Judge Prentiss Harrell
Circuit Court judges for the 15th District, Prentiss Harrell and R.I. Prichard III, have both filed for re-election.
Harrell of Hattiesburg and Prichard of Picayune both hear cases in Marion County Circuit Court. They are not running against each other in the election, as there are two judges who serve the district. No other candidates have filed for the 15th Circuit Court District.
The 15th Judicial District serves Jefferson Davis, Lamar, Lawrence, Marion, and Pearl River counties.
The election is Nov. 2, and the qualifications to be Circuit Court judge include being a practicing attorney for five years, be at least 26 years old and a resident of Mississippi for at least five years.
Judge Harrell seems to be an honest judge and reasonable man. However my encounter with Prichard has shown he has little respect of civil or constitutional law.
As the plaintiff of a civil matter it was funny to have judge Prichard tell the defendant attorneys not to hand him back documents we submitted to him which clearly showed the defendant was lying about the matter before the judge.
Even with proof of a civil issue of injury and property destuction settled for millions on my family’s claims Prichard dismissed our action and denied justice in his court.Believe me you don’t want your legal issues before him. Perhaps he should be running for dictator in some other country.
Just remember who slaps criminals on the wrist when you go to the polls in november…
JUDGE HARRELL DOES NOT NEED TO BE RE-ELECTED,HE DOES NOT GO BY THE LAW.I HAD JUST HAD A CASE THAT WENT BEFORE HIM AND ALL ATTORNEYS SAID THE STATUE OF LIMITATIONS HAD EXPIRED,WE ASKED FOR A DISMISSAL AND JUDGE HARRELL SAID THE STATUE OF LIMITATIONS HAD EXPIRED BUT HE THOUGHT IT WAS WRONG AND HE DECIDED AGAINST THE LAW THAT IT SHOULD GO TO TRAIL.SO WHY HAVE LAWS IF JUDGE HARRELL IS NOT GOING TO OBEY THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I believe that Judge Prentiss Harrell’s sentencing record of late speaks for itself! And now he seeks the position again?
Marion County Informer:
April 16, 2010
Gilbert Robert Johnson, 60, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to the sale of hydrocodone, and the Honorable Judge Prentiss Harrell sentenced him to one year of house arrest and four years of post-release supervision.In another case, Casey Jones, 18, of Foxworth, pleaded guilty to grand larceny, and Judge Harrell sentenced him to five years’ probation, and ordered that he pay $6,350 in restitution, a $1,000 fine and $1,000 to the Public Defenders Fund. Jones, who said he only completed the ninth grade because he has substance abuse problems, must also go through the Drug Court program, obtain his GED and get a job. Harrell spared Jones of having a felony on his record. Anthony Ray Spence, 23, of Tylertown, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, and Judge Harrell sentenced him to five years’ probation, ordered that he complete the Drug Court program, pay a $1,000 fine and $1,000 to the Public Defenders Fund. Harrell noted that Spence had no prior criminal history and can still have a good future. Harrell also spared Spence a felony record. If Spence fails to complete the terms of his probation, he could be sent to prison for eight years.
Marion County Informer:
April 13, 2010
Ashley Hollie, 17, of Foxworth, pleaded guilty to burglary of a dwelling; Jessica Lambert, 22, of Columbia, also pleaded guilty to burglary of a dwelling; Bridget Cox, 31, of Lampton, pleaded guilty to taking away a motor vehicle; Mary Lou Terrell, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to selling 10 units of hydrocodone; Brandon Keith Haddox of Marion County, pleaded guilty to commercial burglary for breaking into Reagan’s Corner convenience store in Kokomo; and Walt DeLancey, 69, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance. The Honorable Judge Prentiss Harrell sentenced all of the defendants except for Terrell, who will be sentenced at a later date. She faces up to 30 years in prison. None of those sentenced received any jail time, and they will be spared a felony charge on their records. They were all ordered to go through the Drug Court program, which Harrell says is “not easy.” Hollie was also ordered to pay $1,000 to the Public Defender’s Fund, received five years’ probation, fined $500 and made to pay $2,000 in restitution. Lambert received five years’ probation, was ordered to pay $1,000 to the Public Defender’s Fund and pay a $500 fine. Cox was sentenced to five years’ probation, ordered to pay $1,000 to the Public Defender’s Fund and fined $500. Haddox was put on probation for five years, fined $500 and ordered to pay restitution of $123 for breaking a glass door. DeLancey was fined $500, given five years’ probation and ordered to pay $1000 to the Public Defender’s Fund.
