Lonoke Arkansas

Kathy as soon as I find the article I will post it. Seems that one of the jurors thought that someone was taping - turns out it was an iPod or something of the sort, that juror was dismissed (the iPod one).

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Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

Plot to kill McCastlain is heard


By Ed Galucki--Staff Writer
Friday, April 6, 2007 8:28 AM CDT



Lona McCastlain
The prosecution case in the trial of the former Lonoke chief of police, his wife, and a bail bondsman finished Tuesday with murder plots, arson jobs, drug setups, more missing drugs and a mistrial for one defendant.

Defense rebuttals will begin Thursday and are expected to last a week. The trial is being held in Cabot District Court.

Until Monday, the trial included former Lonoke chief of police Jay Campbell, his wife Kelly Harrison Campbell, and bail bondsman Bobby Cox. But a mistrial declared by Special Circuit Judge John Cole gave Cox a separate trial.

Accounts of threats against the prosecuting attorney and a witness shocked attorneys and court observers alike. Bailiffs, already carrying sidearms and TASERs, have since been reinforced with extra police officers.

Testimony Friday by Ron Tyler, identified only as from Arkansas, that he had been approached by Cox to kill prosecuting attorney Lona McCastlain brought immediate motions from defense attorneys for a mistrial. The attorneys claimed McCastlain had violated court rules by keeping Tyler’s testimony a secret until “the eleventh hour” of the prosecution presentations.

Friday’s mistrial motions were denied by Cole. However, a 20-page motion filed Monday by John Wesley Hall, attorney for Cox, won a mistrial for the bondsman.

Though Patrick Benca, attorney for Jay Campbell, and Mark Hampton, attorney for Kelly Campbell, had joined Hall’s motion, Cole ruled that trial proceedings against the Campbells could continue.

Cole’s ruling also disqualifies McCastlain from carrying out any prosecution of Cox. The disqualification was based on the premise that as a target of the alleged threat McCastlain could no longer prosecute the action.

In remarks afterward, McCastlain said the motion is, “The same song, different verse.” The defense, unable to answer the charges, had instead concentrated on getting her removed.


“This is the third or fourth time they’ve tried [to get her removed],” McCastlain said. “All I have ever wanted is for this to go to the jury ? after eight weeks, I am glad the jury will still get to hear the [Campbell] case. The state has always wanted this to be tried on the merits of the case.”

Appointment of a special prosecutor will be requested, meaning any trial proceedings would have to start again at the beginning. The entire case file will be turned over to whomever is appointed, the special prosecutor will have to decide what charges to pursue, McCastlain said.

During a recess Monday, Hall said the ruling is “bittersweet.” During arguments for the mistrial, Hall had said he was so outraged by the turn of events that he had authored the 20-page motion in about 12 hours.

“I would have liked to see this through to the end; we have all been through a lot. But it could turn out to benefit [Jay and Kelly Campbell] to not have Bobby [Cox] there,” Hall said.


Hampton, railing against the ruling continuing the Campbell case, argued that “I do not see how the Campbell case does not fall under the Cox motion.”

Doubling the difficulty is the fact that Tyler is a client of his, Hampton said Friday. “Actually, a former client, now,” he said later.

For the hearing, Cabot attorney Clint McGue was appointed as counsel for Tyler. During later questioning, McGue advised Tyler to claim his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination. Hampton said it is a near certainty that he would have to be called as a rebuttal witness if Tyler testifies in the trial.

On Monday, Cole said that while Hampton brought up valid points he believed the Campbell case could be still be tried fairly. Cole also denied Hampton’s request to be relieved as Kelly Campbell’s attorney. With Hampton’s request, Campbell showed perhaps her first sign of distress during the trial; face downcast, she dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

The firestorm of defensse protests was sparked Friday by Tyler’s testimony that Cox had asked him to kill McCastlain, witness Ron Adams, and to burn McCastlain’s home and the Lonoke County Courthouse.

