Tallahassee, FL—Donald “Don” Odham was never a Leon County Sheriff’s Detective with the Violent Crimes Unit. Yet, numerous employees with the Leon County Sheriff Office, including active sheriff’s deputies assigned to the Violent Crimes Unit and those working uniform patrol and elsewhere, allowed Don to present himself as a Lead Detective with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office to a child, and then separate that child from his mother. There are notarized court documents signed by Leon County Sheriff’s Deputy Dawn Dennis and filed with the Leon County Clerk of Courts that states Don Odham as being a Leon County Sheriff’s Detective—when in fact Don Odham was never a detective with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. A child was sent to an adult prison for crimes he did not commit because no one within the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, no one in the Leon County Courthouse, no Leon County Judge, no 2nd Judicial Circuit Judge, no one with the District Two Medical Examiner’s Office, no one with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, no one in 2nd Judicial State Attorney’s Office, no one in the 2nd Judicial Public Defender’s Office, no one in the Office of Civil Regional and Criminal Conflict Counsel’s Office, no local private attorney, no one at the Florida Bar—no one in Tallahassee—no one in Leon County—no one would was human enough or dare say, wait just a minute—“I’m not approving this. I’m not allowing this. I’ve worked too hard to get to where I am in my life—in my career—to be a part of Sheriff Larry Campbell’s foolishness, and State Attorney Willie Meggs’ foolishness, and Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell’s foolishness.”
Under Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, Leon County Sheriff’s Detective Melinda McBride, a black woman, was assigned by her supervisor, Leon County Sheriff’s Sergeant Kenneth Ganey, to be the lead detective on a double homicide case—where a child was one of the victims. Not long after she assembled her team and put them to work, she was removed from the case by Sheriff Larry Campbell, and replaced by Donald “Don” Odham, who is a close friend of Sheriff Larry Campbell.
Detective Melinda McBride, an active law enforcement officer, was replaced by Don Odham, a white man who was not an employee at the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Don Odham bragged about having his own patrol car—he was a friend with benefits—law enforcement benefits. Worthless!
Tallahassee, FL—In December 2021, some employees at the Leon County Jail were a part of the investigation into the death of another inmate. Inmate death investigations inside of the Leon County Jail are not rare.
Some private and court appointed conflict attorneys have begged many 2nd Judicial Circuit Judges to remove their clients from the Leon County Jail and place them in a jail in a neighboring county, in part out of fear for their clients safety. Those attorneys’ cries fell on deaf ears.
Between June and September 2012, then 2nd Judicial Circuit State Attorney Willie Meggs, along with his Chief Prosecutor Jack Campbell and State Attorney Investigator Jason Newlin plotted against 18-year-old Black male, DeShon, who prior to his arrest was a freshman student at Tallahassee Community College. Prosecutor Jack Campbell and State Attorney Investigator Jason Newlin used Leon County Sheriff’s Deputy Ronald O’Brien to smuggle contraband into the Leon County Jail. The working correction’s officer on K-Pod, was unaware of Deputy O’Brien’s presence and actions. That correction’s officer unknowingly passed the contraband to DeShon.
Deputy O’Brien, who was not an employee at the Leon County Jail, violated jail policies and laws under the direct orders of Prosecutor Jack Campbell and State Attorney Investigator Jason Newlin and others in authority.
While DeShon’s life inside of the Leon County Jail was spared, he is currently in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections serving two life sentences plus 30 years for crimes that he did not commit.
Former State Attorney Willie Meggs, now retired, was in office from 1985 to 2016. Every crime, arrest and conviction that occurred during his time in office should be reviewed. Meanwhile, Jack Campbell, who is currently 2nd Judicial Circuit State Attorney, and Lead State Attorney Investigator Jason Newlin are criminals. Deputy O’Brien committed crimes—he was merely a pawn. Every case prosecuted—every crime, every arrest and every criminal conviction under State Attorney Jack Campbell will someday be up for review. Justice is not being served and will not be served as long as a criminal is convicting criminals.
Both Willie Meggs and Jack Campbell are licensed by the Florida Bar to practice law.
