A human male corpse was discovered in a lake off the Pearl River on Saturday, according to local authorities.

The identity of the body and his race and age are unclear at this time. The body was found in the portion of the river behind Wolfe Lumber Yard inside the city limits. The Columbia Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

It is unclear how the body was discovered or if foul play is a factor. The Marion County Informer will report more details as they become available.

Peggy Turnage, mother of James Thompson, holds the affidavit that she says "falsely" accuses her son of attacking Marion County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Jeff Broom.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

A local woman claims that the Marion County Sheriff’s Office has falsely accused her son of assaulting a deputy.

Marion County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jeff Broom, who is the law enforcement officer who was attacked, said his investigators would never falsely accuse anyone of a crime.

The suspect’s mother, Peggy Turnage of Marion County, said the Sheriff’s Office intimidated her son into confessing to a crime he did not commit. Her son, James Thompson, 35, was arrested on a charge of simple assault on a law enforcement officer March 10. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.

Broom said that because he is the victim in the case he has recused himself from the investigation, and Sheriff’s Office Chief Investigator Scott McKinney is heading up the matter. McKinney declined comment on the case and referred questions to Sheriff Berkley Hall who could not be reached after several attempts.

Broom said he was on duty Jan. 17 and driving down rural Williamsburg Road in Marion County when he saw a man walking at about 1 a.m. and stopped to see if he needed any help. Broom attempted to conduct a weapons search on the man when the suspect hit him in the head and escaped into the woods. After the attack, Broom called for help, and law enforcement searched the area for the suspect but could not locate anyone. Broom was unable to get a good description of the suspect and said he could not identify him.

About two months after the attack, Thompson was arrested and charged with simple assault on a law enforcement officer. Turnage said the Sheriff’s Office knows her son did not attack Broom but is charging him anyway. Broom knows who the real attacker is but is refusing to identify him as part of a “cover-up,” Turnage proclaimed.

This picture of James Thompson was taken off the Mississippi Department of Corrections Web site.

Broom balked at the cover-up accusation and said Thompson would not be charged if there was not evidence against him. “I assure you that they (Sheriff’s Office investigators) would have never put a charge on him without some facts,” said Broom. “They must have something or he wouldn’t be charged.”

Because he has recused himself from the investigation, Broom said he is unaware of what evidence the investigators might have against Thompson.  The charges against Thompson are expected to be presented to a grand jury to decide whether he should be indicted for the assault on Broom.

This is not Thompson’s first run-in with law enforcement, having been convicted in 2007 on a charge of selling personal property subject to a lien in Marion County. He was sentenced to one year in prison and two years on post-release supervision.

He violated the terms of his post release by not paying his fines and not living where he was supposed to and was sentenced to two years’ house arrest last February. Now he is being held in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility in Fayette.

Despite her son’s criminal record, he would never try to hurt anyone, especially a law enforcement officer, said Turnage. Thompson lived on Williamsburg Road where the attack happened and heard sirens responding to the scene the night of the incident, said Turnage.  

She said her son was interrogated by law enforcement officers at the Sheriff’s Office shortly after he was arrested in March at a Kokomo chicken house where he worked with his girlfriend. Five law enforcement officers pressured him to confess to a crime he did not commit, Turnage said, adding he was “scared” and “They wouldn’t let him have a lawyer.”

“Every time I think about it it gives me chills,” she said. “How can they do this? It’s just aggravating.”

Broom said it “hurts” and “saddens” him that Turnage would make such derogatory comments, but “she has a right to her opinion.”

“I’m here for the right thing,” said Broom, noting that criticism is a part of working in law enforcement.

Asked why she is so convinced her son is innocent of assaulting Chief Deputy Broom, Turnage said, “He wouldn’t hurt anyone. He has a tender heart. This is an innocent boy we’re talking about.”

Broom should be required to take a lie-detector test, said Turnage, adding, “They (Sheriff’s Office) want this case closed before anything else comes out.”  

As for taking a polygraph test, Broom said he will do whatever is required if the case goes to court. “Her son will have his day in court,” Broom said.

Members of the Sheriff’s Office “lie for one another,” and Marion County is a “gangster town,” Turnage asserted. “Each one down there (at the Sheriff’s Office) protects each other’s back,” she said, noting that she has lost all respect for the Sheriff’s Office: “You should not send innocent people to jail.”