Apparently the fires were intended to destroy records of the trial and evidence, Tyler said.

Tyler derided attorneys throughout his testimony, referring to them in terms such as, “big dog,” “little lawyer,” and “egghead.” When he finished, Tyler left the witness stand advising Cox, “Don’t look at me hard, Bobby. That shit is not going to work.”

Tyler described a meeting with Cox, Larry Norwood, a defendant in a separate trial, and some county deputies and when they had discussed setting Adams up to be arrested so he couldn’t testify in the trial.

“We met out on a dirt road, somewhere,” he said.

The account was similar to testimony Thursday by Todd Mize, an investigator with the Faulkner County Drug Task. Mize recalled a Sept. 2006 meeting with Cox and Norwood, at Cox’s request.

At the meeting, Cox had asked about getting Ron Adams arrested in Faulkner County, Mize said. Adams, Mize recalled Cox saying, was under immunity in Lonoke County, so the arrest had to be made elsewhere.

Mize also described a third person at the meeting, obviously “muscle” or backup for Cox.

Mize said he had had, “A bad feeling about being put in that position,” and had contacted McCastlain immediately after the meeting.

Tyler also said they had also discussed killing McCastlain. Cox had told him McCastlain had a “servant” who would have to be subdued; “[Cox] said the best way to do it would be to tie up her servant, then do Lona when she comes in,” Tyler said.

Tyler said he had returned to Dallas, asked for a meeting with an F.B.I. agent he knew, and divulged what had happened in Arkansas. Asked why he went to Dallas, he said “this is Arkansas. You can’t trust nobody here.”

In cross-examination, Tyler said he had been asked “four or five times” to kill someone. Hall asked Tyler if he had ever carried out any of the requests.

When Tyler remained silent, Hall demanded an answer. Since Tyler had made the claims about Cox, Cox had the right to get an answer, Hall said.

“You have the right to kiss my a?,” Tyler replied.

When Hall pursued the question, adding whether or not Tyler had committed arson or beaten anyone, McGue interrupted.

“I think it would be in [Tyler’s] best interest to plead the Fifth Amendment,” McGue said to Cole.

Thursday, Ron Adams testified that he had cooperated with Cox to set up Roger Light for an arrest on a possession charge. Cox was hoping Light would then be willing to cooperate in locating Eugene Beasley - Beasley had failed to report for trial, and Cox was liable for Beasley’s $300,000 bond, Adams said.

Adams said he agreed to cooperate with Cox’s promise that he could make a charge of manufacturing a controlled substance “go away.” In later testimony, Adams said that promise was not fulfilled.

The plan was to have Adams produce some methamphetamine, which he would then give to Light. Adams was then to inform Norwood that Light had the drug; Light would be arrested and offered a “deal” on the charge provided he lead Cox to Beasley.

Adams said he had done his part, and notified Norwood that Light had the drug hidden in his right shoe. Later, Adams said, Norwood called to warn him to dispose of the lab, which he did a short distance from his home.

Arkansas State Police troopers Charles Lewis and Marvin Nunn, recalled being asked to help Lonoke officers on a possible drug bust on Sept. 7, 2004. The arrest was made on Arkansas Highway 294, near South Bend, after Light was stopped for speeding.

Nunn recalled that Cox had shown up at the same time, and that Capt. Sean O’Nale of the Lonoke Police Department had also been there. It was O’Nale who had discovered the methamphetamine hidden in Light’s right shoe.

O’Nale had read Light his rights, who was then taken to the Lonoke police department.

Also on Thursday, John Seaburg, head agent of the Little Rock F.B.I. office, recalled that he had been in contact with Adams in July 2006. Adams had given an account accusing Jay Campbell, Cox and Norwood.

Seaburg said he declined to deal with the matter, telling Adams to take up the issue with whichever law enforcement agency he was cooperating with.

