Tallahassee, FL— In June of 2012, a black male, who had been apprehended by the Tifton County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, was transported to the Leon County Jail and turned over to Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, a member of the Democratic Party. The black male, a previously convicted felon, had fled the state of Florida after having robbed two major banks in Tallahassee (Leon County). After he was booked into the Leon County Jail, he was later being represented by Public Defender Nancy Daniels.
While awaiting trial, the accused bank robber was recruited by Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell, a member of the Democratic Party and State Attorney Investigator Jason Newlin to help carry-out an entrapment scheme in a solicitation to commit murder plot, but only after, Walter Rayborn, a white male teenage, also a Leon County Jail inmate, did not accept their proposal.
The scheme was initiated by Prosecutor Jack Campbell and State Attorney Investigator Jason Newlin—to set up a then–18-year-old, black male inmate, a former 17-year-old freshman student at Tallahassee Community College, who’d been charged with several crimes by Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell. At that time, the most serious of the charges were two counts of first-degree murder, and possession of a firearm by a juvenile delinquent. He had plead not guilty to all charges. All of the charges, including the double murder case, were cases where State Attorney Willie Meggs, a member of the Democratic Party, had assigned Jack Campbell to prosecute (despite his daddy having investigative jurisdiction over the case). It was also a case that the State Attorney’s and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office made a swift arrest and indictment where they could not deliver any evidence. Only by the utilization of fear and intimidation on other children, teens and young adults were they able to lie to the public that they had a strong case.
For the accused bank robber’s assistance, he was released from the Leon County Jail; given money and a cell phone by State Attorney Investigator Jason Newlin. The former Tallahassee Community College student was charged with solicitation to commit 1st degree murder in August 2012.
The accused bank robber, and State Attorney Willie Meggs and Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell’s key witness in the solicitation to commit murder plot, had a short-lived freedom. He was re-arrested in Gadsden County (a neighboring county to Leon County), by Gadsden County law enforcement officials, and charged with armed home invasion robbery, kidnapping and many other major crimes. Once again, he was being represented by Public Defender Nancy Daniels.
On Monday, October 7, 2013, during a pre-trial hearing for the former Tallahassee Community College student, Prosecutor Jack Campbell, informed the court how he had personally spent his weekend, aggressively soliciting a conflict attorney to represent his key witness—the former fugitive felon—that he’d previously released back into the community with money and a cell phone. Public Defender Nancy Daniels was in court—she’d stated that she had filed a motion to withdraw from the former fugitive’s case—however, the judge did not have the motion, so she prematurely assumed that her motion was going to be granted.
The former Tallahassee Community College student’s court appointed regional counsel defense attorney also prematurely assumed that his motion to withdraw from representing the previous fugitive considering that he was already representing the defendant to which the former fugitive was to testify against.
Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell was well aware the conflict attorney that he was so aggressively soliciting was registered to only to serve as counsel on capital cases. None of the cases against the former fugitive were capital cases. Yet, Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell proceeded out and in court, relentlessly.
Conflict attorneys are private attorneys who are appointed to represent indigent clients when both the Office of the Public Defender and the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel have conflicts. Normally, it’s the responsibility of the Clerk’s office to assign conflict attorneys to cases where defendants are deemed indigent.
What business was it of State Attorney Willie Meggs and Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell to know any defendant’s financial status? Furthermore, the responsibility for ensuring conflict attorneys is paid are the responsibility of the Justice Administrative Commission.
So why does Prosecutor Jack Campbell continue to “hold the purse strings” in Tallahassee?
As with the case of Rachel Morningstar Hoffman, law enforcement officials used fear and intimidation tactics on other defendants and witnesses. Personally, Jack Campbell inherited his “Bully” mentality from his daddy, former Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell; professionally, Prosecutor Jack Campbell’s “Bully” mentality was enhanced by his one and only legal employer, State Attorney Willie Meggs.
