Caleb Bedillion
@calebbedillion.bsky.social
Investigative reporter @themarshallproject.org covering Mississippi criminal justice system, especially courts, public defense and jails.
Earlier this year, I reported that Owens had not yet filed his mandatory disclosure of last year's campaign spending activity. He filed the report after that.
www.themarshallproject.org/2025/05/12/j...
www.themarshallproject.org/2025/05/12/j...
Indicted Mississippi DA Flouts Campaign Finance Disclosure Laws
While he fights federal bribery charges, Jody Owens faces sanctions for not disclosing campaign funds and spending. Weak laws confuse enforcement.
www.themarshallproject.org
July 18, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Earlier this year, I reported that Owens had not yet filed his mandatory disclosure of last year's campaign spending activity. He filed the report after that.
www.themarshallproject.org/2025/05/12/j...
www.themarshallproject.org/2025/05/12/j...
Owens and his attorneys did not comment for this story.
After his arraignment last year, Owens claimed the indictment against him has "cherry-picked" comments. He said "drunken locker room banter is not a crime."
After his arraignment last year, Owens claimed the indictment against him has "cherry-picked" comments. He said "drunken locker room banter is not a crime."
July 18, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Owens and his attorneys did not comment for this story.
After his arraignment last year, Owens claimed the indictment against him has "cherry-picked" comments. He said "drunken locker room banter is not a crime."
After his arraignment last year, Owens claimed the indictment against him has "cherry-picked" comments. He said "drunken locker room banter is not a crime."
Mississippi campaigns s are allowed to donate to other campaigns or PACs. An elections law expert said that if the $10,000 went to pay off Lee's campaign debt, the Owens campaign should have identified it as a contribution to Lee.
July 18, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Mississippi campaigns s are allowed to donate to other campaigns or PACs. An elections law expert said that if the $10,000 went to pay off Lee's campaign debt, the Owens campaign should have identified it as a contribution to Lee.
Of the alleged payment to Lee, the indictments claims Owens stated a need “clean it out.”
“[L]ike we always do, we’ll put it in a campaign account, or directly wire it,” he said, the indictment claims. “[T]hat’s the only way I want the paper trail to look.”
“[L]ike we always do, we’ll put it in a campaign account, or directly wire it,” he said, the indictment claims. “[T]hat’s the only way I want the paper trail to look.”
July 18, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Of the alleged payment to Lee, the indictments claims Owens stated a need “clean it out.”
“[L]ike we always do, we’ll put it in a campaign account, or directly wire it,” he said, the indictment claims. “[T]hat’s the only way I want the paper trail to look.”
“[L]ike we always do, we’ll put it in a campaign account, or directly wire it,” he said, the indictment claims. “[T]hat’s the only way I want the paper trail to look.”
The indictment alleges the payoff was a bribe and that it come out of the campaign account used by Owens.
July 18, 2025 at 4:42 PM
The indictment alleges the payoff was a bribe and that it come out of the campaign account used by Owens.
The Owens campaign reported paying $10,000 on Feb. 15, 2024 to a printing company for "debt retirement."
A federal indictment alleges that on that same day, Owens paid off $10,000 in debt owed by then-City Councilwoman Angelique Lee.
A federal indictment alleges that on that same day, Owens paid off $10,000 in debt owed by then-City Councilwoman Angelique Lee.
July 18, 2025 at 4:42 PM
The Owens campaign reported paying $10,000 on Feb. 15, 2024 to a printing company for "debt retirement."
A federal indictment alleges that on that same day, Owens paid off $10,000 in debt owed by then-City Councilwoman Angelique Lee.
A federal indictment alleges that on that same day, Owens paid off $10,000 in debt owed by then-City Councilwoman Angelique Lee.
The itemized totals for contributions and expenditures reported on the report's cover sheet don't match the sum of the itemized line-items detailed in the body of the report.
July 18, 2025 at 4:42 PM
The itemized totals for contributions and expenditures reported on the report's cover sheet don't match the sum of the itemized line-items detailed in the body of the report.
Some highlights:
The Owens campaign reported more in itemized contributions for the year 2024 than in total contributions for the year 2024, which is impossible.
The Owens campaign reported more in itemized contributions for the year 2024 than in total contributions for the year 2024, which is impossible.
July 18, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Some highlights:
The Owens campaign reported more in itemized contributions for the year 2024 than in total contributions for the year 2024, which is impossible.
