A former Columbus High School choir director convicted of child exploitation is out on bond while awaiting appeal.
Michael Jackson, 35, was released from a Mississippi Department of Corrections facility on $50,000 bond earlier this week, according to his attorney, Chris Kitchens of Ripley. A circuit judge approved Jackson’s bond on Monday.
In May, Circuit Court Judge Lee Coleman sentenced Jackson to seven years at MDOC after a Lowndes County jury found Jackson guilty of soliciting an underage student for sex when he taught at CHS in 2013. In June, Jackson filed an appeal with the Mississippi Supreme Court, which was assigned to the Court of Appeals last week.
Kitchens said Jackson is requesting a mistrial because of evidence presented during the trial — specifically, he said, the admission of a video showing Jackson confessing to police after twice asking for an attorney.
“It was just improper to let it in,” Kitchens said. “After you request to speak to an attorney, they’re supposed to stop questioning you. That’s supposed to be the end of the day right there.
“He asked for an attorney twice and they continued to question him,” he added later, “which is not what our Constitution allows. They didn’t waterboard him, they didn’t beat the hell out of him, but they continued to question him even though he said he wanted to speak to an attorney, and that’s what happens when your rights aren’t protected. That’s why we have a supreme court.”
Kitchens also argued Jackson, as a teacher, should have had a probable cause hearing prior to being formally charged.
“Anybody who is basically a public servant, by statute, has a right to a probable cause hearing,” Kitchens said. “(Because) you want to ensure that someone doesn’t come and make frivolous allegations against them (so) they don’t get arrested and have to make a bond on something that might turn out to be all a bunch of baloney. (Jackson) didn’t get that.”
Kitchens said appeals processes take about a year on average.
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