We don’t just post wins. This week we lost. And it was heavy.

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This week we defended a young man in a county down in the 4th Circuit charged with capital murder. We fought hard for him, but the evidence and the law were not on our side. At about 8 pm on Friday night, the jury came back with a guilty verdict to an emotional audience in the courthouse. This young man will be sentenced to life in prison - as that is the only sentence under the law - and if there are no issues for appeal, he will die in prison. The State did not seek death.

It was a house burglary gone wrong six years ago. Our client was the lookout while three other young men went into an apartment to rob and steal. But our client knew what they were doing. He knew they had a gun. And even though he ran when he heard the shots, it doesn’t matter.

Our client went to the police after the crime, as we are all taught in school to do, and told them what happened with the inference that he would just be a witness against the rest and not charged. He was very wrong.

Despite his information being material and leading to the arrest of other defendants - our client was charged with capital murder same as the rest. Going to the police gave him nothing. Except maybe clarity of conscience, which is not what he sought.

The two assistant DA’s who tried the case were as open and fair as any we have been against. They told the jury from the start that this defendant was not the shooter. He was just the lookout. I appreciated the honesty. But the law doesn’t care. And they are right.

Judge McCray was an excellent judge before whom to try this complex and difficult case. Her many years of experience on the bench showed, and I appreciated her patience working with us lawyers, witnesses, the jury, and a very emotional courthouse audience as we frequently stayed after hours.

PSA: Despite my personal feelings about group punishment, or about a law that allows for a murder conviction when both sides agree the defendant didn’t kill anyone, the felony murder law is REAL. And we as citizens are presumed to know the law, even if many of our schools fail to teach it to us. My client dropped out of school at 14. But he is tasked to know the law same as me.

So I say all that to say - If you engage in an inherently dangerous activity, such as breaking into a house, or robbing someone on the street, and someone dies, even if that was not part of the plan - the “next thing I know” defense doesn’t work. That’s capital murder. And if a gun is used, Mississippi doesn’t care if you are 14 or 44. You will die in prison if the State doesn’t seek to kill you first.

Congratulations to Attorney Jessica Carr!

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Congratulations to Jessica Carr in her recent election to the Board of Commissioners for the Mississippi Bar representing Bolivar, Tunica, Coahoma, and Quitman Counties!

Bar Commissioners serve as the governing board of the The Mississippi Bar, including setting policy, approving bylaws, and managing the Bar's finances. Commissioners also oversee disciplinary procedures, employ staff, and act as the executive agency for the bar to ensure the preservation of good order and conduct among its members. Bar Commissioners review and approve disciplinary actions against attorneys, set salaries for employees of the Mississippi Bar, and have the power to create various practice sections which work to improve specific areas of law. Finally, Commissioners have the power to speak on behalf of the Mississippi Bar and take necessary actions for the effective governance of the Bar. Commissioners serve a three year term.

Jessica practices at Carr Law Firm where she specializes in criminal defense in municipal, justice, and circuit courts across north Mississippi.

Grand re-opening of Tunica Office

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Thank you to all who came by to the grand re-opening of our new satellite office in Tunica, located on the corner of Edwards and Harris, across from First Security Bank. (Once our sign permit gets finalized, we will put up our sign)

The town of Tunica and Tunica County have always been so welcoming to us - and were again today - with the mayor, county prosecutor, justice court judge, and representatives of the sheriff’s department in attendance.

Also a huge thank you to our family, friends, and fellow attorneys who dropped by or sent flowers to wish us well.

And of course, none of this could happen without our team of staff and attorneys at CLF.

Our Tunica office will be by appointment only for current clients. We will meet with potential new clients on Fridays.

Please call us at 662-441-1529 to schedule an appointment, whether it is for you or a loved one.

Carr Law Firm provides criminal defense representation for clients in Tunica, Desoto, Tate, Panola, Tallahatchie, Coahoma, Quitman, Bolivar, Washington, Sunflower, and Leflore counties.

