WOODVILLE &045; Law enforcement agencies must now provide the Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office with copies of felony affidavits, arrest reports and other related documents from their case files when they deliver criminal defendants to the sheriff’s custody to await grand jury action, according to an order issued by the Sixth Circuit Court last week.

The order further indicates that if the documents are not presented to the sheriff’s department, then the defendants must remain in the custody of the other law enforcement agency until the documents are provided.

Sixth Circuit Judges Lillie Blackmon Sanders and Forrest A. Johnson both signed the mandate.

In part, the order states the procedure must be followed &uot;Što provide for the just, legal, prompt and orderly determination of felony criminal charges and for the purpose of judicial economy Š&uot;

Dated Sept. 10, the two-page document was filed in the Wilkinson County Circuit Clerk’s office on Monday.

The court directed the circuit clerk to deliver copies of the order to the Woodville Municipal Court and Police Chief, the Wilkinson County Justice Court, the District Attorney, the County Prosecuting Attorney, the Centreville Police Chief and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, as well as the Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office.

On Wednesday, District Attorney Ronnie Harper said he had not yet seen the order and was unsure if any specific events may have prompted the action.

&uot;I don’t know what may have precipitated the order. But I’m sure the judges felt the order was necessary if they signed it,&uot; said Harper.

Calls to the Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office were not returned by Thursday afternoon.