Mike Bush, a former Lonoke police officer assigned to the Little Rock office of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) said Adams had contacted that office. He had given the account of producing methamphetamine at the behest of Cox, with the possible involvement of Campbell.

Bush said he had reported the matter to his DEA supervisor, who told him to forward the information to the Lonoke police department. The report was given to O’Nale, Bush said.

It was shortly afterward that he was notified that he was being recalled to the Lonoke department, Bush said. He was then placed on patrol.

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Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

Geez Louise. Who in that county isn't involved in all this?

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Kathy Blackshear
Blackshear Investigations
Blackshear Bail Bonds
Sales Associate, Prepaid Legal Services, Inc.
Walsenburg, CO

Proud Member of the AB Reject Club

Kathy, I am thinking that I should have posted this under the "things that make you go Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, if ya know what I mean

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Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

Former Lonoke chief, wife convicted in corruption case
Last Update: Apr 17, 2007 6:02 PM





CABOT, Ark. (AP) - A jury has convicted former Lonoke Police Chief Jay Campbell and his wife, Kelly Campbell, on numerous charges in the couple's corruption case.

Jay Campbell was convicted on 23 charges and acquitted on six; Kelly Campbell was convicted on 26 charges and acquitted on five.

The two were accused of conspiring as part of a criminal organization to obtain drugs, money and jewelry illegally and to obtain construction labor and sex from state prisoners.

Jurors began deliberating Monday and announced their verdict shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday.

The Campbells were arrested along with four others after a state police investigation. Jay Campbell resigned as chief after his arrest.

A third defendant, bail bondsman Bobby Junior Cox, was granted a mistrial. Trial dates are pending against three others.

_________________


Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

WOO-HOO!!!

_________________
Kathy Blackshear
Blackshear Investigations
Blackshear Bail Bonds
Sales Associate, Prepaid Legal Services, Inc.
Walsenburg, CO

Proud Member of the AB Reject Club

Former Lonoke police chief, wife to be sentenced April 24

Wednesday, April 18, 2007 3:51 AM CDT

CABOT, Ark. - Former Lonoke Police Chief Jay Campbell has been convicted of running a criminal organization and his wife, Kelly Campbell, has been found guilty of numerous charges in the couple's corruption case.



Jay Campbell was convicted Tuesday on 23 charges and acquitted on six; Kelly Campbell was convicted on 26 charges and acquitted on five.

The jury recommended a total of 315 years in prison for the former police chief, and recommended for his wife a total of 303 years in prison, plus one month and 20 years probation.

But jurors also recommended that the sentences for each conviction run together, meaning Jay Campbell would serve a 40-year prison sentence, and Kelly Campbell 20 years in prison.

Special Circuit Judge John Cole said he would take the jury recommendations under advisement in sentencing the Campbells April 24.

The Campbells said they planned to appeal.

"Our big picture is to stay together _ married, raise our family and start over," Kelly Campbell said during a break Tuesday in the proceedings.

The two were accused of conspiring as part of a criminal organization to obtain drugs, money and jewelry illegally and to obtain construction labor and sex from state prisoners. Earlier in the trial, the judge dismissed two charges against Kelly Campbell that accused her of having sex with Lonoke jail inmates.

The trial began in February, and jurors began deliberating Monday on a verdict.

The six-man, six-woman jury convicted Jay Campbell of managing a continuing criminal organization or enterprise _ the main charge against him. But the jurors found Kelly Campbell not guilty of the same charge.

Prosecutors sought to portray Jay Campbell as running his department as a king above the law and willingly ignored the claim that his wife having a sexual relationship with an inmate. An attorney for Kelly Campbell questioned whether the jury could rely on testimony given by a prisoner.

After the verdict, Prosecutor Lona McCastlain said the convictions "sent a message to the Campbells."

"I was very relieved with the jury's decision," McCastlain said. "They got it. I can tell that after sitting here for seven weeks and based on the charges they actually came back with guilty on, they actually got it."