2 CENTS this is for you i dont give a d–n about judge harrell sentencing record!!!!! if he aint going to abide by the law and uphold the law he DONT NEED TO BE IN OFFICE.
END OF DISCUSSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To WORRY, Perhaps I stand corrected. If the matter does go on, then start your appeal of his decision using every law in support of your issue. Guess he’s a lot more like all the others if what you say is the truth.
Lawlessness is an evil we can all do without regardless who’s dishing it out. Clearly these judges would never want injustice placed upon them or their family’s so why it’s done unto others is a personal and no way a legal matter at times are very unjust.Good luck!
Just remember who slaps criminals on the wrist when you go to the polls in november…
People he is not slapping criminals on the wrisk he is doing what has been asked of every judge in the state of Mississippi avoid in every way possible pputting nonviolent offenders in prison because if we keep puttin them behind bars guess what those rapist and murders yall are always talking about are gonna be right here on our streets to lurk on our children. If you dont believe me just google it, happened in California, kept that drug dealer in jail for saling weed but poor Chelsea lost her life. Plus how do you know the evidence in these cases you don’t. But i do know one thing Prichard is bias in just about all the cases that come before him i am not saying he is not a great man but when family issues get in the way of you giving fair punishment then you dont need to be on the bentch. I agree lets get a new judge in but we do need a better canidate. I am not condoning drug dealing but what about rehabliltaion not sending them to jail so when they do get out they have more violent tenencies and now instead of just knowing the weed cartel they also know how to sale coke crack herion etc. Then they get out have a felony on their record and they realize it ant a walk in the park to get a job so then they decide saling drugs is this is a cycle we need to stop it
Well I do know about these cases, I am in law enforcement and the criminals actually ask to go before Harrell. He has a bad reputation in the law enforcement communitty for being way to soft and the criminals know it. We need another Pritchard.
No not to soft he just dont want to throw nonviolent offenders away for life on our dime when a chance could be alot. Dont you think some deserve a chance. Prichard hears drugs thinks of a past experience and throws the book at ya. Let me guess you like paying?
As long as I can sleep at night knowing they wont be stealing my stuff to buy their dope.
Judge Pritchard is the last of a dying breed. He is a shinning example of how a criminal court judge should be. I think a lot of the newer young judges could take a few lessons from him when it comes to sentencing criminals
judge harrell is a very good judge! he listens to the cases and sentences as he should.I for one would re-elect him. Mant of the offenders that comes before him are repeated offenders….He still gives these people chance after chance. I am a tax payer and for all that goes to prison I as well as many others are paying for it! I hope that he is re-elected!!! Judge Harrell you got my vote!!!!
all i have to say is if its the law,then uphold it!!!not make your own oppinon of it,just because you feel its not right.regardless if it right or wrong its is the law.so why do eithe judge have to make an oppinon when all they got to do is go by the law!!!!!!!!!!!! now if i appeal it it will cost me another 3000 in att.fees.there is no way to win unless you have a bunch of money,which i dont,so the poor man might as well give up and take his lost.i will say this judge harrell will not get my vote and i will do whatever i can to keep him out of OFFICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AND THAT”S A PROMISE
If they rule in your favor you like them, if they rule against you then they are dishonest, bias, opionated,crooked, etc….
No one has ever ruled against me ive never been to court never even got a ticket however when you let your own previous life experiences affect your judgment on the bentch thats a lil something id call bias.