The Florida Bar stresses to everyone their rules and standards; Regulation of Lawyer Conduct: Processing and investigation of inquiries and complaints are basic responsibility of the Bar as mandated by the Florida Supreme Court. The Bar serves to protect the public from unethical lawyers.http://www.Floridabar.org/rules/
For those who truly want to improve government and the safety of people in Tallahassee (Leon County)—Florida’s 2nd Judicial Circuit, they should get an answer to how long has the State Attorney’s Office been utilizing law enforcement officers to smuggle contraband into the Leon County Jail? And then they should immediately act to remove all of those who violated laws.
“YOU CAN’T POLICE A COMMUNITY IF YOU DON’T HOLD YOURSELF TO A HIGHER STANDARD THAN YOU EXPECT OF THE PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY.”
Dear Governor Ron DeSantis:
As a strong man of religion, a great husband, a wonderful dad, and a striving governor, you know, many decisions are hard to make. However, decisions must be made. Granted, some decisions are harder than others, nevertheless, surely you and the first lady pray that you make more right decisions than wrong.
Law enforcement officers are sworn in and given the power to arrest anyone whom they believe have committed a crime, no matter the person, their place of employment or the crime. There are 67 county sheriffs who were sworn in to make valued decisions for not only the citizens that are in their county, but for the citizens and visitors in the state of Florida, especially those who are most vulnerable—the children.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd continues to hold press conferences for the world to see that he is a sheriff who makes decisions. Sheriff Grady Judd doesn’t seem to hesitate about arresting criminals, no matter if they work for him or if they’re lay persons. Many lay citizens of central Florida do appreciate Sheriff Grady Judd’s decision in his continuance to be transparent, as well as to show the mugshots of lay criminals and mugshots of his employees (now former employees).
There should be a Florida statute that makes it mandatory for Florida Sheriffs to hold press conferences whenever there is an arrest/ arrests within their agency.
In the video link below, Sheriff Grady Judd has a lot to say. Without a doubt, all people who are sworn to represent Florida’s Judicial System—especially due to the existence of the Death Penalty—should take their jobs more serious than an employee working at a fast-food restaurant. Creditability must matter—extremely matter in all jobs within Florida’s Judicial System. As Sheriff Grady Judd states, “YOU CAN’T POLICE A COMMUNITY IF YOU DON’T HOLD YOURSELF TO A HIGHER STANDARD THAN YOU EXPECT OF THE PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY.”
Are The Meggs and The Campbell Families Names and Legacies More Important Than Yours?
Poverty and lack of education in Black communities is a front for many studies conducted by law enforcement agencies. The Leon County Sheriff’s Office, now under Walt McNeil, a Black man, recently distributed a report titled, ‘Anatomy of a Homicide’. The report looks at violent crimes in Tallahassee over the past five years. Over the past 5 years a way to wash away all of the violent crimes that have occurred since State Attorney Jack Campbell has been in office. Five years, all of the years since Willie Meggs has left office—again—he has been in office since 1976. Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell had been in office since 1996 up until 2014, which is 18 years.
In 2016, after (Democrat) William “Willie” Meggs’ forty years career as Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney, which consists of Leon, Wakulla, Gadsden, Jefferson, Franklin, and Liberty counties, he decided to retire. John Emmett “Jack” Campbell (Democrat), the only son of then Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell (Democrat), and (Republican) Pete Williams, a non-Tallahassee native, but lives there for years, battled to replace Willie Meggs. A few years earlier, in 2012, Pete Williams almost beat Willie Meggs in the same race.
Jack Campbell, who at the time had fifteen years of experience as a prosecutor, only having worked for Meggs, as media source reported, Jack Campbell sought out to build on that foundation (Willie Meggs’ forty years career). Over Willie Meggs’ career he cost taxpayers over millions of dollars in settling lawsuits due to his own arrogance. The families of Rachel Hoffman and former Florida House Speaker Ray Sansom received money in settlements, but only after Willie Meggs’ dragged their families through the mud.
In the race between Jack Campbell and Pete Williams, Jack Campbell, who has a lot of friends that are criminals, including a Black man that robbed two banks in Tallahassee, raised a lot of money. While Mr. Pete Williams wanted to reform Florida’s 2nd Judicial State Attorney’s office, Jack Campbell’s criminal enterprise outnumbered his efforts.
