View Full Version : Scott Farris-v-HPD Trial postponed--AGAIN!
HubCityMan1912
10-24-2006, 11:16 PM
Well, well, well, well, well [that's 5 wells] my MH compatriots...Reckon what now?!
Yep, that's right, "The Trial That Never Begins" has been "put off" (continued) yet again...I trust no one is too surprised or disappointed--much less shocked...But, truly, this is now beyond bizarre...
Let's see, that makes THE FIFTH time this "trial" has been delayed: Initiated by [former H'burg City Councilman] Farris--stemming from a July 11 2005 "incident", this trial in Hattiesburg Municipal Court was originally scheduled for 1) October 2005: postponed till January 2006--due to Hurricane Katrina aftermath, 2) January 2006: re-scheduled ("continuance") till March 2005--due to baby's birth of cop-in-question, 3) March 2006: postponed from March till May--when upon appearing in March, Farris (via his attorney) is informed that: A) he is in a state of "contempt of court" for not appearing in said court in January (even though he was instructed not to appear till March by court officials), B) he was found "guilty" at the January court date, and C) there was therefore (from January to March--2 months) an outstanding warrant for his arrest!, 4) May 2006: postponed from May till July--due to Farris' attorney's request for continuance so that video of incident can finally be delivered to Farris attorney from HPD, 5) July 2006: postponed from July to 25 October--due (supposedly) to same reason as #4 previous, but who can really remember by now?, 6) 24 October 2006: postponed from 25 October to mid-November (but dont hold your breath!)--due to failure of Farris attorney to recieve notice of continuance from Municipal Court and [allegedly] to give HPD additional time to "locate" all HPD officers involved. (Afterall, it's only been 15 months! since the arrest occurred.)
For what it's worth, I now understand that all law enforcement officers directly involved are no longer in law enforcement (which is certainly appropriate and good news)...The aggressive/worst-offending former HPD cop is now an Army recruiter, the other acquiescing/non-intervening officer (who falsely accused Farris of being on record for burglary) has been fired for falsifying police records (blind coincidence?), and the Forrest County jailers who abused/disrespected Farris have supposedly left under the cloud of an FBI investigation!
How was it that Hattiesburg City Council President Carter Carroll recently described the H'burg Municipal Court? [via the Hattiesburg American]: ..."out-of-control...system"...That now seems to be putting it mildly--at least in this case!
This is an obvious case of violation of Constitutionally-guaranteed Civil Rights: Recall the bedrock American Right to a "fair" and "SPEEDY" trial!? (A trial that Farris demanded against HPD--not vice versa!...He only seeks to have the absurd "disorderly conduct" charge dismissed/dropped and his record permanently expunged/cleared--professionally and personally.)
Be extra careful out there all ye boys and girls, it's a dangerous town out there now--especially after dark (or, in some neighborhoods, in broad daylight for that matter)...And we thought those "hooligans" hanging out at the Burger House on Hardy at 17th Avenue in the '60's were "dangerous"...Ah, for some of those "good old days" in sweet, old, SAFE, honest, COMPETENT Hattiesburg!
Maggie-Doodle
10-24-2006, 11:34 PM
Just another fine example of the HPD court system at work! Just proves what I have been saying all along...the court supervisor needs to be GONE! IF she can't manage the system any better than this WHY does she still have a job? As far as that goes why hasn't the chief been fired too? It is very apparent he can't manage the department or things would not be this screwed up!
I am surprised that HCM1912's lawyer hasn't demanded the case be dismissed! 15 months and still no trial! What a joke...what happened to a speedy trial?
wilebill
10-24-2006, 11:53 PM
Tell them you're in a gang and that you stay up at night worrying if someone's going to bust your door down and they'll feel sorry for you and let you go.
For those of you that don't know, once the defense attorney request a continuance, the right to a speedy trial is no longer valid. It sounds to me that Farris' attorney is using the tried and true defense attorney tactic of to keep postponing it the point where the Officers and witnesses cannot be located or moved away and it seems to me, it's about to work.
