Graves v. State

ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI

DICKINSON, Presiding Justice,

for the Court:

¶ 1. When a prosecutor was not prepared to proceed to trial and had not produced a video to defense counsel, a circuit judge held him in criminal contempt and ordered him incarcerated. Because the judge denied the prosecutor due process of law, and because the record contains insufficient evidence of criminal contempt, we reverse and render.

FACTS

¶2. Tunica County Prosecutor Charles Graves appeared in circuit court on March 12, 2009, with three DUI cases on the docket. Both Graves and defense counsel informed Circuit Court Judge…