The Campbells were arrested along with four others after a state police investigation. Jay Campbell resigned as chief after his arrest. A third defendant, bail bondsman Bobby Junior Cox, was granted a mistrial. Trial dates are pending against three others.

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Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

Hmmmmmmm . . . A little JUSTICE . . . she was not deaf this time.

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Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

Former Lonoke police chief, wife sentenced to prison


By ANDREW DeMILLO
Tuesday, April 24, 2007 11:47 AM CDT

CABOT, Ark. - Former Lonoke police chief Jay Campbell and his wife were sentenced to prison Tuesday on numerous felony convictions in a corruption investigation involving drugs, jewelry and sex.



Special Circuit Judge John Cole followed jury recommendations and sentenced the former police chief to serve a total of 40 years in prison and his wife, Kelly Campbell, to a total of 20 years.

The Campbells were convicted in a trial that began in February and included a mistrial of a co-defendant, bail bondsman Bobby Junior Cox. Trial dates are pending against three others, including a former Lonoke mayor.

In all, the judge sentenced Jay Campbell to 315 years in prison for convictions on 23 counts, including a charge that he ran a criminal organization to obtain drugs and jewelry. Kelly Campbell was sentenced to 303 years in prison on 26 convictions, plus ordered to serve 20 years and one month probation. The judge ordered the sentences to run concurrently, making for the 40- and 20-year terms.

The Campbells showed no emotion while they stood before the judge for sentencing and they made no comments. They declined to answer questions from reporters as they left the courthouse in handcuffs.

The judge set a $250,000 bond for Jay Campbell and a $100,000 bond for Kelly Campbell, to go into effect when their lawyers file notice of appeal. As part of their bonds, they are to undergo drug testing.

Prosecutor Lona McCastlain said she was pleased the judge agreed with the jury in sentencing the Campbells but disappointed the Campbells could be free on bond. She said the appeal bonds were "a slap in the people of Lonoke's face."

"They're walking off and going back with their lives while this appeal goes on," McCastlain said. "If they were average criminals that would not have happened. If they were average criminals they would be in the pen while their attorneys filed their appeals."

Before the Campbells were sentenced, McCastlain argued against the bonds and said releasing the couple would cause pain to the victims who would have to see them every day in the community.

"They're going to go about their daily business in the face of their victims," McCastlain said. "They're going to be going to the same church as these victims every day."

Patrick Benca, an attorney for Jay Campbell, said Jay Campbell had not posed any flight risk during the trial and had met all of the conditions of his release.

Several people sitting in the courtroom groaned loudly when Cole approved the appeal bonds for the couple.

Benca said he would ask the judge for a new trial and would not file an appeal until after the court rules on the request. Kelly Campbell's attorney, Mark Hampton, said he had filed a motion for a new trial Tuesday and might file a notice of appeal later in the day.

"This case is full of more errors than any 10 cases I've seen combined," Hampton said.

The Campbells originally were accused of conspiring as part of a criminal organization to obtain drugs, money and jewelry illegally and to obtain construction labor and sex from state prisoners.

Prosecutors sought to portray Jay Campbell as running his department as a king above the law and willingly ignored the claim that his wife having a sexual relationship with an inmate.

But during the trial, the judge dismissed two charges against Kelly Campbell that accused her of having sex with Lonoke jail inmates. She also was acquitted by the jury of taking part in a criminal organization with her husband and others.

Also in the case, former Lonoke Mayor Thomas Privett was charged with misdemeanor theft; former Lonoke Police Department dispatcher Amy Staley faces counts of engaging in a continuing criminal organization and third-degree sexual assault, and bail bondsman Larry Norwood was charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. Their trials are pending.

In a motion filed Monday afternoon, Hampton argued several reasons for a mistrial in Kelly Campbell's conviction. Among other points, the brief argued that allegations of her sexual contact with prisoners "contaminated the minds of the jurors to the point that they were able to separate the evidence of the sexual allegations from the other charges."