The foundation of costing taxpayers over millions of dollars in settling lawsuits is in part what Jack Campbell has planned for the citizens in Florida’s 2nd Judicial Circuit.
In 2012, sixteen years into Larry Campbell’s career as Leon County Sheriff, a woman and former chief of police by the name of Lisa Sprague (Independent), was the only woman in the race to become Leon County Sheriff. Sheriff Larry Campbell, the incumbent, was running for re-election. Sheriff Larry Campbell, dressed in his law enforcement uniform with his gun in its holster, spoke publicly and clearly using obscene and sexist remarks towards Lisa Sprague. As Lisa Sprague (a non-Tallahassee native but lived there for years) motioned to shake Sheriff Larry Campbell’s hand, he angrily said, “F… you!”
Sheriff Larry Campbell’s deep roots in Tallahassee played a role in his re-election.
For more than a decade, Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell wanted to dissolve the City of Tallahassee Police Department. Many people will say that Sheriff Larry Campbell was obsessed with having his agency—Leon County Sheriff’s Office—as the only local law enforcement agency. Crimes in Leon County went underreported—unsolved homicides remain unsolved. And very many convictions are wrongful!
Sheriff Larry Campbell told a media outlet that he wanted to die in office. And that he wanted Mike Wood (Democrat), one of his sheriff’s deputies with a criminal past, to replace him.
In mid-2014, due to Florida Statutes—the Florida Retirement System for government employees, Mike Wood had to retire from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. During the afternoon hours on November 2014, a man said to be well-known by Leon County Sheriff’s deputies as anti-government, set his house on fire in Leon County. When the Tallahassee Fire Department arrived, the man began shooting. As Leon County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Smith, 47, and Leon County Sheriff’s Deputy Colin Wulfekuhl arrived at the scene, both deputies were shot. Deputy Smith succumb to his injuries. Sheriff Larry Campbell failed to address the community. Twenty-four hours later, Sheriff Larry Campbell, attempted to hold a press conference. He appeared frail. His words were inaudible. His clothes were fashioned as though someone had dressed him. There he stood in front of news media cameras with saliva about his mouth slurring his words. Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, a man who just 2 years earlier, spoke loud and clear in his attempt to publicly demean Lisa Sprague. Sheriff Larry Campbell’s condition did not deteriorate overnight. He had been out of public view for quite a while.
Many people around Sheriff Larry Campbell were aware that his health had declined. There was no solid leadership known to the public. Why? Because had the public seen or been aware of the health condition that their elected sheriff was in—the public would have done whatever they needed to do to have him replaced. Sadly, it took the tragic ambush of deputies–the loss of Leon County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Smith, to tragically lose his life—in order for the citizens of Leon County to see at that time that they really did not have a functioning sheriff. The next month, in late December 2014, Sheriff Larry Campbell died. He was 72. It is still not known if anyone called into question why the public was unaware of Sheriff Larry Campbell’s severely deteriorating health. More than likely, Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell’s family and many of those that worked closely to Sheriff Larry Campbell were helping Sheriff Larry Campbell fulfill his wish to die while in office.
Reportedly, during Sheriff Larry Campbell’s funeral, to which Governor Rick Scott was in attendance, his son, Jack Campbell, stood up and told a memory of years back when his dad, got dressed in all his law enforcement regalia, and escorted his sister to an 8th grade dance. Jack Campbell told it to be a funny story, however, it gave those in attendance at the funeral and elsewhere, more of an inside view of just how much Larry Campbell had to be in control. Control over the Leon County Sheriff’s Office—control over a lot of employee’s paychecks, especially law enforcement officials—sheriff’s deputies. Control over a lot of law enforcement officer’s futures. Control in the community.
The next month, January 2015, then Florida Governor Rick Scott appointed Robert Swearingen, the twin brother of Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Richard Swearingen, to be interim Leon County Sheriff. Robert Swearingen was an active member of Sheriff Larry Campbell’s Command Staff. Interim Leon County Sheriff Robert Swearingen’s new position was short-lived. Not long after Governor Scott was informed that it was Sheriff Larry Campbell’s plan to have Mike Wood as Leon County Sheriff, Governor Scott brought Mike Wood, law enforcement officer with a criminal past, in out of early retirement to fulfill Sheriff Larry Campbell’s will.