Sheriff Hall is “taking up for” Broom, and the sheriff should resign from office “if he can’t do is job.” The sheriff “needs to focus more on his investigators and officers. It’s very ‘snakey,’” Turnage stated.

Someone from outside Marion County needs to come here and “run the law enforcement,” Turnage said.

Triple S Well Service on U.S. Highway 98 in Columbia was broken into last night or early this morning, according to Columbia Police.

Three jump boxes, which are devices used to power up batteries, were stolen as well as a money market checkbook.

Entry was made through the backdoor, and a door to an office inside the building was kicked in. The burglary was discovered this morning around 5 a.m. when an employee arrived at work.

Columbia Police received a report of a residential burglary that occurred last night at 1005 Pinehurst Drive.

The homeowner said he was taking a shower and when he got out he discovered that the front door was forced open and his Play Station 3 and one video game was missing. Police received the report of the burglary at 10:53 p.m.

In other crime, a man was arrested for simple assault Sunday for allegedly displaying a handgun in a threatening manner, according to the police report.

Police dispatch received a call at 12:26 a.m. reporting that there was a verbal altercation in the electronics section of Wal-Mart. Once outside the store, the suspect, Antonio White, 19, 77 Water Valley Road, Foxworth, displayed a .40-caliber handgun, according to the police report. Police arrived on scene and recovered the pistol and took White into custody.

Deputy Hunter Forbes

Marion County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Hunter Forbes was recently honored with the “100 Club” award for making more than 100 DUI arrests last year. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety presented Forbes with the award at a ceremony in Jackson. Forbes made 134 DUI arrests between Jan. 1-Dec. 31 2009. The Sheriff’s Office as a whole made 196 DUI arrests in that time period.  Statewide there were 32,099 DUIs last year, said Marion County Sheriff Berkley Hall. Asked how he felt about receiving the honor, Forbes, said, “You drink, you drive, you lose.”

Ronnie Jefferson, father of shooting victim Kenrodrick Jefferson, continues to be "very disappointed" with the way the Marion County Sheriff's Office has handled the investigation into his son's death.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

Family members of a man who was shot to death outside his Lampton residence March 29 met with Marion County Sheriff Berkley Hall on Thursday to discuss the status of the investigation.

There still have been no arrests in the shooting death of Kenrodrick Jefferson, 29, even though the sheriff said it is known who killed Jefferson. Hall told the Marion County Informer on Tuesday that Damos Daniels shot and killed Jefferson.

On Tuesday Hall said the circumstances that brought on the shooting remain unclear. Hall said it is unknown what happened to escalate the situation to the point that Daniels shot Jefferson. The sheriff said he hopes a witness comes forward to shed light on why Daniels killed Jefferson. “Somebody had to see something,” Hall said.

Hall said he does not think Daniels went to Jefferson’s house with the intent of killing him. Hall noted that Daniels had his two children, wife and mother-in-law with him when he went to Jefferson’s house. Hall questions why Daniels would bring his family with him if he knew he was going to kill Jefferson.

The Sheriff’s Office is still waiting on more witnesses to come forward to help solve the case, Hall said.

Kenrodrick Jefferson, 29, was shot and killed by Damos Daniels on March 29, according to Marion County Sheriff Berkley Hall.

Ronnie Jefferson, who is Kenrodrick’s dad, and Kenrodrick’s wife, Kaleena Jefferson, said they met with Hall and Sheriff’s Office Chief Investigator Scott McKinney Thursday about the investigation. After the meeting, Kaleena and Ronnie Jefferson told the Marion County Informer that they are both very disappointed with the way the Sheriff’s Office has handled the investigation.

Sheriff Hall could not be reached for comment this afternoon.

Ronnie Jefferson said Sheriff Hall told him Thursday that Daniels turned himself in after the shooting. According to Ronnie Jefferson, Hall said there was not enough evidence to hold Daniels in custody for the shooting. Ronnie Jefferson wonders how there could not be enough evidence to hold Daniels when he turned himself in.

Kaleena and Ronnie Jefferson said they hoped that Thursday’s meeting with the Sheriff’s Office would make them feel better, but it did not. Kaleena said she thinks Daniels was working as a drug informant for the Sheriff’s Office and therefore has not been arrested.

