Convicted murderer made “friends” on Facebook

Jonathan Davis

PARCHMAN – A man convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole attracted at least 20 friends on Facebook, including a girl from Florida, authorities said. Prison officials have since had the Facebook page of 27-year-old Jonathan Davis removed.

Officials from the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) received a complaint from the girl’s mother after her daughter and Davis became “friends” on Facebook.

Reportedly, the girl went to junior high with Davis and knew him from their old neighborhood. Davis, who was maintaining the site from Parchman had at least 20 “friends” on the popular social network.

MDOC officials contacted Facebook’s corporate office in California and requested a deactivation of Davis’ account.

The Associated Press reported that a Smartphone with Internet capability can be used to update a Facebook page and that there have been national reports of inmates using Facebook to contact victims, make sexual advances, even plan crimes.

Commissioner Epss indicated that Davis may have maintained his Facebook account by means of a cellphone because he said despite their best efforts to keep cellphones out of prison, they are still being “smuggled” in to inmates – sometimes by guards.

Epps said prison officials ask inmates when they come into the system whether they have any social media accounts.

MDOC has new technology at Parchman to block cell- phone calls, Epps said. They also have metal detectors and will do strip searches, among other things, to try to eliminate cellphone use.

Davis was convicted in Lauderdale County of capital murder, and has been in MDOC custody since March 29, 2004 for a crime committed in 2002.

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