By Murphy W. C. Hall 

Jackson Advocate Guest Writer

I recently read two articles about Rankin County in the October 5-11, 2023 issue of the Jackson Advocate. To say I was disgusted to read of Bryan Bailey’s unadulterated boldness to use the grand jury subpoena system to obtain the mobile phone records of his girlfriend and her boyfriend so that he could shore up his suspicions and/or knowledge of their affair, would do the word “understatement” a disservice. 

I imagine there are those of you commenting that nothing about Rankin County should be surprising or revolting, but as I continued to read of his and others’ trickeries, I had to stop more than once to yell out in disbelief. It was as though I was reading the script of an incredibly low budgeted, X-rated reality show. I reacted this way because of the undeniable culpability of all involved. 

Without another moment’s reflection, the head of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department should have been removed at least 7 years ago. Had he been ousted then, it is likely the events of January 24, 2023, that involved his deputies’ aggravated assault of two Black men would not have taken place. 

Bailey’s abuse of power has been so flagrant that it follows that his agents would physically and sexually assault Black male citizens; it appears this is the department’s policy, culture, and standard as set by the boss. He led by example under the color of law. 

The violations of citizens’ rights by Bailey, sugar coated with the district attorneys’ and circuit judges’ blatant disregard of the sworn duties of their offices to uphold the law and show impartiality regarding law breakers, has been tasteless. It is inevitable that the lawlessness of our neighboring actors would flow rapidly into Jackson like smelly raw sewage.

Far too often in the media, Rankin County leaders take considerable pride in condemning Jackson because of the level of crime. But Jackson, at current the state’s capital, houses the office of the state’s “Top Cop.” The attorney general, another elected member of the executive branch of government, is the state’s chief law enforcement officer. 

Perhaps it is this bond within law enforcement that has resulted in the former and current AG being dismissive of, thereby, condoning Bailey’s misdeeds. They deliberately chose to ignore the consequence of his conduct. Both the DA and AGs chose only to request a mere cursory investigation into the alleged wrongdoings. 

Perhaps it is because they are brethren (Finch included) in enforcing the laws specifically designed to shield and protect themselves from prosecution and penalty; certainly, it is this fraternal order that has enabled Bailey to remain in his executive office, despite being an overachieving perpetrator. 

And Bailey has been a perpetrator of malfeasance on far too many occasions for him to go unpunished. Overwhelming, the evidence of his “high crimes” reveals that the AG’s office, currently located in Jackson, will not call for accountability from its own. 

As I continued into episode two of the Rank Rankin County news, the festering deviance it has produced and by which it has been plagued over the years was even more astonishing (lest we forget Luke Woodham). 

I read of the familial relationship between Deryl Dedmon (James Anderson’s murderer) and Christian Dedmon (Michael Corey Jenkins’ would-be rapist) as well as the kinship between Michael Guest (former Rankin County DA and now U.S. Congressman) and Frank Shanks (Mississippi Rankin County legislature and Bailey’s girlfriend’s ex-husband); I couldn’t help but yell, “Hell no, they all got to go.” The whole sex-crazed, reeking bunch of them should go out with the dirty bath water.

So, Mississippians, let us start from the top in getting rid of the rancid: Michael Guest, Tate Reeves, Frank Shanks, and Bryan Bailey by (1) not reelecting them; (2) charging them as co-conspirators acting in concert to con the decent citizens of Mississippi; and (3) finding them unanimously guilty as charged. 

We can do it because we have the Power! VOTE decisively November 7, 2023, AGAINST these comrades in arms and any other time they (Finch included) are up for reelection!!