U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan, III set the rules of the battlefield for the public corruption trial of Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, and former Jackson City Councilman Aaron Banks at a pre-trial conference hearing this week. WLBT reported:
Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens was all smiles Tuesday as he left the U.S. District Courthouse. That’s likely because he got two favorable signals from a federal judge: his lawyers may be allowed to mention entrapment in opening statements, and jurors may not be given a copy of the indictment that he has criticized for months. Owens, former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and about a dozen attorneys met with U.S. District Judge Daniel Jordan for a pretrial conference to sort out issues ahead of the expected multiweek trial. During the two-hour proceedings, the judge said he was open to allowing Owens’ attorneys to bring up entrapment during their opening statements, despite objections from prosecutors. The judge said he was also considering deviating from his normal practice of allowing the jury to have a copy of the indictment, saying the October 2024 document “may or may not” contain information consistent with the evidence in the case.... The judge also addressed jury selection, saying he wants to sit at least three or four alternates in addition to the 12 jurors due to the trial’s expected length. The trial will likely last well into August, with Fulcher saying the prosecution’s case will take an estimated two to 2.5 weeks.
Attorneys will have about 207 prospective jurors to choose from — after the parties struck potential candidates after reviewing their responses to a questionnaire sent out weeks ago. Rest of article.
Judge Jordan said he would still accept guilty pleas from any of the defendants.
27 comments:
The Choke made it back from the Rez but he does look a little sunburned.
Pick me, pick me. I am one of the 207. I promise that will keep an open mind, listen closely to all testimony, consider all documents, deliberate fairly also with an open mind, all before I vote the MFers guilty.
1:23 PM - That made me laugh so hard I peed my pants.
"Judge Jordan said he would still accept guilty pleas from any of the defendants. "
Muttley laugh from Laff-A-Lympics.
1:23 - THAT WAS HILARIOUS!!!!!
Thanks.
Thank you.
Olive a block from the moron himself. On behalf of the neighborhood please let me be on the jury!
I bet you folding money,"His honor" will throw out the race card, find a scapecoat, turn evidence in against said goat, cop a plea and walk out a free man. Only to come back in 3 years pushing his new book, "How I was Framed with a bag-o-money by The Man...and beat him at his own game"...
I see what you did. You knew incontinence is a reason to be dismissed from jury duty. You ole dog!
Has Jody ever advised the citizens of Hinds County whether he's still drinking to excess all while serving as the part time DA? I think we're entitled to know.
I’ll take that action. As PT Barnham said; a fool and his money should have never been together in the first place.
If he proclaims that he is an acute alcoholic doesn't he lose his driving privileges?
There is no rule of law people….everybody stealing and walking….
@1:23 and 1:53, you're the reason nobody trusts the judicial process. You have your "minds" made up before hearing a single word of testimony. You are part of America's problem.
Seriously? Hook, line, and sinker.
People keep saying because the DiBiase’s got off so should Jody, Banks & Antar but Didn’t a jury decide that?
@7:37 No one is saying that.
So a part time DA and part time Cigar Bar operator hypothetically might want to claim he has a drug and alcohol problem that made him an easy target for entrapment by law enforcement, if the judge allows it.
Would this potentially lead to disciplinary actionn affecting his law license and/or his part time DA job?
Also would the ABC have anything to say about the associated licenses?
People don’t trust the judicial system because judges and DA’s release criminals back on the streets. We see this damn near every day now.
No one in your community is saying that. Check out social media of the black community in Jackson. The feds are cooked.
They are saying that. I spoke to a prominent black lawyer this week who said that he and others are saying that.
His DL should be suspended also
So long as DiBiase and Favre are free any attempt to bring Chuckie and Jody to justice will be seen as racist in the low IQ groups.
Legal facts are not relevant.
Just emotions and that valuable race card.
This may be Owens' nth rodeo, he should surrender his passport , now, before he can travel to his possible offshore accounts. Recall he said he kept drug money to mix with legit money for "campaign donation" bribes.
Return his passport if he gets off.
If I counted correctly, there are 45 counties in the southern district of MS. I don't know if potential jurors are pulled from all those counties, but the odds of someone from Hinds County being selected are very low. I also I believe I saw juror anonymity has been granted.
Just now reading over this as a person with no legal training who does not truly understand the ins and outs of legal maneuvers, I offer the following: Is heavy drinking or alcoholism being used as what incapacitated the DA's judgement? It is my understanding that alcoholism is usually a self-diagnosed problem but can be ascertained by some professionals. Has this happened in the DA's case? Such a defense (if successful), in my opinion, would have far-reaching negative effects on many drunk driving and domestic violence cases. Having the excuse of alcoholism could result in mayhem. I think back to depraved heart and to many other incidences involving impaired individuals. Many persons suffering with alcoholism can achieve decent and well ordered lives with help, but those whose judgement are greatly impaired with alcohol and often drugs need to take responsibility for their poor decisions.
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