Hall said on Tuesday that the Sheriff’s Office does not know the whereabouts of Daniels. Kaleena said she was at the residence when the shooting happened and heard the gunshot and ran outside and saw Daniels with a gun in his hand getting in a vehicle.

Marion County Sheriff Berkley Hall

Ronnie Jefferson said he arranged the meeting with the Sheriff’s Office because he has not heard anything from law enforcement for three months regarding the case. “I’m very disappointed with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office,” said Ronnie Jefferson.

Hall said Tuesday that the case remains under investigation and will eventually be sent to a grand jury to decide if it should be prosecuted. Kaleena said the sheriff told her that some witnesses are scared to come forward in fear of retaliation.

Family members have complained that the Sheriff’s Office just doesn’t care about Kenrodrick Jefferson, but Hall said that is untrue. Hall noted that one of his investigators performed CPR on Kenrodrick at the scene of the shooting. “We cared about him,” Hall said. “He was a human being.”

Two days after the shooting, Daniels’ trailer in Blue Springs burned down, but the Sheriff’s Office has not confirmed that the house fire was retaliation over the killing of Jefferson. The day after the shooting, a car belonging to Daniels’ mother was set on fire, which the Columbia Police Department said was a retaliatory attack over the shooting.

After the shooting, law enforcement officials issued a search warrant and discovered 40-50 pounds of marijuana, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

Three men were arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office on grand larceny charges Monday for allegedly stealing a Pepsi machine from Renee’s Grocery and Grill in Goss.

Owner of the establishment, Thomas Saucier, told the Marion County Informer today that the machine was totally destroyed after it was stolen. Saucier said the machine was stolen June 5 around 11:30 p.m. when the suspects loaded it into a truck.

Arrested for grand larceny were Gavin Burge, 18, 917 Park Ave., Columbia; Tyler Tray Daniels, 18 C Williamson Road, Columbia; and John Evan Lott, 20, 213 Owen Cole Road, Oakvale.

Marion County Sheriff Berkley Hall said surveillance equipment at the business helped lead to the arrests of the suspects. Saucier said luckily he had just taken the dollar bills out of the machine, but he said there was about $50 worth of change in the machine.

In another Sheriff’s Office case, a Foxworth man was arrested on a charge of manufacturing of controlled substance on Tuesday for allegedly growing three pot plants, according to Sheriff Berkley Hall.

Hall said the suspect, Michael Wayne Smith, 593 St. Paul Road, was allegedly growing the plants at his house. Law enforcement officers discovered the pot plants when they served Smith with a warrant for grand larceny. Details on the grand larceny charge are unclear.

Willie Smith- Indicted on five counts of sexual battery and five counts of statutory rape.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

A 52-year-old Columbia man was arrested Tuesday on a grand jury indictment for five counts of sexual battery and five counts of statutory rape.

The indictment alleges that Willie D. Smith began having inappropriate sexual contact with a girl in 2002 when she was 11-years-old and continued to do so until March 2009 when she was 17.

The Marion County Informer could not reach Smith for comment.

Shortly after being arrested by the Sheriff’s Office, Smith, 194 Blue Springs Road, was released from Marion County Jail on Tuesday after posting a $275,000 bond.

Count One of the 10-count indictment alleges that on March 14, 2009 Smith engaged in sexual penetration with the girl, who was 17 years old at the time. Count Two alleges that on March 9, 2009 Smith engaged in sexual penetration with the girl, who was 17-years-old at the time. Count Three alleges that on Nov. 18, 2008 Smith engaged in sexual penetration with the girl, who was 17 at the time. Count Four alleges that from March 1, 2008-March 31, 2008 Smith engaged in sexual penetration with the girl, who was 16-years-old at the time. County Five alleges that from April 1 2002-April 30, 2002 Smith had sexual intercourse with the girl, who was 11-years-old at the time. Count Six alleges that from April 1, 2002 to April 30, 2003 Smith had sexual intercourse with the child, who was 12-years-old at the time. Count Seven alleges that from April 1, 2004 to April 30, 2004 Smith had sexual intercourse with the girl, who was 13 at the time. Count Eight alleges that from April 1, 2005 to April 30, 2005 Smith had sexual intercourse with the girl, who was 14 at the time. Count Nine alleges that from April 1, 2006 to April 30, 2006 Smith had sexual intercourse with the girl, who was 15 at the time. Count 10 alleges that from April 1, 2007 to April 30, 2007 Smith engaged in sexual penetration with the girl who was 16 at the time.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

Two Foxworth men have been charged with receiving stolen property.

