Thursday, March 24, 2016, 11:45 am News Flash Archive

Sheriel Perkins has filed a notice of appeal in the election contest against Greenwood Mayor Carolyn McAdams.

In that contest, filed in June 2013, Perkins alleged that numerous illegal votes were counted and lawful votes rejected in the Greenwood Mayoral election held earlier that month.

McAdams' attorneys removed the case to federal court, where it languished for 15 months before being sent back to Leflore County Circuit Court for trial. Judge Henry Lackey was appointed to hear the contest.

The case finally went to trial on September 29, 2015. Full video coverage of the trial may be viewed starting here: Perkins v. McAdams Election Contest Part 1

Judge Lackey threw out the lawsuit on October 2, 2015 after Perkins presented her side of the case, ruling that she had not proven enough votes in dispute to change the outcome of the election.

But the final order was delayed for months while McAdams' lawyers fought to make Perkins pay their legal costs. In the end, Lackey ruled against the Mayor's claim, and instead ordered McAdams to pay Perkins $6,440 in legal costs for a failed effort to dismiss the case on summary judgment before the trial. The details of the Mayor's failed attempt to sanction Perkins may be seen here: Judge Rejects McAdams' Demand for Sanctions against Perkins

Perkins had 30 days from February 18, the day Judge Lackey signed the final order in the case, in which to file her appeal.

Perkins claims that the judge erred in disregarding the problems in the two North Greenwood polling stations in which a number of voters cast votes in precincts in which they did not reside due to a mix-up of the poll books and incorrect instructions from the poll workers to the voters.

Perkins' Notice of Appeal, which has now hit the Mississippi Supreme Court, may be seen here: Perkins' Notice of Appeal

The transcripts and court record will be compiled, and then the Court Clerk will issue a briefing schedule for the parties to prepare for submittal to the Court.

John Pittman Hey
The Taxpayers Channel

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