39110 Before that day, Flowood police had arrested Wilson during a traffic stop. We apologize for this error. That makes no sense; that makes no sense to me.. Nearly 80% of those people are 40 or older, and 27% of them are 55 or older. 99-19-81, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: 99-19-81. The Earned Parole Eligibility Act will let up to 3,000 Mississippi Asked about the governor's thoughts towards reforming habitual offender laws, press secretary Bailey Martin wrote in a June 11 email, "Governor Reeves believes that Mississippi should focus on a full, multi-year implementation of the criminal justice reforms passed in 2014 and 2021 before any additional legislation regarding habitual . It should be one penalty for one crime, Patsy said. At the time of Browns conviction, the Mississippi statute did not provide a definition as to what constitutes a violent crime, the petition argues. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, There is a newer version of the Mississippi Code, Chapter 19 - JUDGMENT, SENTENCE, AND EXECUTION. She told him on the phone that she wanted to buy $200 worth of cocaine. I think this sends a signal to the Department of Justice that were taking these problems seriously both administratively and through policy, Latino said this afternoon. By 2000, more than 18,000 Mississippians lived behind bars. Mississippis two U.S. senators at the time, Republicans Trent Lott and Thad Cochran, also voted for it. Tate Reeves signed the medical marijuana bill into law on Feb. 3, 2022. Before, being sentenced as a "little" habitual offender meant the maximum sentence . Maybe not in this lifetime Ill ever be able to sit in a boat and fish with him again, or just actually sit at the kitchen table and have a home-cooked meal with him., Judkins said Mississippis habitual-offenders laws contribute to making the state one of the nations highest in incarceration. 2020). Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. SB 2795, which went into law in July, expanded parole eligibility, but specifically excluded habitual offenders, something Gov. Currently, a few laws in the Mississippi justice system mandate minimum sentencing for habitual offenders. Mississippi's Top Court Upholds Life Sentence For Weed Conviction By 'Habitual Offender' Russell Allen was found guilty in 2019 of being in possession of less than 2.5 ounces of weed. John McDonald is just one of many other victims of Mississippis harsh habitual offender law. Nearly 250 people are serving 20+ year habitual penalties for nonviolent offenses, the FWD.us report added. Mississippi Journalism and Education Group is a a 501(c)(3) nonprofit media organization (EIN 85-1403937) for the state, devoted to going beyond partisanship and publishing solutions journalism for the Magnolia State and all of its people. It also eases the burden on taxpayers, too. The sentence equates to a life sentence for Martin, who has never been convicted of anything violent before in his life. There have been numerous studies for years that habitual offender laws are not effective in deterring criminal behavior nor in capturing the high-level criminals these laws were designed to catch. Mississippi, like states across the country, followed the national trend with its own tough-on-crime reforms in 1995. Follow on Twitter @ashtonpittman. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. We have over 2,600 people serving sentences under the habitual law. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. Two days before Christmas in 2008, Gregory Antonio Hollins, now 46 years old, sold Jessica Wilson 1.5 grams of cocaine for $200 in Rankin County. Mississippi could prosper better if they werent paying for all these people in prison.. It should be seen as a signal to the Department of Justice that we are prepared to get our own house in order, without costly federal intervention, Latino, Empower Mississippis president, said in his statement this afternoon. Asked about the governor's thoughts towards reforming habitual offender laws, press secretary Bailey Martin wrote in a June 11 email, "Governor Reeves believes that Mississippi should focus on . Sex offenders, habitual offenders and those that have committed capital offenses wont be seen. Guest charged Hollins as an habitual offender, which attracts enhanced punishment under both Mississippi Code 99-19-81 for being convicted for a felony twice before and under Mississippi Code 4129147 for a subsequent drug offense. Along with looking at changes to the states habitual offender laws, he said, the organization is studying accomplishments in New Jersey and Texas to find solutions to boost re-entry and reduce recidivism rates in the Magnolia State. The judge who presided over her drug charge said the enhanced sentencing applied to Brown even though she was guilty as an accessory, because state law makes an accomplice guilty as principal. The police placed Wilson in a room at Airport Inn (716 Highway 80 E. Flowood) and gave her $200 on Dec. 28, 2008. In 2021, the governor of Mississippi Tate Reeves signed a new bill into law that should counteract these habitual offender laws. Those who are eligible must first serve 25% of their sentencing or, if they were sentenced to 