JAIL PRIVATIZATION BILL ADVANCES

Guice Draws Ire Of Coast Delegation

JACKSON - After a long, heated debate, the House on Wednesday
overwhelmingly passed a bill that would allow the Harrison County
Board of Supervisors to privatize the troubled county jail. The bill
is a response to the beating murder of an inmate and revelations by
deputies that inmate beatings by jailers were commonplace.

An attempt by Rep. Danny Guice, R-Ocean Springs, to amend the bill
drew debate. He proposed the bill be changed to create a study
committee to determine whether privatization would be a good idea. He
said the bill could set precedent for other boards of supervisors,
who traditionally feud with sheriffs over jail operations, to ask for
similar permission. House Penitentiary Chairman Bennett Malone echoed
this argument.

This appeared to outrage some in the Coast delegation.

"This (murdered) man was a member of my district!" Rep. Frances
Fredericks, D-Gulfport, told her colleagues. "He was picked up, taken
to the jail, and without being charged with anything, put in a
restraining chair with his hands chained behind him and his legs in
shackles! A deputy held him while another beat him to death! He
leaves six children, all under the age of 16! You tell me you want to
do a study? Tell his children about what you're studying!"

Rep. Billy Broomfield, D-Moss Point, said, "I ask you in the name of
all that is right, defeat this (Guice) amendment and pass this bill!"

In a voice vote, the amendment was soundly defeated before H.B.1609
was passed on an overwhelming vote of 106-11. It now moves to the Senate.

Guice said the bill, requested by Harrison County supervisors, isn't
about solving problems at the jail or saving taxpayers money, but
about politics.

"If (Sheriff George Payne Jr.) would not have qualified for
re-election, this bill would have never been introduced," Guice said.
"... If the study says this is a good idea, I'll sit back and not say
a word... This is not an attempt to defend the sheriff or to minimize
what happened. What happened was heinous and the people who did it
will be punished. The voters of Harrison County will also help take
care of the problem."

Rep. Jim Simpson, R-Long Beach, pleaded for his colleagues to pass
the bill: "A man was killed in the jail by guards. It's coming out
that jail beatings are rampant. Our Board of Supervisors is scared to
death. It's an important thing. You can't kill people in jail. You
can't do it. Our sheriff won't even come before the supervisors to
explain things. He's my friend, and I have supported him over the
years. But that's just wrong. We have to do something."

Supervisors Cheer News

For Harrison County supervisors who have shelled out $1.5 million
defending Sheriff George H. Payne Jr. against lawsuits, Wednesday's
passage of a bill to privatize the jail was welcome news.

"We're happy that they passed it and (hope) the Senate will do the
same," said District 1 Supervisor Marlin Ladner.

Supervisors cannot privatize without the permission of the sheriff,
who has yet to stand behind the measure, unless the Legislature
becomes involved.

Payne did not return a message seeking comment.

"We've got some really good senators up there, working to help us
with this thing," said Larry Benefield, board president, adding it
was not about a battle between the county and the jail, but what was
"feasible financially" to the county.

District 5 Supervisor Connie Rockco said privatizing was "merely an
option" and not a mandate. "The (supervisors) have the responsibility
of facing the taxpayer if the jail isn't being run properly."

District 4 Supervisor William Martin hopes to get the jail
overcrowding controlled first, then move on to privatizing.

"I feel very optimistic about this. I really and truly believe, at
least here in Harrison County, we are in a situation to look at all
options to try and get this thing in control."

- -- Michael A. Bell

How They Voted

The House voted 106-11 in favor of H.B. 1609, a bill to allow
Harrison County supervisors to consider taking the operation of the
county jail away from the sheriff and hiring a private company.

Of the South Mississippi delegation, only Rep. Danny Guice, R-Ocean
Springs, voted against the bill.