Case: 25CI1:14-cr-00806-JAW

Document #: 18

Filed: 03/23/2015

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIR T JUDICIAL DISTRICT

HINDS COUNTY, MI SISSIPPI

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FILE

STATE OF MISSISSIPPI

vs.

CAUSE N4. 14-0-806

MAR 23 2015

RONNIE CARPENTER, JR. BARBARA DUNN, CIRCUIT

ORDER SUPPLEMENTING TRIAL COURT EARING FILE WITH OF ICIAL

AUDIO AND WRITTEN RECORD OF IMPROPE ACTION BY ATTORNE S FOUND
IN DIRECT CRIMINAL CONT MPT OF COURT
THIS COURT, sua sponte, being fully advised fthe premises finds the

follo~ng:

1. On March 16, 2015, this Defendant appeare before the undersigned in oJen court for

arraignment and a bench warrant status. Du ing the arraignment, Public

~efender
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Michele Purvis-Harris was held in direct cri inal contempt due to her fai~re to abide
by an order of the Court, for willful disrupti e interference in court proceJdings, and

for violating Rule 3.02 of the Uniform Circ 't and County Court Rules.1s well, an
assistant attorney in Ms. Harris's office, Ass stant Public Defender Greg

~pore,

was

held in direct criminal contempt for his failu e to abide by an Order of the! Court, for
willful disruptive interference in court proce dings, and for violating Rul~ 3.02 of the
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Uniform Circuit and County Court Rules.

sa result of the contemptuoi behavior,

Ms. Harris and Mr. Spore were each fined$ 00.00 by the undersigned.

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2.

The Court's in-court rulings were reflected n two orders, which were fil,d the
following day with the circuit clerk. Subseq ent to the filing of the order,, the
official court reporter furnished the Court w h a partial transcript and fulllaudio of
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the proceedings related to the issue of conte pt on March 16, 2015. Acc1rdingly, the
Court finds that the subject court file shall b supplemented to include a

c~py of the
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Case: 25CI1:14-cr-00806-JAW

Document #: 18

Filed: 03/23/2015

Page 2 of 3

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partial transcript of the relevant proceedings on March 16, 2015, along wifh a copy of
the relevant audio files maintained by the of 1cial court reporter of the sa~ e. The
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Court finds that both are necessary compon ts ofthe events which led tolthis Court's

rulings, and both shall be made a part of the ecord in this circuit court ca~e and in

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any further proceedings related to or arising rom the action taken by the <tourt as

referenced herein. Any objection to the ad issibility of the same is overr~led, per
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Rule 1101 (b )(b) of the Mississippi Rules of vidence, which explains that contempt
proceedings are situations during which the

les do not apply since the

circumstances authorize a court to "act su

aril y." MRE 11 0 1.

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3. The audio files of the official court reporter re necessary to "convey a fat, accurate
and complete account of what transpired in t e trial court." MRAP 10(f). The audio
recording of the proceedings in this matter as generated by the official cfurt
reporter, as it is a customary practice for the ourt reporter to use the audit recording
when later generating the written transcript. Under usual circumstances, t~e audio is
not a part of any court file; only a written tr script of what transpired is 9roduced as
the official record. The Court finds that the udio is highly relevant to its

~arch 16,

2015 ruling, and accordingly orders the audi to be supplemented as an ofcia!

addition to the record related to this matter.

inally, it has become apparept that

certain courtroom spectators, attorneys, and/ r news media engaged in untfficial

recording of the March 16, 2015 hearing, de pite the Court's in-court ann uncement
that all cell phones and all cameras were pro ibited. The individuals who engaged in
unauthorized courtroom videotaping were in direct violation of MREPC 3 a).
Accordingly, other than the official audio re ording supplemented herein, '[n]o

Case: 25CI1:14-cr-00806-JAW

Document #: 18

Filed: 03/23/2015

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material gathered by electronic media shall e part of the official court re ord of the
judicial proceedings covered" as the same h s not been admitted into evid nee and
was also obtained in violation of the applica le rules. See MREPC 8.

IT IS, THEREFORE, HEREBY ORDERED

ND ADJUDGED that cler~'s trial

court file in this matter and this Court's March 17, 201 orders of contempt are herelt'
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supplemented with the relevant portions of the official t anscript, attached as Exhibit

k and
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official audio recording, attached as Exhibit B, from the court proceedings on March ~ 6, 2015. It
is further ordered that each shall be made a part of any roceedings related to or arisifg from the
March 16, 2015 hearing or the March 17, 2015 Orders.

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SO ORDERED AND ADJUDGED this the --"""'=f:......:C)=-- day of March, 2015.