What is this FBI investigation at the jail you speak of? If it's facts, please tell. If it's innuendo and BS, say that too. This is the first I, or anybody, has heard of this.
How did you get them to re-open the case after being found guilty in your absence? They don't do that for every other person that's found guilty in his absence. Please tell. I'm sure they're hundreds of people that would like their case to be re-opened then postponed to the point where the Officers can't be located.
HubCityMan1912
10-25-2006, 01:26 AM
IGID,
Wow, thanks (for nothing) for the non-support...Are we somehow previous political (or otherwise) "enemies"? Sure sounds like it to me...
You evidently didn't read my post very closely or accurately--since it's your post that contains quite the "BS" in my opinion...Get this: The trial was demanded by Farris against HPD--not vice versa! (In order that the ridiculous charge of "disorderly conduct" be dismissed ASAP, so therefore what advantage is there in endless delay?...We seek the truth--and justice!)
Dont you realise that if HPD can do this to a person of Farris' long-term background and "standing" in this City--and get away with it--that ANYBODY, including YOU, your wife/husband, mother, children, friends, etc., are also vunerable to such Nazi/SS-type abuse?! (Anybody that half-way knows Scott Farris knows he is an easy-going, friendly, courteous/respectful, peaceable, non-violent type of man.)
Please, for all our sakes, re-think your mis-guided position ASAP. Thanks.
__________________
HoneyBun
10-25-2006, 01:36 AM
HCM1912, just wanted you to know I'm supporting you in your fight against the HPD and their unprofessional procedures and actions. Don't know how I can really help, but if you need me, just call. Keep pursuing justice and truth. Rock on big guy!
HubCityMan1912
10-25-2006, 04:02 AM
From an MH post of 17 July 2006 concerning this case:
HubCityMan1912 (http://www.myhattiesburg.com/forums/member.php?u=820) http://www.myhattiesburg.com/forums/images/statusicon/user_invisible.gif
My Hattiesburg Citizen
http://www.myhattiesburg.com/forums/images/icons/icon13.gif NewsFlash! re Scott Farris Trial against HPD
Guess what My Hattiesburg? The attorney for Scott Farris--Ray Price--is forced to ask for yet another continuance of his trial due to failure [again] of HPD to produce the video tape of the incident for his viewing prior to the trial! They have stated themselves that the tape indeed exists! This is the third time the trial has been postponed since originally scheduled for October 2005. (The "arrest" was Monday 11 July 2005.)...The first two postponements were by the City: 1) From October to January 2006 due to Hurricane Katrina, 2) From January to March due to birth of baby of HPD officer John Brister, but, when attorney Price and Farris arrive on court date in March: 1) HPD has failed to produce the video tape, 2) Municipal Court has found Farris "guilty", in contempt of court, and issued a warrant for his arrest! (due to his "failure" to appear in Court in January!)...After that debacle was corrected on site, Price & Farris are informed trial will be re-scheduled for sometime in the next 60 days (May 2006), but they hear nothing until mid-May when they're notified the new court date is set for Wednesday 19 July 2006! And now this! What about your Constitutional rights to a "speedy" trial (not to mention "fair")?
Farris will demand his day in court and that these ridiculous charges be dropped and his record expunged! Any further civil rights action taken by Farris against HPD will be determined after the results of the trial--WHENEVER that finally takes place! BUT IT WILL TAKE PLACE!
What are you complaining about? You're about to get it thrown out and you and Ray Ray know it. I know you're easy going, but I also know every Officer involved and know you're only telling your side of the story on here.
daisy
10-25-2006, 05:28 AM
I haven't kept up with all the above but what is the FBI thing about some jailers ???? I missed that but I may have missed that completely. Was iit on WDAM or in the HA?
TheKing
10-25-2006, 09:28 AM
didnt ray price just get a DUI not long ago? or was that some other lawyer?
nooskye
10-25-2006, 09:38 AM
... 3) March 2006: postponed from March till May--when upon appearing in March, Farris (via his attorney) is informed that: A) he is in a state of "contempt of court" for not appearing in said court in January (even though he was instructed not to appear till March by court officials), B) he was found "guilty" at the January court date, and C) there was therefore (from January to March--2 months) an outstanding warrant for his arrest!, 4) May 2006: postponed from May till July--due to Farris' attorney's request for continuance so that video of incident can finally be delivered to Farris attorney from HPD ...
