Jackson Free Press

WLBT is reporting that police have arrested John Wayne Mangum, 20, for the armed robbery of Councilman Margaret Barrett-Simon.

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I saw a side-by-side picture of the suspect and the sketch, and there is a slight, and I mean SLIGHT resemblance to the sketch. I hope they got the right person.

LatashaWillis

Jun 19 2007

I see your point. He doesn't look much like the sketch. One could assume that Barrett-Simon and her husband could identify him. I hope they got the right guy, too. And it's too bad that it's pretty much impossible to have confidence that they did, considering the state of JPD leadership these days. Sigh.

DonnaLadd

Jun 19 2007

What is so strange about this arrest is Barrett-Simone, in a telephone call with a member of WAPT's news reporter, stated that she nor her husband had been contacted by JPD. She further stated that she learned of the arrest from television. According to Barrett-Simone, she did not lose anything in the robbery. The man threw the purse out of the window with everything in tact. She said she had money and credit cards in the purse. So, how was the suspect captured?? What is his criminal history and where was he at the time of the arrest?? Certainly they would not have arrested a person who only resembles slightly. I know more than 10 people who could fit that description. Frankly, the composite looked like an animated cartoon character. Barrett-Simone is a City official; therefore, her case would be tracked through the FBI. Was it that branch of law enforcement that served as the germ of the arrest?

justjess

Jun 20 2007

jess, I think WAPT or WLBT said he was arrested at work. Can't remember which station. What's really throwing me off about the sketch is the hair. Of course, anyone can change their hairstyle when the po-po is after them, but the texture doesn't seem to match. The suspect has a low cut in the picture, but I just don't think his hair would grow out that way unless he had a jacked-up texturizer or the ugliest wig on the planet. Also, the sketch seems to be of someone twice this guy's age. I wonder if the suspect smokes. They did find cigarette butts at the scene, and the perp was smoking when he robbed Barrett-Simon.

LatashaWillis

Jun 20 2007

L.W., I'm wondering if any of the cig. butts were taken into evidence and carried to the lab? You would think that there would be DNA and this man could be either a serious suspect or let go. I'm still wondering why Margaret and her spouse were not called to identify this man since this is the only crime reported that he is being charged for.

justjess

Jun 20 2007

I don't think that is his real name.

pikersam

Jun 20 2007

I think someone should talk to Ms. Barrett-Simon and get her take on this... Does she think the person that was arrested was the person that robbed her?

Puck

Jun 21 2007

Pikersam, does this mean that he is using alias? What is the deal here? Is Margaret just not talking at this point because of the FBI investigation? Good question, PuckInJxn.

justjess

Jun 21 2007

I'm not sure justjess, I was just guessing. Sounds too contrived. But, I thinkwe need to point out that Mrs. Barrett-Simon doesn't think this is the guy, and that she wasn't called to ID him! Jackson City Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon said Thursday she never positively identified John Wayne Mangum Jr. as the person who robbed her and her husband outside their Belhaven home June 9. She said she told authorities the person in the picture had facial features similar to the robber. Barrett-Simon said neither she nor her husband has been asked by police to come down and try to identify Mangum, who was arrested Tuesday on two counts of armed robbery. "We believe if we see him in person, we could tell if he is the one," Barrett-Simon said. Barrett-Simon said also the person who robbed them appeared to be about 5-foot-10 in height, whereas Mangum appears to be shorter from what she has seen in television reports.

pikersam

Jun 22 2007

This almost sounds like back-in-the-day when a crime was allegedly committed and a mob would just grab the first black man they see and lynch him. They need the get the ID thing straight, or else the city may see another lawsuit.

LatashaWillis

Jun 22 2007