There seems to be a lot of inconsistency in sentencing in this county. Judge Harrell gave one person probation/ house arrest and another 20 years for the same crime. Before you judge and say repeat offender, this person had no record at all. And it is not just him. There are people serving more time for bad checks than murder. Why is this?
judge prichard is too hard on people.. even first time offenders.. he doesnt care what you have going on in your life or whether your doing better for yourself.. if he sentences you for any felony he will send you to prison and then youll have the felony on your record for the rest of your life… hes heartless and i cant wait until he retires or something
Then dont break the law
I just want you to think about something the other day i was watching the first 48 on tv a man was killed on their it was premeditated had to do with a drug deal the guy arrested for the murder got 7 years for murder this outrages me, what outrages me more is someone with no criminal history goes before Prichard or Harrell or for a matter of a fact most judges for a drug crime they get 20 years not only that they are labeled a felon and all their basic rights are taken away. THIS IS WRONG!
There are so many drug cases that come before our judges, I really wish we could use the Training School as an alternative to jail and detox and rehabilitate some of those with drug problem, to help them become something instead of jail or prison.
There seems to be a lot of inconsistency in sentencing in this county. Judge Harrell gave one person probation/ house arrest and another 20 years for the same crime. Before you judge and say repeat offender, this person had no record at all. And it is not just him. There are people serving more time for bad checks than murder. Why is this?
People he is not slapping criminals on the wrisk he is doing what has been asked of every judge in the state of Mississippi avoid in every way possible pputting nonviolent offenders in prison because if we keep puttin them behind bars guess what those rapist and murders yall are always talking about are gonna be right here on our streets to lurk on our children. If you dont believe me just google it, happened in California, kept that drug dealer in jail for saling weed but poor Chelsea lost her life. Plus how do you know the evidence in these cases you don’t. But i do know one thing Prichard is bias in just about all the cases that come before him i am not saying he is not a great man but when family issues get in the way of you giving fair punishment then you dont need to be on the bentch. I agree lets get a new judge in but we do need a better canidate. I am not condoning drug dealing but what about rehabliltaion not sending them to jail so when they do get out they have more violent tenencies and now instead of just knowing the weed cartel they also know how to sale coke crack herion etc. Then they get out have a felony on their record and they realize it ant a walk in the park to get a job so then they decide saling drugs is this is a cycle we need to stop it
Other than the issue’s noted in my prior comment. The dismissal of our awards of settled claims by Prichard, was the fact that after three attempts to wrongfully inprison our daughter. The third attempt was had by threat that afforded the court a guilty plea.
IMO it was judge Prichard who changed for ever the life of our child.The first two attempts were before she turned 18, I guess regardless the fact she was innocent being 18 and old enough for prision least a convict upon a child. Guess it was to much for to pass the chance to further a corporate court sponsered attack.
My discuss is that all of these things were done for money. It was more warfare then law. An attack against a family and citizen of the state for money and nothing more. Being a judicial matter where could one find justice in such an act.Clearly it’s control of a certain out come of issues and not law which drives many rulings.
I think Judge Harrell has the right idea about his drug court it justs needs to be enforced a little bit more. More drug testing and making sure they are doing what they are supposed too. If they don’t think they are going to get in trouble for breaking the rules, they will be broken
if you going to be a judge,then dont go by what you think is right,go by what the law says,dont make your own opinon,
The problem is that there is far too much power invested in judges. Some people get 20 years, some get probation, or anything in between. It bothers me when I see the unjustness and disparity in sentencing. All crimes are not equal for sure, and some people do such heinous crimes that they never need to roam the streets again. However, many, many of the ones locked up made one huge mistake and can be rehabilitated and make good citizens. Many of them have children that become wards of the state basically. We are just stupid to throw everybody and their grandma in prison and think we have done something constructive.
Unfortunately, many judges do hand down sentences based on personal reasons, etc. Harrell has been hard on some, easy on others. Pritchard is generally hard on everyone. As someone pointed out already, there needs to be more consistency. In fact, the whole system needs to be revamped. This state cannot afford the vast prison population (more than any other state per capita) it has, and it is getting worse. For the sake of all of us, some thought needs to go into turning lives around and making lawbreakers into productive tax paying citizens.