, Eastover, etc. and won’t have to try too many trucks before finding one unlocked with a pistol under the seat or in the center console. They made their rounds a couple of times in my neighborhood, got what they needed, but don’t come back since everyone’s learned to lock up and/or take their guns in.
Is this the Chairman the one that could look in a person's eye and could tell if that person has been rehabilitated? Thanks Tate!
May the Lord bless and keep you strong. And know that true justice awaits
It will be interesting to see reactions when, not if, this piece of shit hurts somebody else.
@1:34 PM, this is 1:00PM
You are projecting pretty hard. When I was in high school (late 90s) I used to hang out with a few guys from South Jackson who had their toes dipped into thug culture. Back then, most thugs were using revolvers with tape wrapped around the handle and other crappy “Saturday night specials” like Bryco/Jennings and Hi point pistols. The occasional SKS would be the most powerful weapon they would have.
Now they are sporting AR pistols and other truck guns they are most definitely getting from the ‘burbs. That is a fact. A teenager isn’t walking into Van’s or Academy and buying these. They also don’t have girlfriends capable of straw purchasing them.
This fool don’t need to drink, smoke or listen to rap music cause he is going to kill someone!
Even if this animal had received consecutive life sentences, under the law as it existed at the time, he would have been parole-eligible in 2012 (10 years consecutive to 10 years). At least he had to serve 33 years….thank goodness
for that!
@10:06. Correct. Most of the guns that you see the young thugs sporting in the IG photos (often in front of gas station drink coolers...as Clay Edwards pointed out), are in fact stolen.
I don't remember this happening, but it's a very sad case. What type of place was the Mosquito Grill? I just googled the address and it looks like maybe it was built in the 1950's in the Midtown area.
to 1:35.......back about 15 years ago some bone head JPD chief said ''jackson doesn't have a crime problem, its only a perception of crime''.
usually when someone like this is released early there is usually a big money political fix in place.
this guy looks just like a run of the mill thug. so how did this happen?
why all this talk about police chiefs ? they didn't let this guy out. he was let out by the ms st PAROLE board which is a state agency with 5 members appointed by the governor.
https://govsalaries.com/salaries/MS/mississippi-department-of-corrections-mississippi-parole-board
That's pretty good pay for a bunch of people who sit around and huff gasoline all day.
We should make it illegal to steal guns. Maybe also make it illegal to commit murder?
Heck, let's put truck owners away for life if they happen to own a gun that is stolen.
More laws is clearly the answer to gun violence.
I think the JPD ire stems from the clearly fumbled investigation and the fact that Dew's pals are the only reason JPD did not close the case as druggie-who-fell-asleep-car-accident.
So I'd argue that that the retro-active hate for the Police Chief is quite warranted.
Have you ever heard of an attractive nuisance? Leaving an arsenal in your unlocked $100,000 truck at least deserves some sort of charge.
Where'a Dexter when you really need him?
Boy, an awful case takes another awful twist. Back in 1992 I worked with Phillips' stepfather, Clarence Turner. Clarence was a news videographer who was well known as "Chief" around Jackson. Great guy - the very opposite of his stepson. After Phillips was arrested, several co-workers closer to Chief (who died several years ago) said that he had told them for several weeks that he was starting to get concerned about his stepson, his drug use and the rap music he was listening to. But, as a stepdad he was not making much headway with a 20 year old. Anyway, this was a cold blooded race-related murder. Brad Dew was murdered because he was a white guy driving down West Street. It was interesting to re-read the articles where the killers said that Brad Dew called them the "N-Word" as a mitigating factor. After that happened it came out that Dew also worked with several campus groups dedicated to racial reconciliation and better race relations and both black and white students said that the accusation was a lie. I would say it is time to reunite Chief and his stepson, but I have a feeling they are going to wind up in very different places.
Post a Comment