Less than nine months after Sheriff Larry Campbell’s death, a ceremony was held where the administration building at the Leon County Sheriff’s Office was named after him. Sheriff Larry Campbell’s family, friends and some law enforcement officials were there.
Ethics complaints alleging abuse of power were filed years ago against Larry Campbell, Willie Meggs, and Jack Campbell. Those complaints have never been addressed.
“OUR LIVES BEGIN TO END THE DAY WE BECOME SILENT ABOUT THINGS THAT MATTER.” MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
On January 28, 2011, DeShon Rashard Thomas, a 17-year-old Black male, and his mother, Carissa Chambers, walked into the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and asked to speak to the lead detective over the Wolf Creek double homicide that opened on January 27, 2011. The victims were a 17-year-old Black male, and a pregnant 20-year-old Black female. The female, Laqecia Herring, who was five months into her pregnancy, and her brother, Sterling Conner Jr. were found in their townhome—a few blocks away from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and pass Tallahassee Community College.
Laqecia had previously been in a relationship with DeShon. DeShon, who had been attending Tallahassee Community College as a freshman since he was 16-years-old and worked at Taco Bell on Capital Circle N.E. looked forward to the birth of the baby. Laqecia and DeShon understood that upon her baby’s birth, a DNA test was going to be conducted. DeShon was not doing everything in life right, but he was not the one to misrepresent himself. Racist vulgar from a White man who had said that he was the lead detective on the case was swift. When DeShon’s mother invoked his and her Miranda Rights, they were separated, and she and DeShon’s civil rights were violated. DeShon had absolutely nothing to do with the murders of Laqecia Herring, her unborn baby, or Sterling Conner Jr.
DeShon and his mother, who are not natives of Tallahassee, but had lived there for 8 years, begged Leon County Sheriff’s detectives to thoroughly investigate the double homicide case. What DeShon and his mother did not know was that Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell had a son that was a prosecutor in State Attorney Willie Meggs’ office. Let alone, that State Attorney Willie Meggs assigned criminal cases to Jack Campbell to prosecute that were under the investigative jurisdiction of his dad, Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell. Sheriff Larry Campbell and his son, Jack Campbell, along with State Attorney Willie Meggs had already set Laqecia Herring, her unborn baby, and Sterling Conner Jr.’s murders as pavers to help make the way for them to reach their families goals and build their own long-term wealth for their children and generations to come.
In 2013, Prosecutor Jack Campbell blatantly lied to jurors to get convictions against DeShon Thomas. DeShon’s convictions are wrongful convictions! Prosecutor Jack Campbell, his daddy Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, and State Attorney Willie Meggs chose to use all of the people listed below as pavers. The Campbell and Meggs families goals are to walk on the pavers that they’ve dropped for many generations. They never had the best interest of anyone just themselves.
Are The Meggs and The Campbell Families Names and Legacies More Important Than Yours?
Timothy D. McCrohan, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Mark R. Leon, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Captain Robert Swearingen, Leon County Sheriff’s Office
Captain McLoughlin, Leon County Sheriff’s Office
Melinda McBride, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #267
Fred Smelt, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #252
Donald Odham, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, (Fake Cop) #1206
Ronald O’Brien, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #
Justin Vann, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #431
B Dawkins, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #71
Kenneth Ganey, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #126
Bobby Green, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #152
Dawn Dennis, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #278
Tim Baxter, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #63
David Farcas, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #362
Tommy Gore, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #283
Clifton Couch, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #418
Leslie Rabon, Leon County Sheriff’s Office
Brian Pearson, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #310
Traci Esser, Leon County Sheriff’s Office,
Steven Woodcock, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #140
Mike Reeves, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #274
Patrick McLeod, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #343
Jon Etheridge, Leon County Sheriff’s Office,
Chris Chase, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, K-9 Miska,
P. Salvo, Leon County Sheriff’s Office,
John Simpson, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #272
Tim Lawrence, Leon County Sheriff’s Office,
Rodney Carey, Leon County Sheriff’s Office,
Lauren Brown, Leon County Sheriff’s Office,
Henderson, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #321
T. Chaires, Leon County Sheriff’s Office,
Grady Jordan, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #147
Lakisha Snow, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #402
Robert Wright, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #377, K-9 Tag
R. Whiddon, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #347
Tina Reeves, Leon County Sheriff’s Office,
Bill Punausnia, Leon County Sheriff’s Office,
James McQuaig, Leon County Sheriff’s Office,
Walker, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #3
Captain Todd McKissack, Leon County Sheriff’s Office
Captain Johnson, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, #10
Tallahassee, FL (Leon County)— The Emmett Louis Till case is closed. Emmett Till, the 14-year-old African-American male Chicago native who was kidnapped in the middle of the night by white men while visiting his family members in Mississippi back in 1955, and then later his disfigured remains were found, has been memorialized for decades. He was accused of whistling at a white woman. There has never been an arrest for his murder. And now his case is closed.
