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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
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This is a verbatim statement from Attorney General Jim Hood’s office:

Jackson, MS—A former employee of the Hinds County District Attorney’s Office has admitted in court that he is guilty of accepting bribes, announced Attorney General Jim Hood today.

Steven Craig Walter, age 51, of Jackson appeared before Judge Winston Kidd in Hinds County Circuit Court today and entered an open plea to two counts of accepting bribes from defendants to fix cases while employed with the DA. An open plea means the defendant refuses to accept the State’s recommended sentence and instead throws himself on the mercy of the Court. Judge Kidd ordered a pre-sentence investigation to be done by the Mississippi Department of Corrections before he imposes

sentence.

Walter was arrested on the charges by investigators with the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Division on July 30, 2012.

Prosecution of the case was handled by Special Assistant Attorney General Larry Baker of the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Division.