30 years or more, they must serve at least 10 years before they may be considered. I just pray that something changes.. She called Hollins, whom she knows only by his nicknameTefalon, from her room. The fact that SB2795 does not allow habitual offenders an opportunity for earned parole is a huge blow to the MS corrections system. Essentially, the federal government gave financial incentives for states to implement stricter sentencing requirements around Three-strikes, youre out, and to limit parole eligibility, Latino told the Mississippi Free Press today. You got my 40? Ronnie Hewitt asked Jermaine Mitchell, who was then 29 years old, on the phone on Aug. 1, 2009. The petition argues: No less than four (4) decisions from this court hold that in order to meet due process standards, a sentencing enhancement statute must contain a non-vague definition of the term crime of violence.. These laws often mandate long jail sentences for non-violent crimes, such as drug-related offenses. The Empower Mississippi president said he thinks todays parole-eligibility reform could also forestall intervention related to an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice investigation into Mississippis overcrowded prison system. Someone who served their time for a violent felony years ago is still subject to life without parole for a nonviolent on a third felony. Every person convicted in this state of a felony who shall have been convicted twice previously of any felony or federal crime upon charges separately brought and arising out of separate incidents at different times and who shall have been sentenced to separate terms of one (1) year or more in any state and/or federal penal institution, whether in this state or elsewhere, shall be sentenced to the maximum term of imprisonment prescribed for such felony, and such sentence shall not be reduced or suspended nor shall such person be eligible for parole or probation. Last month, FWD.us, a criminal-justice reform organization, released a study with Rounds Consulting Group on the fiscal impact of loosening parole eligibility requirements. Today is a big day for Mississippians across the state, particularly for people and families who sadly, know firsthand just how devastating the states incarceration crisis is, and who have, alongside other advocates, pushed to ensure meaningful opportunities for release for their loved ones, FWD.us Mississippi State Director Alesha Judkins said in a statement on behalf of the pro-criminal justice reform organization today. State law allows for a life sentence without parole if a person has spent a year in prison on two separate felonies, one of which must be a violent offense, according to the Associated Press/Report for America. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Sex offenders, habitual offenders and those that have committed capital offenses won't be seen. Reducing Harsh Sentencing Goal of House Bill to Limit Maximum Nine hundred and six people received 20 or more years in prison, There are over 175 people serving 20+ year little. Kendall Martin was sentenced to 60 years in prison for possession of marijuana without the possibility of parole. The petition argues that the void for vagueness issue was not raised, as the court cases the appellate court relied on had not yet been decided. The inmate is sentenced for a crime of 123 violence under Section 97-3-2; 124 3. . More: Parole, habitual offenders: Bills designed to lower Mississippi prison population His sentence was so high because he had previous felony arrests on drug charges one in 2002, and. That means there will be a forum in which evidence supporting and contesting release will be considered. AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 99-19-81, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE A TIME PERIOD FOR QUALIFICATION OF CERTAIN HABITUAL OFFENDERS; TO AMEND SECTION 99-19-83, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE PROVISIONS THAT REGULATE HABITUAL OFFENDERS; TO REMOVE RESTRICTIONS FOR REDUCTION OF PAROLE; TO AMEND SECTION 47-7-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO He hopes to one day be released from prison and use his experiences to help educate young people caught in the judicial system. State Sen. Juan Barnett, D-Heidelberg, the author of the bill, has previously said hes hoping to address issues such as the habitual offender laws in the future. There are thousands of people who will gain parole eligibility who dont have parole eligibility, Latino said. 2795 was not an easy call for me. His whole family could possibly be gone when he gets out of jail, Hollins brother, Larry, told FWD.us. Any inmate that has not been convicted of a crime of violence may petition the trial court for parole eligibility after serving only 25% of their sentence. He crisscrossed various editorial positions beginning in 2010 before moving to the United States with his family in 2019. The reason these two codes are infamous is that they require the minimum sentencing to be the maximum sentencing. Hewitt was a drug addict cooperating with the deputies in exchange for a reduced sentence, the Mississippi Court of Appeals would write later in 2011. Black Women, Systemic Barriers and COVID-19 