The men, Joe Glen Lewis, 45, and Billy Wayne Beasley, 28, were arrested at Foxworth Recycling on Saturday apparently trying to sell some radiators that were stolen out of two trucks  at W.F. Foxworth & Son Inc. sawmill. Marion County Sheriff Berkley Hall said the men claim that they did not know the radiators had been stolen. They are being held in Marion Couty Jail on $5,000 bond.

The Marion County Informer first reported the story on the stolen radiators on Sunday. To read that story click this link: http://bit.ly/awX6LN

When the sawmill owners discovered the theft Saturday morning, they called local salvage yards telling them to be on the lookout for people trying to sell the parts. About two hours later, the owners said they received a call from Three Flags salvage yard saying that two men were there trying to sell the radiators. Beasley and Lewis were eventually tracked down at Foxworth Recycling where they were arrested on the receiving stolen property charges.

A radiator, turbo cooler and air conditioner cooler were stolen from one truck, and the radiator was stolen out of the other truck for a total of around $5,000 worth of parts, said Stephen Foxworth, one of the sawmill owners.

Stephen Foxworth, owner of W.F. Foxworth & Son Inc. sawmill, stands by one of the trucks that thieves stole a radiator from.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

The owners of a Foxworth sawmill are praising the cooperation between the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and local salvage yards for catching two alleged thieves.

Brothers Mike and Stephen Foxworth, owners of W.F. Foxworth & Son Inc. sawmill, said radiators were stolen from two of their trucks, and two suspects were arrested Saturday trying to sell the parts to a salvage yard.

Mike Foxworth went to the sawmill Saturday morning and noticed the grill and radiator were missing from a Mack truck and then saw the radiator was missing from another truck as well. Stephen Foxworth called Three Flags salvage yard and Foxworth Recycling and told them to be on the look out for someone trying to sell the stolen radiators.

About two hours later, Stephen Foxworth received a call from Three Flags saying that two men were there trying to sell the stolen parts. Three Flags tried to stall the men until the Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene, but the men left and went to Foxworth Recycling.

The men were taken into custody at Foxworth Recycling, Stephen Foxworth said, adding that if it had not been for the cooperation between the Sheriff’s Office, Three Flags and Foxworth Recycling the suspects would not have been arrested.

“I was happy everyone reacted the way they did,” said Stephen Foxworth.

Stephen Foxworth said it makes him angry that people would try to steal from his business. The suspects stole a radiator, turbo cooler and air conditioner cooler from one truck and the radiator out of another for a total of around $5,000 worth of parts, said Stephen Foxworth.

The men were apparently trying to sell the parts to Three Flags for around $1.35 a pound, said Stephen Foxworth, adding that there was probably a total of around 200 pounds of equipment. The radiators have been returned to the sawmill and appear to be in good condition.

Mike Foxworth said this is the third time this month the sawmill has been broken into. The office was burglarized with the door and deadbolt being torn up, but the thieves only took change and someone also tried to break into the tool room.

Mike Foxworth said he wanted to tell the Informer about the break-ins to let people around the county know to be on the look out for thieves. He said he has heard about numerous other break-ins throughout the county and it is a good idea for residents to report suspicious activity.

“That’s the only way to catch this stuff, through a lot of cooperation and communication,” Mike Foxworth said.

It is unclear who was arrested for allegedly trying to sell the stolen radiators, as the Sheriff’s Office cannot be reached for comment until Monday when regular business hours resume.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

Columbia Police have said a man was shot four times June 5, but now a woman claiming to be the wife of the victim says he was shot only twice.

The woman, who says she is the wife of Chris Fountain, contacted the Marion County Informer Saturday but would not release her name. The woman hung up the telephone on the Informer after being asked questions about the shooting incident. The Informer then called the number back and spoke directly with a man claiming to be Chris Fountain, 36. He said he is recovering from the shooting but refused to speak about specifics of the case.

