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Embattled DA in Curtis Flowers case headed to runoff in circuit judge race

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Embattled DA in Curtis Flowers case headed to runoff in circuit judge race

Longtime prosecutor Doug Evans, known for trying Curtis Flowers six times for murder with convictions that were later overturned, is headed for a Nov. 29 runoff for a circuit court judge seat.

Evans earned the second-most votes Tuesday in five-person election and will face top vote-getter Winona Municipal Court Judge Alan “Devo” Lancaster because neither candidate garnered 50% of the vote.

The 5th Circuit Court district includes Attala, Carroll, Choctaw, Montgomery, Grenada, Webster and Winston counties. The winner will succeed Judge George Mitchell, who died in April.

As a circuit court judge, Evans could hear criminal cases in the same district where the U.S. Supreme Court said he prevented Black people from serving as jurors, including in Flowers’ case. 

Evans, who has been the district attorney of the district for over 30 years, first tried Flowers in 1997 for the killings of four people at the Tardy Furniture store in Winona. 

Evans secured four death penalty convictions for Flowers, but those were overturned by state and federal courts. In two trials, a jury didn’t reach a unanimous verdict. 

READ MORE: Curtis Flowers files federal lawsuit against Mississippi DA Doug Evans for misconduct in wrongful prosecution

The U.S Supreme Court overturned Flowers’ conviction in 2019, ruling Evans barred Black jurors in the case. 

Evans recused himself after the Mississippi Center for Justice, which represented Flowers, asked for him to be removed from the case. Attorney General Lynn Fitch was appointed as the lead prosecutor.

In September 2020, Fitch’s office dropped charges against Flowers after he spent 23 years in prison, most of it on death row at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman. 

In 2021, Flowers sued Evans in federal court for misconduct, which Evans has denied. U.S. District Court Judge Neal Biggers Jr. ordered the case stayed until May 1, 2023.

Other candidates in the 5th District Circuit Court race were Ackerman attorney Kasey Burney Young, Kosciusko attorney Doug Crosby and Louisville attorney Zachary Madison. 

Lancaster is a partner at the Lancaster Taylor Law Firm in Winona. He has been a municipal judge in Winona since 2010 and attorney for Montgomery County Economic Development since 1986. 

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

LIVE: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs guilty of prostitution-related offense

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www.wjtv.com – Safia Samee Ali – 2025-07-02 09:18:00

SUMMARY: Sean “Diddy” Combs was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking charges after a seven-week trial. The jury convicted him of flying people, including girlfriends and paid sex workers, across the country for sexual encounters, violating the federal Mann Act. However, they did not find sufficient evidence for racketeering conspiracy or sex trafficking. The prosecution portrayed Combs as the head of a criminal enterprise exploiting women, while the defense argued the women were consenting adults and the charges exaggerated his lifestyle. The trial included testimonies from former partners and lasted 13 hours of jury deliberation.

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Mississippi News

Defendant in Mississippi auditor’s ‘second largest’ embezzlement case in history goes free

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www.wjtv.com – Anna Wolfe – 2025-06-28 10:19:00

SUMMARY: Four years ago, Tunica nonprofit operator Mardis Jones was arrested for allegedly embezzling over $1 million from a county home rehabilitation program funded by casino revenue. The state auditor accused Jones of misusing funds meant to help vulnerable residents, claiming little money reached contractors. Jones’ defense cited poor program administration and insufficient evidence of theft, with a jury ultimately acquitting him last month. Despite the criminal acquittal, the auditor’s office demanded repayment through a civil claim, which the attorney general’s office had yet to act on, but recently confirmed receipt of the demand letter. The case highlights issues in government oversight and program management.

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Mississippi News

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: June 27-29

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-06-27 07:11:00

SUMMARY: This weekend (June 27-29) in Mississippi offers a variety of events across the state. Central Mississippi hosts the Kiwanis Club of Pearl Golf Tournament, multiple hot air balloon events including the Mississippi Championship Hot Air Balloon Festival in Canton, and exhibitions like Hurricane Katrina: Mississippi Remembers in Jackson. There are also family-friendly activities such as Guys and Dolls Jr. in Natchez, Pilates and yoga events in Jackson, and farmers markets in Jackson, Natchez, and Vicksburg. The Pine Belt region features Story Time with a Soldier in Hattiesburg, immersive theater experiences, karaoke, and runs supporting recovery programs in Laurel.

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