The Owens campaign reported more in itemized contributions for the year 2024 than in total contributions for the year 2024, which is impossible.
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Jackson Newsletter
Articles about “Jackson Newsletter” by The Marshall Project
www.themarshallproject.org
July 2, 2025 at 5:34 PM
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Conservative and progressive legal system reformers have been working on public defense in Mississippi for years. There's a belief among them that momentum is developing to at long last make improvements.
July 2, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Conservative and progressive legal system reformers have been working on public defense in Mississippi for years. There's a belief among them that momentum is developing to at long last make improvements.
This comes as the Legislature recently agreed to fund a pilot program to boost public defense resources in one rural court district.
www.themarshallproject.org/2025/06/12/m...
www.themarshallproject.org/2025/06/12/m...
Mississippi Makes Move Toward State-Funded Public Defenders
Indigent felony defendants in many counties have lacked court-appointed lawyers before indictment, even while they sat in jails for weeks or months.
www.themarshallproject.org
July 2, 2025 at 5:34 PM
This comes as the Legislature recently agreed to fund a pilot program to boost public defense resources in one rural court district.
www.themarshallproject.org/2025/06/12/m...
www.themarshallproject.org/2025/06/12/m...
“We should have started going court by court and asking them to show us their plans," former chief justice William Waller told me in 2023.
Now, the state's supreme court is doing a version of that.
Now, the state's supreme court is doing a version of that.
July 2, 2025 at 5:34 PM
“We should have started going court by court and asking them to show us their plans," former chief justice William Waller told me in 2023.
Now, the state's supreme court is doing a version of that.
Now, the state's supreme court is doing a version of that.
Back in 2017, the Mississippi Supreme Court first instructed local judges to develop local public defense plans and submit them to the high court.
But as I previously reported in 2023, only a single court at the time had ever followed this directive.
www.themarshallproject.org/2023/09/18/m...
But as I previously reported in 2023, only a single court at the time had ever followed this directive.
www.themarshallproject.org/2023/09/18/m...
Mississippi Courts Won’t Say How They Provide Lawyers for Poor Clients
Six years ago, the Mississippi Supreme Court told judges around the state to file plans showing how they meet their obligations to poor defendants. So far, only one has.
www.themarshallproject.org
July 2, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Back in 2017, the Mississippi Supreme Court first instructed local judges to develop local public defense plans and submit them to the high court.
But as I previously reported in 2023, only a single court at the time had ever followed this directive.
www.themarshallproject.org/2023/09/18/m...
But as I previously reported in 2023, only a single court at the time had ever followed this directive.
www.themarshallproject.org/2023/09/18/m...
This matters because Mississippi's public defense systems are so decentralized.
A sprawling network of local officials and courts fund and oversee defense for poor defendants, and they've long operated with no oversight.
A sprawling network of local officials and courts fund and oversee defense for poor defendants, and they've long operated with no oversight.
July 2, 2025 at 5:34 PM
This matters because Mississippi's public defense systems are so decentralized.
A sprawling network of local officials and courts fund and oversee defense for poor defendants, and they've long operated with no oversight.
A sprawling network of local officials and courts fund and oversee defense for poor defendants, and they've long operated with no oversight.
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Stay Connected With The Marshall Project - Jackson
The Marshall Project - Jackson exposes criminal justice abuses in Hinds County and across Mississippi by investigating policing, courts, prisons and jails.
www.themarshallproject.org
February 20, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Want to stay current with key news about Mississippi's legal system?
Subscribe to The Marshall Project's email newsletter focused solely on the state.
www.themarshallproject.org/newsletters/...
Subscribe to The Marshall Project's email newsletter focused solely on the state.
www.themarshallproject.org/newsletters/...
Then, in an email newsletter out this week, @dajaehenry.com and I highlight three key criminal justices and provided an overview of the latest legislative movement.
www.themarshallproject.org/2025/02/19/t...
www.themarshallproject.org/2025/02/19/t...
Try Our New Bill Tracking Tool
Search Mississippi criminal justice bills as they move through the legislature.
www.themarshallproject.org
February 20, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Then, in an email newsletter out this week, @dajaehenry.com and I highlight three key criminal justices and provided an overview of the latest legislative movement.
www.themarshallproject.org/2025/02/19/t...
www.themarshallproject.org/2025/02/19/t...