Columbia Police Detective Chris Brumfield has said that Fountain was shot four times. Brumfield could not be reached to comment on the claim that Fountain was shot only twice.

There apparently has been no one arrested in connection with the shooting. The shooter reportedly came to the house in a vehicle and then got out and approached the house and fired shots at Fountain, who was in the doorway, according to police. Witnesses said there were two other people in the vehicle, and police have said they are looking for them as well. Fountain was visiting friends at the 704 Owens St. residence when he was shot, police said.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

There have apparently still been no arrests made connected to last Saturday’s shooting in Columbia in which a man was shot four times and survived.

The victim, Chris Fountain, 36, was shot outside a 704 Owens St. residence, according to Columbia Police. Fountain was reportedly released from the hospital in Hattiesburg this week. There have been no charges listed on the jail docket this week to indicate someone has been arrested in connection with the shooting.

This afternoon the Marion County Informer visited the residence where the shooting occurred, and a woman who refused to identify herself said she was in the bathtub when she heard gunshots. She said when she got out of the bathtub to see what had happened the police were already on scene.  The woman said she is upset about the shooting, saying children were present when it happened.

The woman at the residence refused to say anything more about the shooting and asked the Informer to leave her property. The woman’s neighbor also declined comment to the Marion County Informer.

Earlier this week Columbia Police Detective Chris Brumfield said he spoke with Fountain on the phone and told him to come to the Police Department and give a statement. On Thursday Brumfield said Fountain had still not come to the Police Department to give a statement, which could hamper the case. Without Fountain’s cooperation as the victim, authorities will have a difficult time getting a conviction in the case, Brumfield noted.

Brumfield has said there is a suspect in the case but refuses to release the name at this time. Brumfield could not be reached for comment today to determine if there is an update in the case.

A Columbia man claims to have been attacked with a crowbar by an unknown man Tuesday night, according to Columbia Police Detective Chris Brumfield.

The man had just gotten out of the shower at his 401 Y Ave. residence when he was hit in the back with the crowbar around11:30 p.m., according to Brumfield.  The man fell to the ground unconscious and was found by his roommate. He was taken to Marion General Hospital where he was treated and released. No one has been arrested in the incident, and nothing was taken from the residence.

A house at 1307 Willow Drive was broken into Sunday night or early Monday morning, according to Columbia Police Detective Chris Brumfield.

The homeowner left for work at around 10 p.m. Sunday and returned at 7 a.m. Monday to find a 37-inch screen TV, DVD player, and 300 DVDs stolen. The back bedroom window was ajar, and the backdoor was unlocked.

Brumfield said there is a suspect in the case, but no arrests have been made.

A Columbia woman reported to police that a man entered her apartment at 1201 N. Park Ave. this afternoon and tried to rape her.

Officers arrived on scene shortly after the call came in and apprehended the suspect, Johnny Charles Robinson Jr., 44, 607 Pearl St., Apt. B, Columbia, on a nearby street.

The alleged victim called dispatch at 2:49 p.m. to report the rape, according to Columbia Police Detective Chris Brumfield. According to Brumfield, the door to the woman’s apartment was open when the suspect allegedly entered. The woman’s clothing was torn, and she was very upset, police said.

Kirk Smith

Kerri Powell

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

Two Foxworth residents were arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office last Friday and charged with separate sex crimes.

Kerri Powell, 18, 28 Double P Drive, Foxworth, was arrested on a charge of sexual battery for allegedly engaging in sexual penetration with a 13-year-old girl on Sept. 11, 2009, according to the affidavit on file at Marion County Justice Court.

The affidavit states that Powell helped the 13-year-old girl run away from her Marion County residence. The girl was later found, and her mother asked Powell in front of officers if she had touched her daughter in any way. Powell replied that “they had went all the way,” the affidavit states.

The girl’s mother then reported the matter to the Department of Human Services, according to the affidavit. Powell has bonded out of Marion County Jail.

In another sex crime case, Kirk Allen Smith, 25 Terry Chapel Road, Foxworth, was arrested on a charge of statutory rape. Smith was 19-years-old on June 6, 2008 when he allegedly had sex with a 15-year-old girl in Foxworth, the affidavit at Marion County Justice Court states.

Smith has bonded out of Marion County Jail.