During Tuesday's hearing, Cole mentioned he had been contacted by one of the jurors over the weekend. McCastlain afterward said that Cole told the attorneys Saturday night about the juror, who had expressed "remorse" about the verdict.

"This happens from time to time, and that doesn't really concern me. Remorse happens. When you get out and read the paper and see the newscasts, it's easier for that to happen," she said. "Once that jury is released, that really doesn't cause me much concern."

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Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

Campbells get 40, 20 years


By Ed Galucki--Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 25, 2007 8:30 AM CDT



JAY CAMPBELL, in handcuffs, is escorted to a Sheriff’s patrol car to be taken for processing into the Arkansas Department of Correction following his sentencing to 40 years in prison (Photo by Ed Galucki).
Special Circuit Judge John Cole left the jury’s recommended sentences on Jay and Kelly Campbell unchanged on Tuesday - 40 years for him, 20 years for her. Then, despite objections by prosecutor Lona McCastlain, Cole allowed the Campbells to post $200,000 and $100,000 appeal bonds.

The bonds will allow the Jay Campbell, the former Lonoke Chief of Police, and his wife Kelly to remain free while they appeal their convictions on 49 offenses. Included in the motions for a new trial is a juror’s wish to recant the verdict.

“The state strenuously objects to an appeal bond for Mr. Campbell,” McCastlain said. She called on Cole to consider that the Campbells had been in a position of trust, but instead they had preyed on the people they were supposed to be protecting.

In asking for the appeal bonds, Patrick Benca, attorney for Jay, and Mark Hampton, attorney for Kelly, assured Cole that the Campbells pose no threat to the community, proven by their conduct while on bond. Jay has followed the rules “to the letter” and will continue to follow any rules the court might set for an appeal bond, Benca said.

While the court is in its authority to grant an appeal bond, the current bond is “way inadequate for staying out,” McCastlain said.
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Cole said he does not believe Kelly Campbell to be a threat, and he set bond at $100,000. At McCastlain’s request, he added the requirement for drug testing, leaving the details of testing requirements to be settled later.

Deputy prosecutor Stuart Cearley pointed out that the Campbells had filed that they could not pay their attorneys, and if the attorneys could not be paid, neither should the Campbells be allowed to post bond.

McCastlain continued that the Campbells should not be treated any differently than any other convicted person. The Campbells could certainly appeal, “but they can appeal from the penitentiary.”

Cole’s ruling allowing the bond so angered McCastlain it brought tears to her eyes, and elicited a collective groan from court observers.


Benca asked hearings be set on the motion for mistrial, and to consider the issue of the juror’s change of mind.

McCastlain said the juror issue needs no hearing.

“I do not think we need to explore that any further,” she said. “There are great limitations on what may be discussed with a juror concerning deliberations.”

After the sentencing, McCastlain decried the bond ruling.


“If these were average criminals, what would have happened is they would be in the pen and they would have attorneys filing appeals for them,” she said. “Justice was done the other day, but now [the Campbells] get to go about their life while this appeal is pending. I am disappointed.

“This is a slap in the people of Lonoke’s face ? the jurors felt they had been slapped in the face. They expected [the Campbells] to be hauled off in handcuffs, and they weren’t. I am disappointed in that.”

Prior to the sentencing, Cole informed attorneys of being contacted by a juror who said he wished to recant the verdict, raising new questions.

However, McCastlain said a change of mind is not an issue.

“It was a unanimous decision,” she said. “The judge inquired ?Is this a unanimous decision?’ everyone said ?yes,’ and the foreman said, ?yes, it is.’ Remorse happens, and we will deal with this at the proper time.”