Isn't that Double Jeapordy? (sp?) Being tried twice for the same offense?? ... Or something like that ... and if he was found guilty through contempt, how can Mr. Farris' Attorney even ask for a continuance? Much less receive one?
Don't get me wrong ... I'm sure I have no clue of 'the rest of the story' ... and it sounds like a doozie ... but it does kinda make one go 'hhhhhhhhmmmmmmm'?
justme
10-25-2006, 09:40 AM
Ray ray has enough personal crisis going on that he doesn't need to be slammed on here. Let me just say this. The way HCM sounds on here he is mad at the discovery process. There are ways to get cases dismissed for not complying with the discovery process. Maybe when your attorney gets his personal life straightened out he can focus on your case more.
carsalesguy
10-25-2006, 10:12 AM
i wouldn't doubt that hpd did this just to make scott look bad....
i know scott personally, and as he is a personal friend of our family, i just don't see scott doing anything wrong....
TheKing
10-25-2006, 10:44 AM
everybody has their secret evils
zorro
10-25-2006, 11:03 AM
Since the advent of DNA testing, many innocent men have been freed from life sentences, even some from death row. In the past 5 years, almost 300 rape and murder cases have been overturned on conclusive DNA evidence which proved them NOT guilty. Most all were indigent defendants who couldn't afford a competent attorney.
For a compelling study of one such case, pick up a copy of John Grisham's latest nonfiction, best seller, The Innocent Man.
Hawkeye,
I finished reading this a few days ago! It was great. It is probably Grisham's most important work (and his only nonfiction book).
zorro
10-25-2006, 12:02 PM
Yeah, I thought he'd never top, A Time to Kill, but he's hit another homerun with this his latest work.
I also think that A Time To Kill is his best fiction work. :)
B.T. Justice
10-25-2006, 12:32 PM
I would like to see him take on one surrounding the local Jack Diamond scandal a few years ago. There still seems to be a lot that got swept under the rug involving some higher ups. I thought maybe Don Medley might take it on but after The Book of Luke, he might still be worried about getting a contract put on him by an infamous local attorney. :)[/quote]
At one time, Tony Mazingo was working on a book about that. Never heard why he stopped.
Sometime earlier, the Jack Diamond scandal was mentioned here. What's this all about? I've been gone for a long time and am in the dark about this one.
If Scott is guilty, why doesn't the HPD simply produce the video tape and prove it? That would seem easy enough.
Why do they need a video tape? People are found guilty or not guilty everyday on the testimony of witnesses and both sides have witnesses. His attorney is going to drag this out until the states witnesses cannot be found or don't show up and then he's going to make a motion for dismissal and it will be granted. It's a common defense attorney tactic, right or wrong.
bartspoon
10-25-2006, 01:33 PM
IGID, I might be wrong, but as I read it, scott does not want the trial dismissed. He wants his day in court.
And as to the video, if the police say there is one, but dont produce it, well that sounds fishy. Seems to me if the hpd had a video, and it showed no police errors then they would gladly show it. If they simply misplaced it, thats not very good organization but sh__ happens, and if they never had one at all, then why do they have camera's.
noway
10-25-2006, 01:39 PM
Sometime earlier, the Jack Diamond scandal was mentioned here. What's this all about? I've been gone for a long time and am in the dark about this one.
JMB a very very very long story... Jack Diamond owned a wedding dress cleaners in picayune ms late 80's early 90's... People in charge of his estate spent a bunch of money on security and other things that led to a judge suicide, and an HPD officer arrested..
