Puckett Asks Judge To Go Easy On Criminal
Rep. Jimmy Puckett is seeking re-election in his Northeast Mississippi HD 20 seat. He won a first term in 2007 defeating Republican Chris Brown by about 100 votes. The two will meet for a rematch on November 8 in what is a race both sides are certainly looking at once again. But with about a month to go, we have received a letter from this past January in which Puckett attempted to use his office to get a reduced sentence for a criminal in his district who he knows personally.
Here is some background: Doyle and Virginia Harris, an elderly couple in Amory, were attacked and robbed in their house in 2008 with the attackers using claw hammers to carry out of their crime. At the time, this was a major story in and around Monroe county. They were assaulted and had to be transported to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. The crimes were orchestrated by four young people, all of which have been tried and convicted of the crime.
On January 3, Puckett penned a letter on House letterhead asking Judge James Roberts for a lighter sentence for one of the four, John Daniel Rodgers. Puckett spoke with his father before sending the letter and spoke of John’s behavior and character and essentially blamed John’s involvement in the crime on his father working a night shift and not being at home. He chalked his actions up to peer pressure and said that he provided the transportation, but did not participate in the crimes. Puckett added, “It seems that probation and house arrest after a matter of time and special counseling would be beneficial to this young man.”
Read what Puckett wrote for yourself:
Click here to review the documents and victims families response
Majority in Mississippi
10/27/11
Magnolia Tribune
