Eighteen years after being convicted of fraud, ex-Lowndes County supervisor Jim Terry has received a court-ordered expungement.
The order, filed in Lowndes County Circuit Court in April, clears Terry’s criminal record of his 2007 felony conviction of fraud by a public official. Prosecutors argued Terry had misused his county-issued fuel card and vehicle for personal purposes.
An expungement is not the same as exoneration.
“Obviously, I would have loved to see (the court) overturn the conviction all together, but this is the very best I can hope for,” Terry told The Dispatch. “I was very pleased. It gives me an opportunity to start over basically. I can do just about everything I did before.”
With his conviction expunged, Terry said it’s time to move forward with new opportunities, including possibly going back to school for a graduate degree. And while it’s not on the table at the moment, he’s not totally ruling out another run for office.
“I wouldn’t say I’m considering it,” he said. “A lot of things have to fall into place for me to say yes, but right now as we speak, I would say no. I’m still interested in the political process.”
Terry served as the District 4 supervisor for Lowndes from 2003 to 2007. A Lowndes County Circuit Court jury convicted him in 2007 of one felony count of fraud by a public official.
Jeff Smith defeated Terry for the District 4 seat shortly before his trial began.
Prosecutors accused Terry of misusing his county-issued vehicle and fuel card while spending at least 168 days in 2004 and 2005 in casinos in Philadelphia and Tunica. Prosecutors at the time also charged him with using the fuel card to illegally fill up a friend’s vehicle.
State law allows supervisors to use private vehicles in “emergencies” and to pay for the fuel, but the use must receive authorization from the board of supervisors.
Terry was sentenced to 13 months in prison for the conviction and was ordered various fines and restitution, according to his order of expungement. He was discharged from probation in September 2014.
Sixteenth Circuit District Attorney Scott Colom would not comment to The Dispatch about Terry expungement. However, he did not object to the petition for expungement.
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 28 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 28 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
