Thread by @jallen1985

THREAD: If you are a Mississippi taxpayer, then the #MSleg and DA Doug Evans lit $300,000 of your hard-earned money on fire.

Here's how. 🧵👇

Christopher Blount was born in 1981 and is clearly a meth addict.

Blount was charged with meth possession twice when he was about 20. Blount was sentenced to 5 years on the Grenada County charge in 2002—then, he was sentenced to 8 years on the Carroll County charge in 2003. 2/

Blount was not incarcerated in October 2018, when the Winona police chief found Blount in a parked car and arrested him for possession of meth. courts.ms.gov/appellatecourt…

According to the state, Blount possessed 5.96 grams of meth. courts.ms.gov/appellatecourt… 3/

Two years later, in September 2020, Evans indicted Blount for simple possession of meth. 4/

Although the max. sentence for possessing 5.96 grams of meth is 8 years, the DA charged two enhancements based on Blount's prior meth convictions.

Because the DA charged those enhancements, the court was required to sentence Blount to 16 years w/o parole if convicted. 5/

Blount was arraigned on October 2 and pleaded not guilty. Blount's trial was set for October 8.

So, it took the state 23 months to put their case together, indict, and arraign Blount—and Blount had a few days after pleading not guilty to prepare his defense. 6/

Blount did not appear for trial, so Blount's lawyer requested a continuance to locate him.

The sheriff contacted MS Highway Patrol to ask if Blount had been in an accident within 24 hours and the local hospital to ask if Blount had been admitted as a patient. 7/

Judge Loper denied the motion for a continuance, finding that contacting MHP and the local hospital was enough to determine that Blount forfeited his right to be present at his trial.

The court convicted Blount in absentia. 8/

I don't know what Blount's defense was or why he didn't show up for trial...but I *do* know the electronic appeal record doesn't show that Blount ever committed any crime other than simple possession of meth. 9/

I also know that incarceration in Mississippi cost $50.63/inmate/day in fiscal 2020, according to PEER: peer.ms.gov/Reports/report…

That comes to about $300,000 you will spend incarcerating Blount until he is released in 2037 at the age of 55. 10/

So, to recap, Mississippi sentenced Blount to 5 years for simple possession of meth.

Then, Mississippi sentenced Bount to 8 years for simple possession of meth.

And then, Mississippi sentenced Blount to 16 years for simple possession of meth. 11/

It would make more sense to expand Medicaid and send the bill for Blount's rehab to the feds. 12/