New sentencing trial: man on death row since 1992

News Briefs From Across The State

By Monica Land

Victim was shot and stabbed

A new sentencing trial begins this week for a man who has been on death row for more than two decades.

Fifty-two-year-old Jeffrey Keller Davis was convicted in May 1992 of capital murder for shooting and stabbing Linda Hillman.

The state Supreme Court overturned his death sentence in May, finding that a poor job by his trial attorney may have cost him a chance at life in prison.

District Attorney Tony Lawrence’s office tells the Mississippi Press that the new sentencing trial was to begin Monday before Greene County Circuit Judge Robert Krebs.

Defense attorney Andre de Gruy will represent Davis.

Metal detectors in place at Grenada Co. schools

Walk-through metal detectors have been installed at schools in the Grenada County School District.

Superintendent David Daigneault says the detectors will start being used once teachers and other personnel get training. He says the school board also must develop policies for their use.

Daigneault says the school system also will be installing door buzzers, buying a new police car and hiring new security personnel.

Daigneault says school personnel also will have secondary wand detectors.

Man arrested for assaulting police officer

A Gulfport police officer was assaulted while trying to serve a search warrant on a man suspected of drug activity. Thirty-eight-year-old Devaria Smith was arrested after an incident in Harrison County on Jan. 3.

The narcotics detective arrived at a residence in the 4000 block of Ponderosa Drive and attempted to execute the search warrant when he was assaulted by Smith.

Smith was arrested and charged with simple assault on a police officer, possession with intent of cocaine base, and possession with intent of marijuana.

Smith was transported to the Harrison County Adult Detention center where he is being held on a $250,000 bond.

Scooba mayor’s horse shot in the face

An investigation continues, authorities said, in a case of animal cruelty where a horse belonging to the mayor of Scooba was shot in the face in January, WTOK reported.

Mayor Allen Beaty said he went to feed the horse,