JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) — The attorney for ex-state prisons chief Christopher Epps confirms Epps bought or leased his wife a car the day after he appeared in court to answer federal corruption charges.
John Collette of Jackson told The Clarion-Ledger Epps bought the car at a Jackson Mercedes-Benz dealer Nov. 7 so his wife would have something to drive to work.
“Mr. and Mrs. Epps have obtained another vehicle so that Mrs. Epps could go to work every day. I don’t know what make or model or year nor do I know whether the vehicle was leased or purchased,” Colette said. “I’m assuming it was leased, but again, I just don’t have any particulars.”
The newspaper reported managers at the Mercedes-Benz dealership declined to comment when contacted Thursday.
The federal government is moving to seize two Mercedes-Benz vehicles along with a house and beachfront condo that Epps owned.
Epps pleaded not guilty Nov. 6 to charges he accepted more than $1 million in bribes over more than six years, steering hundreds of millions in contracts to firms that paid Brandon businessman Cecil McCrory who in turn kicked back cash to Epps.
McCrory also pleaded not guilty to corruption charges.