Standing in separate trials are former Lonoke Mayor Thomas Privett, bail bondsman Larry Norwood, and Amy Staley, a former Lonoke police department jailer. Bail bondsman Bobby Cox began trial proceedings with the Campbells but will now face charges in a separate trial.

Privett faces a single misdemeanor charge of theft of services. Staley faces a charge of third-degree sexual assault. Cox faces charges of manufacturing a controlled substance, a class Y felony, intimidating a juror, witness or an informant, a class C felony, and first-degree Terroristic Threatening, a class D felony. Norwood is charged with criminal conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance - methamphetamine, a class A felony.

All except Privett are also charged with operating a continuing criminal enterprise.

While the alleged offenses span several years, the events leading to the trial began Aug. 2, 2005. It was then that officials from the state Department of Corrections removed five Act 309 prisoners housed at the Lonoke city jail pending results of an investigation into claims the Act 309 program had been abused by using the inmates for work on private property.

Under Act 309 of 1983, selected state inmates are confined to city or county jail facilities where they can be used for certain work details. The state pays a facility $15 a day for each prisoner. Lonoke received $75 a day for five prisoners.

While ADC officials found that the prisoners had been used for work on private property, air conditioner work for Privett and several projects for Campbell, they also gathered reports of other goings-on at Lonoke city jail.

On Aug. 8, 2005, Dina Tyler, ADC information officer, announced the matter was now in the hands of the Arkansas State Police pending a possible criminal action. Allegations of sexual contact between at least one prisoner and a member of the public could not be ignored, Tyler said.

“We just kept running into it,” Tyler said. “The number of times and sources of the allegation prompted ADC officials to ask the state police to take over.”

On Aug. 12, Campbell was placed on leave for the duration of the investigation. Capt. Sean O’Nale was named temporary chief and was directed to head the internal investigation.

Results of the investigation were turned over to Privett within a week and were quickly closed as confidential. Privett met with Campbell on Aug. 23, 2005 and gave him until Aug. 26 to give a written response.

A special meeting of the city police commission was convened Aug. 24, 2005 and immediately went into executive session closing the meeting to the public. When the commission reconvened, Privett announced that no decision had been made, then declined further comment.

On Sept. 5, 2005 Campbell was returned to duty. The decision to return Campbell to duty was made after meeting with state police investigators, Privett said.

However, the results of the internal investigation, along with Campbell’s response, were kept confidential. The state police investigation of the city police department was ongoing, and the information from the internal investigation had been included, Privett said.

On Nov. 8, 2005, Privett and Campbell addressed the ADC Act 309 oversight committee in an attempt to have state prisoners returned to the city jail. But the committee decided to leave the suspension in place.

Tyler said the committee’s decision was driven by the continuing state police investigation. The decision was not a final outcome, it was just believed prudent to wait for the results of the investigation, she said.

On Feb. 6, 2006, Privett, the Campbells, Cox and Norwood were arrested; Staley was arrested in March 2006.

On Aug. 22, 2006, McCastlain amended the charges against the group bringing all the allegations under the broader charge of operating a continuing criminal enterprise, with Jay Campbell as the leader.

According to McCastlain’s affidavit, through the organization, “Campbell obtained money, property, controlled substances, sexual gratification and other benefits ...” The affidavit also claimed benefits were illegally gained by Kelly Campbell, who illegally obtained controlled substances, money and personal property, and had illicit sexual relations with and obtained contraband for prisoners.

Cox and Norwood, McCastlain claimed, were assisted by Campbell in a scheme to manufacture methamphetamine that was reportedly used in an arrest allegedly organized by Campbell as “leverage” to find a person who had absconded, leaving Cox liable for a $130,000 bond.

Jailer Staley was named along with “numerous other officers, employees, and citizens known and unknown who were associated in fact and who participated in the conduct of the enterprise’s affairs by acting at Campbell’s direction ... ;” Privett was listed as reportedly using inmate labor to perform personal services at Campbell’s direction, but he was not included in the CCE charge.

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Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN