Prosecutors are hoping the third time will be the charm for a Tallahatchie County criminal case that has resulted in two mistrials within a period of six months.
Circuit Judge Jimmy McClure has set an Oct. 10 trial date for Curtis Cortez Taylor, 41, of 311 Tiger St., Charleston, who is charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Taylor’s case, stemming from a May 2021 arrest, first went to trial in Tallahatchie County Circuit Court for the First Judicial District at Charleston on Oct. 4, 2021.
The jury was given the case that afternoon, but after one hour and one minute of deliberations, jurors informed the court they could not agree on a verdict, according to court records on file.
McClure declared a mistrial and set a second trial date of March 28, 2022.
During that most recent trial, the jury received the case at 3:12 p.m., and by 4 p.m., or 48 minutes later, the court was told that jurors were hopelessly deadlocked. McClure declared a second mistrial due to a hung jury.
In other court news:
• Another case from the recent term of circuit court that turned out to be a bust was that of LaDerrick A. Dunlap, 25, of 113 Ozbirn St., Batesville, who was supposed to appear in court in Charleston on April 4 for the start of his trial on charges of armed robbery and conspiracy. Instead, Dunlap, out on $25,000 bail, was a no-show.
Circuit Judge Smith Murphey issued a bench warrant declaring him in contempt of court.
• Muhammad McCorkle, 24, of 14-1 Little Creek Dr., Charleston, who was indicted Sept. 29, 2020, on charges of armed robbery and conspiracy stemming from a January 2020 incident, on April 4 entered a plea of guilty to a reduced charge of strong arm robbery, or simple robbery. He was to have faced sentencing April 7 in Water Valley. No sentencing order had been entered in the court file as of April 26.
• Chrishonda Moesha Williams, 24, of 1475 Hadorn Road, Batesville, who was indicted Sept. 29, 2020, on charges of armed robbery and conspiracy stemming from a January 2020 incident, on March 7 entered a plea of guilty to a reduced charge of robbery. Williams was to have faced sentencing April 7 in Water Valley. However, no sentencing order had been entered into the court file as of April 26.
