McComb bail bond agents Joe Martin and Willie B. Jones say Adams County Sheriff Tommy Ferrell has racist policies for writing bail bonds at the Adams County Jail.

This is the second time in two years that Jones has complained about bail bond procedure at the Adams County Jail. &uot;There is a double standard in the types of license&uot; the Adams County Sheriff’s Department will accept, Martin said at Nov. 1 meeting of the Adams County Board of Supervisors.

&uot;I know what he’s doing is unfair,&uot; Martin said.

Ferrell flatly denied the accusation of racial bias in his policy on bail bonds at the jail.

&uot;I don’t know what the color of the bondsmen are that we’re using now,&uot; Ferrell said. &uot;It doesn’t matter what color they are.&uot;

Ferrell said he is personally liable for the bonds written at the Adams County Jail and therefore goes through a rigorous screening process before allowing a bond agent to write bonds.

Large, local firms with a strong record of backing their bonds is a top priority with Ferrell.

&uot;I don’t like to do business with out-of-county or out-of-state firms,&uot; Ferrell said. &uot;I’ve got to check out the legalities and their location – are they out of my judicial district?&uot;

Larry Clark, director of the Local Government and Opinions Division of the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, confirmed that county sheriffs are accountable for bonds written in their jails.

&uot;A sheriff has to make a factual determination,&uot; Clark said. &uot;If he judges that a bondsman isn’t capable of delivering on a bond, he doesn’t have to approve that bondsman.&uot;

While the state Legislature determines the qualifications for specific bail bond licenses, Martin said he feels the Adams County Jail has not recognized his license. &uot;And I’ve met all the state requirements,&uot; he said.

Ferrell said he has only disapproved Jones as a bail bond agent at the jail, not Martin’s company.

&uot;Jones will not write bonds in this jail,&uot;&160;Ferrell said, adding that his background check on Jones did not prove satisfactory.

In April 1997, Jones was arrested on a charge of attempted obstruction of justice. Jones waived his right to a trial and pleaded no contest to the charge that was downgraded to a misdemeanor.

&uot;He is an ex-Natchez policeman dismissed because of corruption,&uot;&160;Ferrell said. &uot;He cannot write bonds. I won’t approve him.&uot;

Martin said he could accept Ferrell’s decision not to use one agent, but adds that Adams County has not used either of his other two agents in Natchez.

Jones said he and Martin have made unsuccessful attempts to talk with Ferrell about this bail bond policy.

&uot;He’s seen me enough,&uot; Ferrell said of Jones. &uot;I’m not going to keep telling him face to face why he can’t write bonds here.&uot;

One year ago, Jones was working with Morrison Bonding Company of Hattiesburg and he accused Ferrell of racism in not allowing him to bond his brother out of Adams County Jail.

Jones’ brother was later released on a property bond, but Willie Jones claimed even then that the decision by Ferrell not to approve Jones as a bondsmen was a racist one.

Jones is approved to bond people out of the Natchez City Jail but the city governs bondsmen quite differently in terms of liability, Ferrell said.

&uot;Our bonds are smaller and are usually for a shorter length of time,&uot; said Natchez Police Chief Willie Huff.

&uot;If we approve a bond and it’s not sufficient, we’re liable,&uot; Huff said. In the city’s case, Municipal Judge John Tipton would be personally liable for any bonds that he approved that were insufficient.

&uot;But I’ve never had that happen in the seven years I’ve been here,&uot; Huff said.

&uot;We deal with only the most reputable companies,&uot; Ferrell said. &uot;If it is not a large, reputable firm, we don’t work with them.&uot;

Ferrell prefers inmates to use personal or property bonds rather than bail bondsmen.

&uot;These people prey on people at the lowest point in their lives,&uot; Ferrell said. &uot;They have to pay the bonding company, but with the county bonds, they can get all that money back.&uot;

Bonding companies make money by charging a free for issuing bail bonds. When a property bond is used, no additional fee is charged.

Martin contends the state law regulating how bonding agents are accepted by county jails is open to corruption.

&uot;That law itself is wrong,&uot; Martin said. &uot;It’s designed for corruption.&uot;

Martin added that he is currently working with State Representative David Myers of District 98 to write and introduce legislation that would take away some discretionary power of sheriffs in approving bondsmen in county jails.

Staff writer Emily Whitten contributed to this report.