The Mississippi Supreme Court permanently disbarred former Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens on Wednesday.
The disbarment comes after the Mississippi Bar Association requested Owens be disbarred earlier this month, following his June 29 guilty plea to federal conspiracy charges and his resignation as Hinds County district attorney. The charges against Owens stemmed from a 2024 FBI bribery sting targeting several high-profile Jackson officials.
Owens requested to irrevocably resign with prejudice from the Mississippi Bar on July 6, with the Mississippi Bar Association asking the state supreme court to revoke Owen’s bar license later that same day, the July 29 order disbarring Owens said. Owens’ request to resign is tantamount to proof of guilt, the order said.
Owens must inform all of his clients and relevant courts of his disbarment, properly disburse any funds he has in trusts and comply with the other rules for disbarred attorneys within 30 days of his disbarment, presiding Justice Leslie D. King wrote in the order.
While Mississippi Rule of Discipline 12 allows most disbarred attorneys to maintain their bar licenses for 30 days following a disbarment order, Owens’ disbarment was both immediate and permanent.
Owens is also required to give the court an affidavit confirming he informed all clients of his disbarment, alongside following the other rules set forth in Rule 12, within 45 days of his disbarment order, King said in his order.
Other requirements under Rule 12 involve informing adverse parties involved in litigation with Owens’ clients of his disbarment, and being subject to monitoring by the Office of General Counsel to ensure compliance with the disbarment order.
In cases of irrevocable disbarments, like that of Jody Owens, the Complaint Tribunal can appoint receivers for the limited purpose of making an inventory and disposing of the attorney’s files, cases and practice, Mississippi Rule 12 of Discipline says. Owens may be subject to a motion of contempt of court if he does not apply with the rules set forth in his disbarment order.
Former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba and former Jackson City Councilman Aaron Banks pleaded guilty to parallel charges related to the sting as well. All three men initially pleaded not guilty to the charges. Both Lumumba’s and Banks’ guilty pleas came a week after Owens changed his plea to guilty.
Former councilwoman Angelique Lee and Hinds County businessman Sherik Marve Smith also pleaded guilty to charges related to the sting.
Miss. Gov. Tate Reeves later appointed Brad McCullouch to temporarily serve as Hinds County district attorney until a special election to succeed Owens is held on Nov. 3. Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Winston Kidd previously appointed McCullough as attorney pro tempore, a temporary position to fill the district attorney seat until Reeves could make his appointment.
Correction: An earlier version of this story mistakenly identified an attorney representing Jody Owens. The Mississippi Free Press apologizes for this error.
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