In Tallahassee, Florida State University has established a research collection on the life and death of Emmett Till. In doing so, many local/state government officials have turned a blinded eye to racial disparities, within their own community, as FSU College of Law and Florida State University College of Communication and Information (CCI) participate in local community projects.
On the home page of Florida State University College of Communication and Information, Taylor Mair’s November 30, 2021, post is titled, ‘College of Communication and Information (CCI) Launches Black Men in Tech Program with Four Local High School Partners.’
The Program (Black Men in Tech) is being funded by a grant received by the Army Educational Outreach Program. The young African-American male participants will be students who attend underserved schools. Florida State University Information Technology faculty and FSU Student Ambassadors’ focuses is to strengthen young African-American males in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)—Information Technology (IT). Game design, web design, and videography are planned lessons to be learned by participants. Faculty are hoping that the participants will take what they learn and “share their experiences with their greatest supporters: parents, family, and friends.”
Black Men in Technology program will set up at four high schools in Leon County (Tallahassee). At the top of their list of schools is Amos P. Godby High School.
Many African-American teenaged males in Leon County high schools have interests in a variety of careers, including Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Educators and community leaders in Leon County need to stop accepting the lies about African-American teenaged males have such limited interests in careers, and address the real problems plaguing African-American teenaged males—and that’s local law enforcements need to feed State Attorney Jack Campbell’s narcissistic and racist actions. And the Florida Bar Organization needs to free judges, private defense and public attorneys (prosecutors and defense attorneys) from the brothel–under the disguise of the Leon County Courthouse–that has been owned and operated for decades by former State Attorney Willie Meggs and former Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, both members of the Democratic Party.
In 2009, the City of Tallahassee Police Department raided the home of a African-American male teenager as he and many of his family members, including some from out of state, were preparing to go to his senior high school graduation. AJ’s mother spoke to several people about the fear that she and her family experienced as no one knew what was going on. That young African-American male was AJ Graham, who was a star quarterback at Amos P. Godby High School. He was named All-State Quarterback and had planned to use his sports scholarship to attend an out-of-state university. The police arrested AJ and charged him with robbery. Mr. Graham, who was 18 years old, was taken to the Leon County Jail. At that time, Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell was the overseer of the jail. Mr. Graham lost his scholarship. Mr. Graham and his family was under a lot of pain and stress until the robbery victim (a white male) publicly denied having identified Mr. Graham to police as to being the person that robbed him of his wallet. Then State Attorney Willie Meggs dropped the charges.
In 2012, African-American males, 14-year-old Khalid Muhammad and 15-year-old, Theodus Holloway were students at Amos P. Godby High School when they were arrested after having been accused of raping a teenaged girl in the dugout on campus during school hours. Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell had jurisdiction over the investigation. At that time, Sheriff Campbell’s son, Jack Campbell, was working as a chief assistant state attorney for State Attorney Willie Meggs. It was Meggs who assigned Jack Campbell to prosecute criminal cases under the investigative jurisdiction of his dad. Chief Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell charged Khalid Muhammad and Theodus Holloway as adults. Despite many wholes in the teenaged girl’s claims of rape, at trial, both defendants were found guilty, and sentenced to 10 years in prison. After having been released, they had to register as sex offenders.
