Jimmy Fly of Charleston is the new sheriff of Tallahatchie County.
The 33-year-old former Tallahatchie County deputy sheriff, who served the last two years and seven-and-a-half months as justice court judge in the county's District 1, was administered the sheriff's oath of office by Circuit Judge Jimmy McClure at about 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, during a ceremony at the Panola County Courthouse in Batesville. Fly becomes the youngest sheriff in modern Tallahatchie County history.
About four hours earlier, the Tallahatchie County Board of Supervisors had appointed Fly to serve out the unexpired term of ex-sheriff William Brewer, who resigned Monday, Aug. 13, under a cloud of federal criminal charges that included narcotics trafficking, extortion and bribery. Brewer, 58, had been arrested by the FBI on Aug. 10.
Fly worked under Brewer for about five years before leaving the sheriff's department in 2015 to launch what would be a successful campaign for the post being vacated by longtime justice judge Steve Ross, who had announced he would not be seeking re-election.
Fly's selection by supervisors was made during a Thursday special session of the board, who gathered for the 9:30 a.m. meeting expressly for the purpose of filling the county's top law enforcement post.
In anticipation of a larger crowd of spectators, supervisors moved their meeting from the boardroom to the adjacent courtroom of the Tallahatchie County Courthouse in Charleston.
The first item on the agenda was the acceptance of Brewer's letter of resignation. District 5 Supervisor Eddie Meeks made that motion, seconded by District 4 Supervisor Marcus Echols, and it was approved unanimously.
Without discussion, District 3 Supervisor Larry Cole made a motion, seconded by District 2 Supervisor Johnny Goodwin, to appoint Fly sheriff. District 1 Supervisor Kenneth "Buck" Havens and Echols supported the motion. Meeks cast the lone dissenting vote, saying he thought there would be discussion and possibly interviews of potential candidates before a selection was made.
Although Goodwin said retired judge Ross had been asked about his willingness to fill Fly's now vacant judicial position for the remaining 16-plus months of the present term, which, like that of sheriff, expires at the end of 2019, the ensuing lively debate ultimately prompted supervisors to table that matter until a recessed meeting scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m.
Both Fly and the person chosen to fill the vacant judge's seat will be eligible, if they so choose, to qualify as candidates seeking a full four-year term in these offices in next year's regular countywide election.
