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

Coahoma County Trial Term - Week 5 update (final week) and Summary for 2024 Summer Term:

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Five cases on this week’s docket with all being crimes of violence: Manslaughter, First Degree Murder, Aggravated Assault w Firearm, Aggravated DUI, and Sexual Battery

All cases between 2 and 6 years old.

No cases ready for trial.

All cases now continued for six months.

In summary: 5 weeks of criminal court term. (July 15 to Aug 19)

Multiple guilty pleas taken.

3 cases tried.

2 hung juries.

1 not guilty.

0 convictions.

2024 Summer Intern Highlight!

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This summer CLF is working with two student interns who have helped tremendously with the firm’s mission of providing top quality defense services across the Delta.

Brady Keeton, a native of Cleveland and a graduate of Cleveland Central High School, is going into his 3rd year of law school at the University of Mississippi School of Law. Finishing his second summer working at CLF, Brady is interning through the Mississippi Bar’s Access to Justice Committee’s Rural Clerkship Program, which provides a stipend to law students who choose to work in rural areas throughout Mississippi.

Kezwick “Kez” Akon II, also a native of Cleveland and a graduate of Cleveland Central High School, is going into his senior year at Aurora University in Illinois where he majors in Political Science and public policy. A Captain on the Aurora University football team and president of the Black Student Union, Kez is looking to study law post graduation and possibly (hopefully) come back to the Delta to practice.

Brady and Kez have spent the summer assisting the lawyers at CLF in preparing motions, reviewing discovery, preparing jury instructions, going to jails, attending hearings and observing jury trials in Bolivar, Tunica, Coahoma, Tunica, Yalobusha, Leflore, Holmes, Quitman, and Washington Counties