Jurors Will Be Paid More Money Starting In October
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
Yalobusha County deputies broke up a fight on the courthouse lawn in Coffeeville back in February.
WATER VALLEY – Starting in October jurors who are empaneled for jury service in Yalobusha County Circuit Court will be paid $40 per day and 67 cents per mile for travel to the courthouse.
The increases were approved with a unanimous vote by the Board of Supervisors during Monday’s meeting following a recommendation from Circuit Clerk Daryl Burney.
Burney’s recommendation was to pay $40 per day for jurors who are picked for jury service, up from the current rate of $25 per day.
“We have a panel of 14 that are picked,” Burney explained about the jury selection that includes 12 members plus two alternates. “And in a grand jury, a panel of 25 is selected.”
Jurors who are dismissed from service will receive $25.
Burney also recommended increasing the mileage rate to 67 cents per mile, up from the current rate of 32 cents per mile. He reported many counties in the area already pay 67 cents, the federal mileage rate, for jurors’ travel expenses.
“We have a lot of them come from Oakland, Scobey, Tillatoba, places like that, We don’t want them to have to go into their pockets to pay for mileage over here to serve on the jury,” Burney said.
Burney also told supervisors that 225 juror summons have been sent in the First Judicial District for a trial that is tentatively scheduled to start in Coffeeville on August 26. The trial is for three defendants charged in the March 30, 2023, murder of Chauncey Armstrong in Coffeeville.
Defendants Lakendrick Spearman, Zavion Spearman and Anthony Spearman, Jr. are each charged with first degree murder by deliberate design and conspiracy to commit murder.
The trial could be postponed, as Circuit Judge Jimmy McClure will rule this week on multiple motions including a request for a continuance.
Burney reported that a grand jury will also be selected for the First Judicial District using the same jury pool, and the jurors will still report to the courthouse if the trial is canceled.
County supervisors also discussed courtroom security in an earlier meeting on August 5 following an incident in the Coffeeville courthouse. A fight erupted on July 30 when a defendant charged in the March 5, 2023, murder of West Memphis teenager Fredarrious Wilson was attacked on the first floor of the courtroom on July 30. The altercation involved out-of-state friends of the victim who attended the pre-trial hearing.
“We had a high profile case with families outside the state who came in. It got to be physical and I think many of our ladies in our courthouse were scared,” Board President Cayce Washington noted during the August 5 meeting. “In these situations where there is a high profile case, the sheriff may have to pay a little extra to bring more deputies in. For the safety of our personnel, our judges, lawyers and everyone involved.”
Washington also suggested implementing more safety measures for the courtroom.
“I don’t think any of us will know when those high profile cases are coming. Sheriff, we are going to have to lean on you to make that decision,” Washington added.
Sheriff Jerimaine Gooch reported that security will be a priority for upcoming cases. But he also cautioned that it is difficult to predict when problems will arise.
“Stuff like this can happen any time. If you look on television, it happens all the time. It happened to hit here like it does in other places,” Gooch told supervisors.
Deputies also broke up a fight outside the Coffeeville courthouse in February. The fight occurred following pre-trial hearings for the three defendants charged in the Armstrong murder.
