U.S. Magistrate Judge LaKeysha Greer Isaac issued a protective order this week that restricts the release of discovery materials in the federal bribery case against Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and former Jackson City Council member Aaron Banks, court records show.
The three were indicted on allegations they were involved in a bribery scheme tied to a downtown Jackson development project, the indictment alleges. Prosecutors say the defendants met with undercover FBI agents posing as out-of-state developers, court filings show.
Isaac’s ruling allows the case to remain sealed and limits access to evidence to the defendants and their attorneys, the order states. It says any “Protected Discovery Material” may be used only when directly related to the felony case and outlines what direct access defendants may have to discovery items.
The order also places limits on how evidence and court filings are stored and handled electronically, saying the measures are necessary to prevent defendants from downloading or printing documents and other materials, the ruling says.
The secrecy followed a January filing in which Owens sought dismissal and attached exhibits, including undercover recordings, text messages, travel records and FBI memos, court records show. Federal prosecutors moved quickly to seal the material, arguing public release could hinder the trial; the court agreed, according to the filings. The case is scheduled for trial July 13, the ruling notes.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
