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Wilkinson election contest resumes
Published Friday, February 15, 2008
WOODVILLE— After a myriad of delays, the election contest in Wilkinson County resumed on Thursday.
The most compelling testimony of the day came from twin sisters Latosha and Latonia Goodrich.
Both sisters admitted to being complicit in voter fraud.
Both also testified under full immunity from prosecution, provided they were honest in their testimony.
Latosha took the stand first.
Latosha testified that she has lived in Jackson since 1999 and has regularly voted, via absentee ballot, in Woodville elections.
“It is my home,” she said.
Latosha went on to say two to three weeks before the Aug. 7, 2007, elections she and her sister met with Connie Hollins in the parking lot of a Texaco in Byram.
Goodrich said the meeting was to allow the sisters and their brother, Roy, an opportunity to vote.
Neither Latosha nor Latonia had registered for absentee voting.
Coincidentally, Hollins is the sister of District 2 Supervisor Richard Hollins.
Richard Hollins’ win in August’s election is being challenged in the contest.
When Connie Hollins arrived at the gas station, she had three envelopes complete with blank ballots.
Latosha said when Hollins handed out the ballots she then instructed the sisters who to vote for.
“I was coached,” she said.
Latosha said she was specifically told to vote for Richard Hollins, Mon Cree Allen and Reginald Jackson.
The votes that elected Allen, Jackson and Hollins have all been contested.
Latosha said after she filled out the ballot as she had been instructed, Hollins notarized it on the trunk of the car.
The ballot was then placed in an envelope that had been signed by Latosha.
Since Latosha’s brother Roy was unable to meet at the gas station, Latosha proceeded to fill out his ballot also.
Roy’s ballot was filled out and then notarized by Hollins.
Latosha testified that she signed her brother’s signature across the seal on the envelope, all without his knowledge.
She went on to say that she did not think what she had done was wrong because she trusted Hollins and Hollins assured her everything was legitimate.
“(Hollins) knows the law and she said it was OK,” she said.
Latonia, Latosha’s sister told almost the exact same story.
For the last one and a half years Latonia has lived in Byram.
Latonia also said she was coached by Hollins on who to vote for.
“I marked whatever (Hollins) told me to mark,” she said.
However, Latonia said her envelope was wet and the ballot could not be placed inside.
Latonia said she signed the ballot and gave it to Hollins.
The ballot was not notarized Latonia said.
Since the Woodville elections took place on Aug. 7, 2007, allegations of voter fraud and box stuffing have led to a contest hearing.
The trial will resume this morning.
Judge Jim Persons said he hopes to have the trial finished by Feb. 23.
Comments
Posted by southernbelle (anonymous) on February 15, 2008 at 8:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's about time the Wilkinson county sheriff and dirty buddies have to pay for their sins to the good people of Wilkinson county . There has been a lot of evil things going on down there for a long time . This didn't just start with this election. A lot of people have actually feared for their lives under this sheriff. Get him out of there !
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on February 15, 2008 at 9:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
un flippin believable.
Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on February 15, 2008 at 10:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok, everybody in natchez needs to read this article and be glad Natchez isn't Woodville. Our problems arent' near as bad as say Woodville or Fayette.
Posted by danyellewescott (anonymous) on February 15, 2008 at 12:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It took this long for the unruly politicans to be brought down..I'm happy! Woodville have been corrupt every since Sheriff Jackson been in office! I knew the truth was going to come out. Regardless of how many times they deny what was done, the truth will come out! I'm glad that it finally happened.
Posted by danyellewescott (anonymous) on February 15, 2008 at 12:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder how those die hard Jackson/Morgan and etc. fans feel now..no one is above God! So to those that praise those men, I feel sorry for you. You gained nothing from those terrible reigns!
Posted by danyellewescott (anonymous) on February 15, 2008 at 12:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wouldn't be so bitter about the faith of those individuals if my cousin D'Mario would have received justice for his MURDER! There is no such thing as an accidental death if someone put a gun to someone head and shoot them..
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on February 15, 2008 at 2:45 p.m.
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Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on February 15, 2008 at 3:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I had no idea this was going on in Woodville.
If the supervisor's sister was up to this, who knows what all else has been hidden, what the supervisor has gotten away with, how many others have voted that shouldn't have. If the sister would go to such lengths for THREE votes, I hate to think what she might do for something truly valuable. My imagination runs wild thinking of what the supervisor (surely he put her up to it, do you think?) has taken advantage of that the county has paid for, probably paved his and all his kinfolk's driveways, The Miss. Bureau of Investigation, State Police, etc should do a thorough investigation and turn that county upsidedown from what you guys are saying. It never ceases to surprise me what some yokels will try to get away with, I'm glad justice is catching up with them.