In State of Florida vs. DeShon Thomas, Chief Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell actively participated in a 1st Degree Murder Plot—planned a Hit—on an African-American male defendant. DeShon, an African-American male, was 17-years-old, was attending Tallahassee Community College as a full-time freshman, and was working part-time at Taco Bell, when he was hastily arrested by a white man who had told DeShon and his mother that he was the Lead Detective with the Leon County Sheriff’s Violent Crimes Unit. DeShon and his mother had gone down to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office after DeShon told his mother about the murders of his pregnant ex-girlfriend and her 17-year-old brother. Without evidence, DeShon and his mother were locked in an interview room and were denied access to an attorney—despite having invoked their Miranda Rights—questioning and violations of DeShon and his mother’s persons proceeded. DeShon was charged with two counts of 1st degree murder. Despite having no evidence against DeShon, and with DeShon’s local private and 4 public defenders refusing to call out the corruption—particularly the fact that the white man that locked DeShon and his mother in an interview room, and then arrested DeShon was neither a Lead Detective nor a Detective with the Violent Crimes Unit, but a volunteer deputy—a wealthy friend of the Campbell family—allowed by both the sheriff and the state attorney’s office to perform outside of his scope of volunteerism, and above the assigned lead detective, who was a black female—forced to keep quiet about the white woman she had previously interviewed. The black lead detective and her team of investigators were never asked about the white woman, the white woman’s car or her sexual relationships with her black boyfriend, Trentin Ross, and DeShon. Mr. Ross who had no idea that his girlfriend had been sexually involved with DeShon, was angy. He was used as the key witness against DeShon.
Despite the victims having been discovered during the mid-morning hours on a weekday, the District Two Medical Examiner’s Office never went to the crime scene. The medical examiner testified that the victims’ time of death could not be determined. The trial judge allowed a lot of perjury by Leon County Sheriff’s officials to go to jurors.
Corruption in Tallahassee runs so rapidly, that when Jack Campbell was reported to Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Bar Organization, both agencies refused to investigate him—Don’t Ask, Won’t Tell. In fact, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Richard L. Swearingen’s twin brother, Robert Swearingen, was a captain for many years during the time Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell was in office.
There are so many African-American males that have been wrongfully convicted in Florida’s prisons due to the corruption in Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit.
The Emmett Till case is closed.
Faculty at Florida State University, principals and staff at underserved Leon County Schools needs to put forth the energy to hold local government/community leaders accountable. A bonified program/ project needs to be established and enacted that will protect and strengthen communication with real law enforcement officials. Why should African-American male teenagers pretend that corrupt law enforcement official will never raid their homes while they and theirs family members prepare to attend their graduation ceremonies? Why should African-American male teenagers believe that if they and their mothers walk into the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and specifically ask to speak with a lead detective, that they will not be met by a “Pay-to-Play” — “Fake Cop?” No matter what a black males choice of career–Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)—as long as corruption rules in the streets and in state and local government (law enforcement and court officials)—advancements in Leon County Schools education pipeline will stay clogged.
The judicial system in Tallahassee, Florida is likened to that in Brunswick, Georgia before the video of the cold-blooded murder of Ahmaud Arbery surfaced. The online post of father and son–showing the mugshots of Travis McMichael and Greg McMichael states: “Remember—They weren’t arrested because cops saw the tapes, They were arrested because we saw the tapes.”
WOE UNTO THEM THAT DECREE UNRIGHTEOUS DECREES, AND THAT WRITE GRIEVOUSNESS WHICH THEY HAVE PRESCRIBED;
2) TO TURN ASIDE THE NEEDY FROM JUDGMENT, AND TO TAKE AWAY THE RIGHT FROM THE POOR OF MY PEOPLE, THAT WIDOWS MAY BE THEIR PREY, AND THAT THEY MAY ROB THE FATHERLESS!
3) AND WHAT WILL YE DO IN THE DAY OF VISITATION, AND IN THE DESOLATION WHICH SHALL COME FROM FAR? TO WHOM WILL YE FLEE FOR HELP? AND WHERE WILL YE LEAVE YOUR GLORY?
