Webster County Sheriff Tim Mitchell, arrested last month on multiple felony charges, is now in the Lee County Adult Detention Center in Tupelo. Additionally, the arrests of two former sheriff’s office employees were reported Monday.
Lee County Sheriff’s Department online records show he was booked in about 11 p.m. Friday. Mitchell, 54, had been in the Lafayette County Detention Center in Oxford since his Dec. 19 arrest on a dozen felony counts.
Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson told WCBI News his office was asked to house Mitchell by agencies handling the case.
Prosecutors with the district attorney’s office and any witnesses were to present evidence from new criminal investigations to a Webster County grand jury that convened Monday at the Choctaw County Courthouse. Indictments that were handed up had not been made public as of press deadline.
New arrests
However, WCBI News reported Monday evening that the Landon Griffin, the former chief investigator for the Webster County Sheriff's Department, and a former jailer there were being booked into the Oktibbeha County Jail.
Mitchell wrote in a statement delivered to county officials Dec. 20 that he had fired Griffin effective the day of the sheriff’s arrest by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
The news station said Oktibbeha County Chief Investigator Brent Watson confirmed that Griffin and a former female jailer were in the process of being booked Monday evening. Watson said he could not confirm the name of the jailer nor the charges against each.
Sheriff’s salary
The Webster County Board of Supervisors had expected an outside attorney to meet with them Monday about possible litigation regarding the sheriff’s salary, according to discussion at a recessed meeting. Last week, they had instructed board attorney Buchanan Meek Jr. to investigate the double payment of the sheriff’s salary and the hiring of additional legal counsel if necessary concerning the situation.
The county must pay the salaries of two sheriffs because Mitchell, after his arrest, withdrew his resignation that was to take effect Jan. 2. Circuit judges who later appointed Andy McCants as acting sheriff said McCants was entitled to the salary and benefits of sheriff but they had no authority to suspend Mitchell’s $75,000 salary. The judges did say the county could sue a bond company to recover Mitchell’s pay if he’s convicted.
Board President Pat Cummings reported during Monday’s meeting that Derrick Surrette, executive director of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors, had informed him an outside attorney who had been contacted in the matter would not be there. Meek indicated that he will contact the attorney again about meeting with the board next Tuesday.
Other board
matters
Additionally on Monday, the Board of Supervisors discussed the need for roadside litter pickup. Supervisors have approached McCants about working with them to implement such a program, according to the discussion,.
Greg McCaskill of Memphis, factory representative for Best Lock Corp, met with the board about mechanical locks the company will provide for the new courthouse. He and supervisors went through floor plans to determine access control.
Approved were motions to:
• allow Phillip Lewis of Netcomm Wiring to connect the first-floor internet service to the second-floor internet service at the new courthouse because the specs he submitted a quote for did not include this work. The motion was to also allow him to bill the county separately from his initial contract. The supplemental work will be less than $5,000.
• change the date the board will accept bids on a District 4 International loader from Monday, Jan. 21, to Tuesday, Jan. 22, at 10 a.m. County offices will be closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
• pay Natchez Trace Electric Power Association to erect two light poles bearing two lights each at the Department of Human Services building in Eupora. The cost will be $80 a pole plus a $50 deposition.
Jan. 7
In addition to matters concerning the sheriff on Jan. 7, the board appointed Doris Tanner as District 3 election commissioner to replace Etoile Herard, who resigned Dec. 31. Tanner will fill out the remainder of the term through December 2020; no special election will be necessary. Tanner also serves as an appointed city election commissioner.
Supervisors also reappointed Joey Palmer as one of three jury commissioners for the county. The other two are appointed by circuit and chancery judges. The board also approved Circuit Clerk Sherry Henderson’s attendance at a judicial training conference.
Two representatives from DHS told the board at least four rooms need repainting in that building. The county plans to obtain quotes for the work.
Hugh Bland and Allen Watkins of Universal Solutions presented a telecommunications quote for the new courthouse. No action was taken because the county must obtain two quotes for the phone system.