Project, a tweet thread explaining his decision to sign the Mississippi Earned Parole Eligibility Act, Meet Torsheta Jackson: A Reporter Mississippians Need, Deserve, Hinds Sheriff Candidate Staying In Race Despite Federal Indictments, Mercy On Her Soul: Emmett Till Family, Allies Respond to Carolyn Bryant Donhams Death. They later arrested Mitchell, and he faced trial in June 2010. Pickett says the law change will make around 4,000 offenders eligible for parole. I think a lot of the phone calls we receive get people so excited when they hear, Oh, they passed a new law and this is going to happen. And thats not necessarily applying to them, said board member Betty Lou Jones. Reeves vetoed a more expansive parole reform bill last year. Uncovering the 7 Key Factors, How to Choose the Best Moldavite Size for You, The 13 Best Cannabis Strains Proven to Boost Creativity, 17 Crystals to Pair with Moldavite and Their Combined Effects, 7 Signs of Cannabis Root Problems [And How to Fix Them]. Parole-eligible inmates serving time for non-violent crimes currently must complete at least 25% of their sentence before they can get a parole hearing. You can read more about Kendalls case here. 2795 . We are also devastated that, for the second year in a row, legislators failed to pass reforms to the states harmful habitual sentencing laws, the organization said in an April 1 statement. Mississippi Clarion Ledger. Housers stepmother Pasty, his mom Julie and son Paul shared thoughts on the impact of the jail sentence on them in an FWD.us report in 2019. Mississippi - FAMM Mississippians are currently paying $360,000,000 a year to operate our prisons. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Mississippi Code 97-3-2 listed violent crimes as carjacking, murder, drive-by shooting, shooting into a dwelling and rape. When Williams came back, joined Hollins in the vehicle and sat on the passengers side, the law-enforcement officers immediately arrested both men. Allen Russell: Marijuana Life Sentence Conviction Upheld In Miss. - NewsOne Like a number of other states, Mississippi has two habitual offender laws, referred to as the "big" and "little" laws. How Long for CBD Gummies to Work? Correction: An earlier version of this story said that a FWD.us study found that Mississippi will save at least $584 million with a low parole grant rate or as much as $988 million a year with a moderate parole grant rate' by adopting the parole eligibility reform. Bill Text: MS HB1024 | 2020 | Regular Session - LegiScan Over 1,000 people for every 100,000 are in some form of prison or detention center. thanked the governor in a tweet today. However, because he received his third conviction for possession of marijuana, the state was able to sentence him to serve a 30-year mandatory sentence under the habitual offender statute. We look at who they are, what theyve done, why theyre where they are, what theyre likely to do when they get out. But, at the end of the day, I believe it meets my standard for a measured approach, & with proper implementation, it can be a net positive for Mississippi.. You can read more about Johns story here. case or situation. Mississippi's habitual offender laws were passed in the 1990s, when American society was seeing higher-than-average crime rates and many states imposed "three strikes" laws. The first step would be to draft new legislation to allow habitual offenders the opportunity for parole. Even with the habitual law, Im trying to figure out how does anyone get to come up and determine (that) just because this guy has been in trouble two times or three times, then hey, lets just throw him away; the time (served) didnt mean (anything),' Larry said in a FWD.us video posted to Youtube in 2019. Despite new state law, dozens imprisoned in Mississippi for nonviolent These are laws that require harsher sentencing for perceived repeated offenders. Youd be surprised how often young people especially cant meet the standards because they have telephones, described board member Nehemiah Flowers, Jr. Theyll sneak in or various and sundry items theyre not supposed to have. After the mid-decade changes, though, the states inmate population skyrocketed, even as the states overall population stagnated. Reeves is helping to address the overcrowding problems created by the Clinton-Biden Crime Bill in the mid-1990s. The Mississippi Free Press is a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) focused on telling stories that center all Mississippians. We use cookies to optimize our website and our service. The new law does not expand eligibility options for violent crimes like murder or sexual assault. Legislative deadlines last month killed a bill that would have made parole possible for Drummer and hundreds of inmates like her, but other inmates and families could get a reprieve after Gov. And right now, we are not extending that same grace and mercy to our fellow incarcerated Mississippians. Maybe best of all, habitual offenders are not included in this bill, he wrote. We at Fwd.us are absolutely thrilled that legislators are recognizing this as an issue and are working to address it.. One of the reasons Mississippi has such high levels of incarceration is due to its habitual offender laws.