Jackson Free Press

The Hinds County Board of Supervisors may refuse to pay private attorneys a county judge appointed because of a spat with the public defender's office.

The case started in February when Hinds County Circuit Judge Jeff Weill, a former member of the Jackson City Council, took cases away from Assistant Public Defender Alison Kelly and gave them to private lawyers.

Documents show that Weill accused Kelly of unlawfully running a private legal practice outside of her work as a public defender and exhibiting disrespectful and unprofessional conduct. Kelly and county Public Defender Michele Harris have denied the allegations.

In all, Weill gave some 55 cases to private lawyers. Because the county is required to provide lawyers for people who are too poor to hire their own, Hinds County could be on the hook for the private attorneys' fees.

"There will be a bill coming and rest assured, when those bills start coming, it will be quite costly," Harris told the county board today.

Addressing the board this morning, board attorney Pieter Teeuwissen said the case involves Weill "arguably usurping your authority by hiring private attorneys and expecting you to pay for it." Teeuwissen stopped short of making a recommendation to the board, suggesting a closed-door executive session to discuss pending litigation.

In March, Weill had Harris and another assistant public defender, Greg Spore, removed from his courtroom and held Harris in criminal contempt of court. Both attorneys were also given $100 fines.

"We respect the court, but the court should also respect the rights of every individual that comes to court, and that is not what is happening in this particular courtroom," Harris told reporters at a news conference on the courthouse steps after the incident.

In an order filed April 2, Justice Josiah Coleman gave Weill until Friday, April 10, to provide a detailed account of the factual bases he has to bar Kelly from his courtroom. Coleman also asked Weill to outline why he believes he has the legal authority to bar Kelly.

The order also gives Kelly until April 15 to respond to Weill.