🚨ANOTHER NOT GUILTY!🚨

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Carlos Hilliard Jr was charged with First Degree Murder regarding a 2023 club shooting with another co-defendant. That co-defendant later confessed to the shooting and plead guilty to manslaughter. Despite this, the State persisted in prosecuting Carlos for murder. Trusting his lawyers with his case, Carlos chose to go to trial. The jury found him not guilty in about 2hrs.

Enjoyed having Hinds County based attorney Sharon Spencer at the table with me on this one, and we look forward to future collaborations with her. Atty Spencer will continue to do big things so y’all keep an eye out.

This week’s trial marks our second first-degree murder trial in as many weeks. Last week’s trial ended with a hung jury after 4 days.

🚨Conviction Reversed!🚨

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In June 2024, our client was convicted at trial and sentenced to life in prison. The Mississippi Court of Appeals reviewed the case and found that during the trial, this particular assistant prosecutor engaged in misconduct so egregious as to merit a reversal and a new trial. The decision was unanimous. No justices dissented.

We preserved the record at trial, and Jackson-based attorney Graham Carner argued the case on appeal.

MS Bar Criminal Defense Section Annual Meeting was a Success!

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Thank you to Judges Smith Murphey (Tallahatchie, Panola, Yalobusha, Tate), Judge Carol White-Richard (Washington, Sunflower, Leflore) and Judge David McCarty (Mississippi Court of Appeals) for their panel discussion of docket management, jury instructions, and a lightning round of likes and dislikes in trial.

We had an excellent year, with the criminal defense section growing in membership by a record number and increasing revenue. We have a very active listserv where we have engaged discussions on how to improve practice in this area of law, as well as multiple CLE opportunities.

Proud to pass the gavel to Sellers Aafram as he becomes the 2025-2026 section chair.

Attorney Carr - Presenting at the MS Bar Annual Summer School on Criminal Law Hot Topics

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Enjoyed presenting at the MS Bar Annual Summer School on criminal law hot topics with fellow presenters:

Angel Myers McIlrath - District Attorney for the 19th Circuit Court District, serving the citizens of Jackson, George and Greene Counties

Mike Scott - Senior Litigator at the Office of Federal Public Defender, Jackson, MS

Aafram Sellers - private practice attorney in Jackson, MS specializing in state and federal criminal defense and Vice Chair of the Criminal Defense Section of the Mississippi Bar

We discussed best practices in mitigation during plea negotiations, new approaches in restorative justice, war stories, and even a bit of the Diddy trial.

Tunica County criminal trial term update:

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Week 1: one case was tried where a defendant was found not guilty of felony fleeing from law enforcement from a 2024 incident

Week 2: one case was tried where a defendant was charged in one count of sexual battery and two counts of child fondling from events allegedly occurring in 2010 to 2012 (thirteen to fifteen years ago) - jury was hung on all three counts and a mistrial was declared

Bolivar Co Criminal Trial Term Spring 2025

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Over the course of the 6 week term, multiple pleas were taken. Three very large and complicated first degree murder trials were resolved via plea to lesser included offenses of either second degree murder or manslaughter.

One jury trial was held in the six week term which resulted in verdicts of not guilty as to two defendants in a charge of first degree murder.

All cases not resolved will be continued to the next 6 week term in November-December 2025

🚨Summer Intern Alert!🚨 meet Maneia Sparks, our firm’s 2025 summer intern!

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A Renova, Mississippi native, Maneia is a second-year law student at Widener Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PH.D) student in Criminal Justice Leadership at Liberty University.

At Widener, Maneia is an active member of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity and has served as a Representative for the Black Law Students Association.

A 2021 Hall of Fame Inductee, Maneia earned a Bachelor's of Social Science Degree in Social Justice & Criminology and a Master's of Social Science in Criminal Justice & Criminology from Delta State University, as well as a Paralegal Degree enhanced by a Career and Technical Certification from Hinds College.

Maneia's academic achievements are paired with practical experience in criminal law and personal injury law. Maneia's plans after law school is to return back to Mississippi and continue her commitment to justice and legal advocacy.