During the same hearing on October 7, 2013, Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell recommends Public Defender Nancy Daniels to manipulate the pay code to ensure that the conflict attorney of his choosing is paid by the Justice Administrative Commission.
Video https://youtu.be/sTzvJnP3iws
The power and the influence lie with the person who holds the purse strings.
Florida has 20 Judicial Circuits—each one has a State Attorney. State Attorney is chief Prosecutor—Chief Law Enforcement Officer—Top Prosecutor with the judicial circuit that they represent. The Prosecutor is the legal party responsible for presenting the case against an individual suspected of breaking the law, initiating and directing further criminal investigations, guiding and recommending the sentencing of offenders, and are the only attorneys allowed to participate in grand jury proceedings. The Prosecutor decides what criminal charges to bring, and when and where a person will answer to those charges. In carrying out their duties, Prosecutors have the authority to investigate persons, grant immunity to witnesses and accused criminals, and plea bargain with defendants.
Florida’s 2nd Judicial Circuit consists of six counties (Leon, Gadsden, Wakulla, Franklin, Liberty, and Jefferson). The median household income in Leon County (Tallahassee) is less than $25,000. There are more than 30 private criminal defense attorneys in Tallahassee, alone. While all private criminal defense attorneys are not registered/classified as private conflict attorneys, there are several who are—many of those attorneys are hungry for cases—they meet the qualifications—and they need the money. The Legislature was precise and clear when they passed the Senate Bill governing who and how private conflict attorneys are utilized. Nowhere in that Senate Bill does it recommend State Attorneys or Assistant State Attorneys—Prosecutors—to participate in the process of appointment or utilization for indigent clients.
Again, that “Bully” mentality– State Attorney Willie Meggs and Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell’s ripping the Senate Bill to shreds, and then tossing it into the garbage—writing their own laws—and leaving many attorneys in fear of future work—case assignments—and financially strapped—hungry.
And now, today, with Jack Campbell being Florida’s Second Judicial State Attorney, he only knows what he knows—and he does not know the law.
Every four years, State Attorneys are elected to office by local voters. Because Tallahassee (Florida’s capital city) is within Florida’s 2nd Judicial Circuit, it is up to the elected State Attorney to bring about or dismiss charges against many politicians on various levels—including the governor.
State Attorney Willie Meggs was neither ashamed to break the law nor ashamed when he broke the law, as he had done in the case of former House Speaker Ray Sansom, a member of the Republican Party.
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/article/20110325/NEWS/812035790
State Attorney Willie Meggs is not going to prosecute myself.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/willie-meggs-refuses-to-prosecute-himself-misconduct-alleged—-asserts-the-coalition-for-honest-prosecution-170948081.html
Before his retirement in 2016, he’d been Florida’s 2nd Judicial Circuit State Attorney under eight governors (Bob Graham, Wayne Mixon, Bob Martinez, Lawton Chiles, Buddy MacKay, Jeb Bush, Charlie Crist, and Rick Scott). While the office of governor has a term limit 8 years, there is no term limit for Judicial Circuit State Attorneys.
Over the years, countless complaints have been previously filed with The Florida Bar, Ethics Commission, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement against State Attorney Willie Meggs, Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell, Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman, and other officials in Tallahassee. Governors have come and go. When former Governor Rick Scott broke the law, it was then, State Attorney Willie Meggs who chose not to prosecute him, despite public outcry to prosecute. As Governor Rick Scott was leaving office at the end of his term, he appointed State Attorney Willie Meggs to sit on the Ethics Commission Board. (Willie Meggs was set to retire). It would be Jack Campbell, a Democrat, who’d been elected to Willie Meggs’ position as State Attorney. To proceed with practicing law in the same manner—the only manner—that he knows—through bold-faced lies to juries, bullying and intimidation.
Which is why the time to set term limits for Judicial Circuit State Attorney Office is now!
#FREEDESHONTHOMAS #TCC #FSU #FREEHENRYSEGURA #FAMU #ONETALLAHASSEE
Mothers Against Unethical Laws (MAUL) 