Merry Christmas from Carr Law Firm!

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Counting so many blessings in 2024 at Carr Law Firm! Our busiest year yet! We tried 14 felony jury trials across 7 counties, as well as resolved many many more cases for our clients across north Mississippi in municipal, justice, circuit, and federal court.

We expanded with an office in Tunica and added defense attorney Meg Coker, paralegal Katelyn Lamb, office manager Amanda McCain, and intern Serenity Johnson. Hopefully future attorney Brady Keeton will be joining us after he takes the Bar in August 2025.

With our ever-growing team of attorneys and staff, in 2025 we hope to expand our foothold in the Mississippi Delta to provide representation for so many people in need.

That’s a wrap for this year! Today is our last day open - we will be back on January 6, 2025 energized to fight for our clients for another year.

Carr Law Firm: We work for justice. We get results.

Bolivar County Criminal Trial Term - Weeks 5 and 6:

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Week 5: one case was tried where two defendants were both convicted of first degree murder and aggravated assault - both received life sentences.

Week 6: one case was tried where a defendant was convicted of first degree murder - received a life sentence

Note: the only sentence for first degree murder in Mississippi is life in prison without the possibility of parole.

This concludes our fall criminal trial term. Spring trial term in Cleveland will start May 2025.

Bolivar County Criminal Trial Term mid point update:

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Week 1: no jury trials. Multiple pleas

Week 2: 2 trials were held. Case 1 - the jury hung on three counts of sexual battery. Case will be re-tried in 6 mo. Case 2 which was tried by the Mississippi AG Office - jury voted guilty as to 3 counts of loan application fraud.

Week 3: one case was tried on 3 counts of aggravated assault (shooting) with a firearm. Defendant found not guilty on all counts.

CLF Trial Week (11/11) Update

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Lead trial attorney Mike Carr tried two jury trials in two separate districts.

Trial 1 - Cleveland: Three counts of sexual battery - each carrying a possible penalty of life in prison. Court dismissed one count halfway through the trial for lack of evidence. Jury could not reach a decision on the two remaining counts therefore resulting in a hung jury.

Trial 2 - Greenwood: One count of aggravated assault where defendant alleged to have struck another man in the head with a chair. Jury found it was not aggravated assault but did vote guilty for misdemeanor simple assault.

Thank you to the Mississippi Public Defender’s Association!

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Thanks to the Mississippi Public Defender’s Association for choosing our hometown of Cleveland to host this year’s fall statewide conference. Good coverage by Delta News as the over 100 lawyers in attendance continue to improve the practice.

Approximately 80% of criminal defense statewide in Mississippi is indigent. This large and unpredictable expense falls to the coffers of individual counties. The counties of the Delta are disproportionately affected as we are one of the poorest areas of the state.

A fair solution? Have a defender system funded by the state - just like the prosecutors.

“There can be no equal justice where the trial a man gets depends on how much money he has.” - Justice Hugo Black

Read more here

🚨NEW INTERN ALERT!🚨

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Carr Law Firm is proud to introduce Serenity Johnson as its fall 2024 intern.

A graduate of Power Center Academy in Memphis, TN, Serenity began her journey at Delta State University in Fall 2021 and is set to graduate in May 2025 with a bachelor's degree in criminology and social justice. As a dedicated member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Serenity serves as the President of the Mu Gamma Chapter on campus.

Serenity is also a McNair Research Scholar, focusing her research on mental health interventions in the criminal justice system. She will present her work next month at the 2024 ASC Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

In addition to her research, Serenity is a first-year seminar navigator, helping new and transfer students acclimate to university life in Cleveland. A top-tier student, Serenity has made the President’s List for three consecutive semesters.

After graduation, Serenity plans to pursue law school or a master’s program at Ole Miss.

Congratulations to Serenity on all her accomplishments! We look forward to big things!

CLF Attorneys Mike and Jessica Carr at the Mississippi Center for Violence Prevention’s “Delta Strong: End Human Trafficking Together”

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CLF Attorneys Mike and Jessica Carr at the Mississippi Center for Violence Prevention’s “Delta Strong: End Human Trafficking Together” conference here in Cleveland. We are honored to work with such an incredible organization doing such important and needed work for victims of human trafficking in Mississippi.

Justice Department Finds Civil Rights Violations by the City of Lexington

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Justice Department Finds Civil Rights Violations by the City of Lexington!

Jill Collen Jefferson - your persistence and years of work in Lexington advocating for proper police practices has finally brought the sunlight. And the Feds.

“Unlawfully arresting, jailing, and detaining people based on their failure to pay money without assessing if they can afford to do so - has been devastating for [Lexington]. Being poor is not a crime, but practices like these amount to punishing people for poverty.” - Merrick B. Garland

Thank you, Jill.

Time to suit up for Chief Terry Tyler. CLF statement to media in response to Monday’s arrest on an Oct 2022 incident.

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“Chief Tyler was arrested today in Drew, MS by MBI being assisted by the US Marshals after being indicted with two other individuals by a Desoto County grand jury on a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm from an alleged incident two years ago. Chief Tyler was not given the opportunity to voluntarily surrender or turn himself in with his attorney. He’s not a flight risk. He has no criminal history. The Desoto County District Attorney’s Office argued for a received the maximum bond on this charge allowable by law of $250,000. Chief Tyler was paraded across the news as if he is a danger to society.. I find this to be a complete waste of resources of both state and federal law enforcement, as well as of the court, for the political benefit of the Desoto County District Attorney’s Office. Chief Tyler looks forward to arguing the merits of the case in court where, oddly, he is charged as a codefendant and a victim in the same indictment. In 18 years of law practice, I’ve never seen a criminal indictment as convoluted as this. The District Attorney’s Office has been sitting on this case for two years, and they still can’t get it right.”
— FOX13 Memphis News Staff Sep 13, 2024 (quoting Attorney Michael "Mike" Carr)

NEW OFFICE ALERT!

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Last week, we at Carr Law Firm celebrated the opening of our new Tunica branch office! Located at 851 River Road (across from Jeffcoat Market), this satellite office, staffed by attorney Meg Coker, will provide improved criminal defense services to clients in Tunica, Desoto, and Tate counties.

Thank you to Tunica Main Street, Tunica County Sheriff’s Department, city and county elected officials, and all of our friends and clients who stopped by to wish us well.

If you or a loved one have a criminal matter or need a consultation, please contact our office at the address below:

Carr Law Firm

851 River Road

Tel: 662-719-1921

mcoker@carrlawpllc.com