NOXUBEE COUNTY – When Cortiga Smith Williams discovered her husband of three years was cheating on her, she did what she thought was logical. She had him arrested. Now, 33-year old Lashawn Williams and his alleged mistress, 30-year old Roshanda Jackson, both have to go to court.
Court clerk Deanna Sanders said Smith Williams filed charges of adultery against her husband in Noxubee County Justice Court on June 21, and Williams was arrested on July 1, without incident, while he was on the street.
Chief Deputy Terry Grassaree said Jackson was arrested later the same day and charged with fornication.
Both have been released on a $500 bond.
Although the law against adultery in Mississippi has been on the books for more than 100 years, and hardly ever enforced, Smith Williams said filing charges against her husband and his mistress was her only option.
“One night, he didn’t never come home, so I…called the hospitals and police stations,” Smith Williams told WCBI. “[I] thought something had happened to him and then come to find out, he was over this young lady’s house and I went over there and got mad.”
Smith Williams, who has five children with her husband, said she couldn’t afford a divorce and began researching the various laws in the state of Mississippi.
“I got on the Internet and I searched the laws for Mississippi for adultery and that’s when I found that law,” she said. “That’s one of the ten commandments, thou shalt not commit no adultery.”
Chief Deputy Grassaree said Smith Williams and her husband have a history of domestic violence and authorities have responded to several calls at their home.
“He doesn’t have any other past [criminal] charges against him but there have been domestic related incidents,” Grassaree said, “where somebody has pushed somebody or something like that. But it’s never been to the magnitude where anyone had to go to the hospital.”
Smith Williams stands behind her decision to press charges against her husband and his alleged mistress, who are scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 10.
“You just can’t be married and decide you don’t want your family anymore and go live in the house with another woman or another man,” Smith Williams added. “You just can’t do that, it’s the law. If you don’t want to be with another person, please get a divorce.”
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