4) WITHOUT ME THEY SHALL BOW DOWN UNDER THE PRISONERS, AND THEY SHALL FALL UNDER THE SLAIN. FOR ALL THIS HIS ANGER IS NOT TURNED AWAY, BUT HIS HAND IS STRETCHED OUT STILL.
BUT WHOSO SHALL OFFEND ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES WHICH BELIEVETH IN ME, IT WERE BETTER FOR HIM THAT A MILLSTONE WERE HANGED ABOUT HIS NECK, AND THAT HE WERE DROWNED IN THE DEPTH OF THE SEA.
Tallahassee, FL—Toxins in the capital city Democratic Party, supported by The Florida Bar; paid in full by Florida’s taxpayers. This is another reason why there should be term limits for local and state government officials.
Former Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, former 2nd Judicial Circuit State Attorney Willie Meggs, and Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell (Sheriff Larry Campbell’s only son; current 2nd Judicial Circuit State Attorney).
Truly, many will have to answer why they remained silent and failed to act while Campbell, Meggs & Campbell’s self-proclaimed judicial system operated unlawfully. Why?
When you shop at Publix or Walmart, do you put your trust in the store owners or the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration), who regulates millions of products to ensure the protection of public health?
When you hire an attorney, do you whole-heartedly trust the attorney or do you whole-heartedly trust The Florida Bar, the organization that regulates all licensed attorneys in Florida?
In the case, Campbell, Meggs & Campbell vs. DeShon Rashard Thomas, from the start, Campbell, Meggs & Campbell had violated many of DeShon Thomas and his mother’s civil rights. While DeShon Thomas’ former private-paid defense attorney has acknowledged that he is a victim of bullying by Campbell, Meggs & Campbell’s judicial system, The Florida Bar—still to date—continues to fail/ protect attorneys, DeShon Thomas and his family. DeShon Thomas, a black, 17-year-old, dependent minor child, is innocent.
The following videos are of truth. Part 4 was a video but is now (for now) documents that support the information in the videos.
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.
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.
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!
Tallahassee, FL (Leon County)— Bethel Missionary Baptist Church located in the heart of the city of Tallahassee, less than a half mile from the Leon County Courthouse and the Florida Supreme Court, is where Tallahassee Attorney Ben Crump recently raised his voice against injustice.
Black people in Tallahassee, who are members of the Democratic Party, have long adopted the habit of down ballot voting when they vote. Considering the vote for many local government seats are at the same time as the vote for the United States President, the recycling of corrupt white members of the Democratic Party continues.
Former Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney Willie Meggs, a member of the Democratic Party, who is known for his high level of arrogance and his malicious prosecutions against black people, was in office for more than 30 years before he retired. Jack Campbell, a member of the Democratic Party, worked for Willie Meggs for more than a decade, before being elected into office as 2nd Judicial Circuit State Attorney. Jack Campbell, the son of former Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell who was also a member of the Democratic Party, was the lead prosecutor on many cases where his dad’s office was the lead investigative agency.
Malicious prosecutions against black people, especially black men, means that Willie Meggs and Jack Campbell told presiding judges and attorneys—both public and private—how to proceed in court—and they complied. In at least one case, at the request of State Attorney Willie Meggs and then Chief Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell, former Public Defender Nancy Daniels, manipulated payment codes for a private attorney to get paid to represent a favorable witness for the state. In at least two cases, a close friend of then Sheriff Larry Campbell and his son, Jack, who is a member of the Republican Party, was allowed to possess a Leon County Sheriff’s Deputy badge and to work—including being assigned lead detective in a double murder investigation, provide testimony in a double murder trial, and interact with underage minors—when their friend was never an employee at the Leon County Sheriff’s Office nor a law enforcement official.
Shortly after the death of Sheriff Campbell then Governor Rick Scott appointed Mike Wood as interim sheriff. Mike Wood, who’d retired from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, has a felony record of his own.
In less than twenty years, the city of Tallahassee Police Department has been stricken with scandals. In 2013, Chief Dennis Jones resigned after scrutiny about excessive force against a woman. Dennis was replaced by Mike DeLeo. Although a complaint was filed against Tallahassee Chief of Police, Mike DeLeo, alleging discrimination against black police officers in 2015, he did not resign until 2019.