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on February 15, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Are there any other Woodville stories like this that we need to know about,
Please inform us if you dare, I would like to know some of the dirt on these folks
Posted by centrevilleresident (anonymous) on February 15, 2008 at 3:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yeah, the person that was running against Hollins and was leading him by over 70 votes, UNTIL the absentee ballotts came in, his house burned. Do you think that is coincidence? The sheriff got in a wreck years ago, with his girlfriend who was gonna expose their relationship. He puts the capital "C" in crook.
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on February 15, 2008 at 5:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
OH no,
Any arson investigation?
Did the girlfriend die?
Posted by emp (anonymous) on February 15, 2008 at 7 p.m. (Suggest removal)
And so many Mississippi people claimed Concordia politics was bad. The proverb about the pot and the kettle comes to mind.
Posted by EuropeanAmerican (anonymous) on February 15, 2008 at 7:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What about the county hiring an attorney to defend one of the morgan district county workers, the one suspected of arson, in the smith house fire, how does that grab you wilkinson county taxpayers? Sucks to me!
Posted by woodvillegal (anonymous) on February 15, 2008 at 10:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
centervilleresident forgot to mention that Smith's (the man was running against Hollins) wife spoke out about the absentee ballots in the court house and was then arrested and ruffed up. Then the next day her house catches fire with her in it. Sure some will say it was an accidental fire but I don't believe that the reason why is that there was a burned piece of cloth sticking out of a four-wheelers gas tank and it also took the Woodville police over four hours to show up. It should never take that long for the police to show up to a fire.
Posted by EuropeanAmerican (anonymous) on February 16, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it was the sheriffs men that it took 4 hours to get to the fire, not WPD. Sheriffs men were probably busy scratching in the litterbox. They had things to cover.
Posted by RWS111 (anonymous) on February 18, 2008 at 1:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LETS HOPE THE COURT SYSTEM WORKS THIS TIME IN WILKINSON CO
Posted by mswilkinsoncounty (anonymous) on February 19, 2008 at 10:43 p.m.
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Posted by bear45 (anonymous) on February 20, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
mswilkinsoncounty you are just not gonna let things go are you there is so much corruption in Woodville until it is unreal.....Right now with all of this going on before it is over it would not surprise me to hear of a shooting or something to that matter becuase you can bet there are gonna be some threats on peoples lives before all of this is thru
Posted by mswilkinsoncounty (anonymous) on February 20, 2008 at 3:26 p.m.
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Posted by reelectclub (anonymous) on February 20, 2008 at 4 p.m.
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Posted by reelectclub (anonymous) on February 20, 2008 at 4:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
DO NOT take "sold" and use it the wrong . it is only a phase. i know the readers know the STORIES AND LIES about giving people money for their votes and one person stated he was bought a hamburger. jackson, hollins, and allen DO NOT have to buy votes. the work they do speak for them. therefore, we will not be bought or sold. THERE IS NO NEED.
Posted by HottChocolate (anonymous) on February 20, 2008 at 5:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
As I stated on the other article, mswilkinsoncounty and reelectclub. You are an embarrassment to me and my race and my county.
Please shut up.
Posted by LITTLEmswilkinsoncounty (anonymous) on February 20, 2008 at 10:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i completely and 100% agree with hottchocolate. although i am not black...i still think they BOTH need to shut up. please and thank you:)
Posted by Spanky (anonymous) on February 21, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
jackson, hollins, and allen DO NOT have to buy votes. the work they do speak for them. You are correct reelectclub their work speaks volumns about them. I can't think of one good thing to say about them and this includes Captain Morgan.
Posted by danyellewescott (anonymous) on February 21, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It looks like Woodville officals are going down..hmm there is nothing anyone one can do about it.
Posted by someonewhocares (anonymous) on February 21, 2008 at 5:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Can I get $50, $40, $30, $20 or a hamburger sold. These 3 individuals will sell their souls to Devil and look like it's time to pay up. Wake up people in Wilkinson County it is time you do better, where all your residents don't have to travel out of town to work or shop. The only improvement in 20 years is the Dollar General store how much shopping can you do there. Let's stop making our County look bad.
Posted by danyellewescott (anonymous) on February 25, 2008 at 11:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You know what I think..the one that keep mouthing off and taking up for the people are "the people". Think about it why would someone keep trying to justify what someone else do..only a person involved would do such a thing.
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