Bart, if he wants his day in court, why has attorney postponed it? Tape or not, let the state produce their witnesses and evidence and let Scott produce his witnesses and evidence and let the chips fall as they may. I still have a problem with the case being reopened after being found guilty in his absence though. If he's found innocent, can the state reopen the case and try again?
citygirl
10-25-2006, 04:05 PM
I have a hunch, it goes much deeper than one judge's suicide. Am I wrong in that some records were sealed for a long, long time to come, like it was some kind of top secret government national security issue?
There were a couple of local attys invovled too, if I recall correctly.
I worked for an attorney for about a year and a half. He worked primarily in estate planning. We would conduct workshops/seminars every couple of months. He would always tell the story of Jack Diamond and how important it is to protect yourself - hence the need for a Living Trust - wills in place, etc. etc.
How ironic he did some time and was disbarred for embezzelment a few years ago...
B.T. Justice
10-25-2006, 04:14 PM
I don't know what could be sealed because it was all printed in the paper. The only thing that was not made available to the public was exactly how much money was kicked back to Judge Taylor in return for his issuing of a license to rob the Jack Diamond estate.
B.T. Justice
10-25-2006, 04:57 PM
Seems as though there may have been another timely suicide just prior to Taylor's :smt102
You see, nothing sealed; it was all in the media. Just needed to jog your memory since it has been 10 years.
B.T. Justice
10-25-2006, 05:42 PM
I don't think the "payola" is sealed because it was never discovered. The accused never admitted to kicking back anything to the judge. The evidence against them was that Charlie Morgan, Scott Morgan, and Greg Alston were being paid $7500/month to not go to picyune. All this authorized by Robert Taylor. Sam Farris plead quilty to conspiracy, but he was not getting paid out of the estate; therefore, he was probably not paying the judge. The others, Charlie Morgan, died before the story was made public, Ike Farris and Scott Morgan, were convicted but did not admit to anything, and, Greg Alston, was acquitted.
There are probably only four people left who know how much the judge got, and I bet they're not talking.
The irony of the evolution of this thread is killing me.
I'm not blaming anybody or bitching about anything. I'm sure you can see it too. lol
noway
10-25-2006, 08:11 PM
The Diamond estate brings back alot of memories.. Times I will never forget.. JMB asked the question and no thanks from her.. LOL
BACK ON TOPIC
The Diamond estate brings back alot of memories.. Times I will never forget.. JMB asked the question and no thanks from her.. LOL
BACK ON TOPIC
Put on your glasses, Mr. Smartypants. I thanked you for answering my question. And now that I'm through eating supper and am seeing even more answers, I'm gonna thank them too! :p
Now that I've been filled in, I do remember my sister telling me some about it. Thanks for the rest of the info.
HubCityMan1912
10-26-2006, 02:19 AM
Tell you what IGID, since you're so proud and glad to be buddy-buddy/chummy-chummy with the two HPD ex-cops Brister & Gavin who abused/arrested Farris--and you repeatedly declare that's there's two sides to every story, I hereby invite/encourage/dare? you to round them up ASAP and get them to post their sides of this story on an MH thread. (Or you personally interview them and post your transcriptions of what's said on this or any other appropriate MH thread...We'll trust you to get it right and transcribe their words accurately.)
OK, so there you have it IGID, talk (especially around here) is mighty cheap--put your money [time and effort] where your [big] mouth is! (i.e. Put up, or shut up!)
This ought to be good. I (and likely many others) will be expectantly waiting...
HCM, my advice to Farris is next time the police are arresting his little buddy on a traffic stop and he gets out of the car and they tell him to get back in it, get back in it. You, I mean he, never did explain to everybody how he got them to reopen the case after you, I mean he again, was found guilty. If you, damn, he again, is found innocent in " your day in court " can the city reopen it and try again? Does a civil suit pivot on this? Why would you spend the time and money and headache on a misdemeanor if a lawsuit is not in the works? Everybodies done something. Just let this end. It's not the crime of the century.
HCM, my advice to Farris is next time the police are arresting his little buddy on a traffic stop and he gets out of the car and they tell him to get back in it, get back in it. You, I mean he, never did explain to everybody how he got them to reopen the case after you, I mean he again, was found guilty.