In December 2019, Tallahassee City Manager, Reese Goad, a white man, and a member of the Democratic Party, announced the new Tallahassee Police Chief as Antonio Gilliam. At the time, Tallahassee had the highest crime rate. Mr. Gilliam, a black man and a native of Tallahassee, was Assistant Police Chief in St. Petersburg, Florida. While Mr. Gilliam, looked forward to coming back to his hometown—his roots—to gain the respect of Tallahassee citizens, seemingly, Mr. Goad wanted to dictate to Mr. Gilliam versus allowing Mr. Gilliam to use his own expertise to combat crime. Mr. Gilliam turned down the position as Tallahassee Police Chief.
Whether a professional is a member of the Democratic Party or the Republican Party, any time someone wants to dictate to a professional how to get a job done that that person cannot do themselves, then the professional has to wonder why they’re being told how to do their job?
Had Mr. Gilliam taken the position, he would have quickly learned that the crime within local government is what fuels the crime in Tallahassee. For the most part, the only time white people in law enforcement communicate with black people is when they want to use them as witnesses to lie in criminal cases. Witnesses are then compensated with money or low wage jobs. On Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney Jack Campbell’s list of people that he protected, compensated and released is a black man who was also an inmate in the Leon County Jail. This inmate had 4 pending Leon County Court cases including 2 bank robberies. The man had been charged with home invasion robbery, 4 counts of kidnapping, aggravated battery causing bodily harm with a deadly weapon, burglary, forgery with dealing stolen property, 2 counts of grand theft, and many more charges. No strategy Mr. Gilliam learned over the decades in St. Petersburg could have stopped the high crime in Tallahassee’s local government.
In November 2012, the City of Tallahassee became the first city in the nation to pass an Anti-Corruption Act. The citizens in Tallahassee voted overwhelmingly to get money out of their political system.
In 2016, while Walter McNeil, a black man and a Democrat, was campaigning to win the primary election for Leon County Sheriff against his opponent, Mike Wood, a white man and a Democrat, it was reported that Mr. Wood’s campaign donations had reached six figures. The income for the vast majority of blacks in Leon County is less than $30,000 annually. Although Mr. McNeil went on to win the election, he cannot control what goes on with State Attorney Jack Campbell and all of his cronies.
Mr. Gilliam is blessed to be able to continue on with his career in law enforcement in St. Petersburg, where he is well-loved and where the weather is much better.
Mr. Goad’s hiring of Lawrence Revell, a white man, who has been with the City of Tallahassee Police Department for more than 28 years is in his comfort zone as he approaches retirement eligibility. Surely, Chief Revell is aware of what type of people he is working for all around him—on all levels of government. Crime remains high in Tallahassee.
A black man named Henry Segura sat in the Leon County Jail for nearly a decade after former State Attorney Willie Meggs and Jack Campbell charged him with 4 counts of 1st degree murder. The case against Mr. Segura was not there. Before Mr. Segura’s case, there was the double murder case against 17-year-old, DeShon Thomas. Mr. Thomas sat in the Leon County Jail for 4 years before going to trial. State Attorney Jack Campbell severely struggled to gain evidence to support charges in both Mr. Thomas and Mr. Segura’s case. State Attorney Jack Campbell stated the cause for the murders in both cases was to avoid paying child support. Both Mr. Thomas and Mr. Segura testified during their trials. Each of them had a vast amount of favorable evidence to support their innocence. Though Mr. Thomas and Mr. Segura were found guilty, each continue to maintain their innocence along with their family members and supporters.
After the tragic shooting of 16-year-old Ma’Kia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio by a police officer, Columbus’ Mayor Andrew Ginther spoke, “How did we get here? This is a failure on the part of our community. Some are guilty but all of us are responsible.” Democrats or Republicans—some officials in local government in the City of Tallahassee and Leon County, and other agencies have failed their community, and are responsible for the communities failures. Crime remains high in Tallahassee. #FREEDESHONTHOMASNOW #FREEHENRYSEGURANOW #RIPMAKIABRYANT
Mothers Against Unethical Laws (MAUL) 