JACKSON, Miss.- Hinds County Sheriff Tyrone Lewis will continue to stay in charge of Hinds County’s downtown and Raymond jails after Hinds County Supervisors rejected a plan to seek someone other than Lewis to run the jails Monday.
The move, proposed Monday by County Supervisor Kenneth Stokes, was rejected 3-2. It follows a grand jury report that said Lewis was incompetent to do the job and for jail supervision to be taken away from Lewis because of poor security and dangerous conditions at a downtown holding center.
Lewis, at a Friday press conference, blamed the problems on what he called a broken justice system and said his department is doing all it can to move forward to resolve the issues.
Board of Supervisors President Darrel McQuirter tells WAPT he has not seen any legal documents saying supervisors have the power to remove the sheriff from any of his duties.
Stokes argued transferring control of the jail was less dramatic than challenges that could lead to Lewis’ removal from office.
Hinds County Circuit Judge Tomie Green is asking Attorney General Jim Hood what the next step is to improving the jail systems.