Okay, HCM never expalined how he got the case reopened after being found guilty. Explain to me how he was "found guilty" in January since he was notified by court officials not to appear because it had been continued until March due to the birth of the police officer's child. I'm no legal expert by any means, but if he had been found guilty in January, why are these additional continuances being granted in the first place? So there's an outstanding warrant for his arrest...he's such a dangerous criminal, why hasn't he been arrested? Surely the law knows where he lives and works.
Does a civil suit pivot on this? Why would you spend the time and money and headache on a misdemeanor if a lawsuit is not in the works? Everybodies done something. Just let this end. It's not the crime of the century.
No, it's not the crime of the century by any means, but if it were me and I claimed to be innocent, I'd fight it, too. Wouldn't you?
There are too many factors in this case that don't add up. If Scott did what the officers claimed he did, why not produce the tape and prove it? Seems simple enough to me.
Ok, let's say there is no tape. Take your witnesses to court and hash it out. All things being equal, ie. they said, they said, he will be found innocent or should be.IMO
But there is supposedly a tape. So produce it, let Scott be proven inncoent or guilty, and get on with life. JMO
HubCityMan1912
10-26-2006, 02:26 PM
IGID, no one can accuse you are being particularly observant or reading the fine print! (i.e. regarding the "guilty" verdict against Farris in January).
For whatever reasons, you are obviously prejudiced and have some kind of axe to grind against the defendant in this case.
A key dynamic in this case that seems to have been forgotten is that Farris' little buddy happened to be a "black" man, and I think the two white cops therefore treated him and Farris with less respect, courtesy, and professionalism than they might otherwise would have done...
So here it is the 21st Century, and you still want to proclaim your intimate association and friendship with two apparent prejudiced racist bigots?
noway
10-26-2006, 02:57 PM
HCM chill out for a minute okay? I have tried to stay out of this because I know all parties involved.. Everybody has made some good points but seriously chill.....
I know Scott Farris and I honestly can't believe he would do anything like he was charged with. I also know the officers involved and I can't believe they would do things they are accused of doing.
How hard is it to say "you,you,you,you and you be here next wednesday at 2:00 pm to have court and settle this case.
wilebill
10-26-2006, 02:59 PM
I couldn't give you any rep for that, noway, but you deserve it nonetheless.
HCM, I have no axe to grind with anybody on here, especially Scott Farris. I do have a problem with people posting only the information they want people to know in order to get a favorable opinion about something. If anybody on here really believes Scott Farris was sitting in his car keeping quiet and the Officers ran over, opened his door and attacked him and pepper sprayed him, they are not living in reality. Who acknowledged there was a tape? Ray Price? Scott Farris? or the City Prosecutor?
Weds. at 2:00pm? It should be interesting. Who will ask for a continuance this time?
daisy
10-26-2006, 04:55 PM
Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. Sorry, I can't make it ya'll unless you have donuts.
My mother went for jury duty and she had donuts and sodas and she wasn't even picked.
Will there be DONUTS?
daisy
10-26-2006, 04:56 PM
I do believe the court can sort all this out. i can't even follow the thread.
I'll break it down for you Daisy. A Mr.Scott Farris claims he was attacked by the police for no reason what so ever and I don't believe him. There you go.
BTW, before he says it, I have nothing against Mr.Scott Farris and probably never will or a ax to grind for any reason what so ever.
HubCityMan1912
10-27-2006, 07:38 PM
From the Friday 27 October 2006 Edition of the Hattiesburg American Newspaper...
5th continuance granted in case
From staff reports
A fifth continuance was granted Tuesday in the disorderly conduct case of former Hattiesburg City Councilman Scott Farris.
Farris said his attorney failed to receive a notice of the Wednesday trial, and said a new trial date could come in late November.
Farris, who now lives in Ellisville, filed a brutality complaint two days after a routine traffic stop July 11, 2005 that led to the disorderly conduct charge against him.
Farris contends that one officer doused him with pepper spray without provocation after he was stopped.
A police investigation found that the complaint was unsubstantiated.
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