Letters to the Editor

A few weeks ago, my aunt, Monet Bell Autry, wrote a letter to the editor asking local churches, organizations, business owners, employees, friends, law enforcement, politicians, and citizens of Marshall County to contact the Mississippi Parole Board petitioning for the denial of parole for Bart Mease.

Bart Mease, MDOC Number 43833, was convicted for murdering the late Sheriff Osborne Bell.

In conjunction with my aunt’s letter, I kindly ask each of you to write to the Mississippi Parole Board and petition against the possibility of parole for Bart Mease.

Let Sheriff Bell rest in peace knowing that the individual who took his life is never eligible to take another.

My late mother and late grandfather both fought this battle until their dying days. Out of respect for his wife, children, mother, and family, let’s emphasize to the Mississippi Parole Board that it is not OK to harshly punish first time offenders for petty crimes and give the possibility of parole to the murderer for our late, great sheriff.

Attached is my letter to the State Parole Board regarding the possibility of parole for the murder of Sheriff Osborne Bell:

Shannon Warnock
Mississippi Parole Board, Chair
660 North St., Ste 100 A
Jackson, MS 39202
Fax (601)576-3528
Dear Shannon:
I am writing in response to Bart Mease MDOC Number 43833 having the possibility of parole. This is a letter of petition against the possibility of his parole.
Osborne Bell, (a fallen hero), was my uncle. As a little girl, I remember my uncle well and how, when we went to my grandparents’ house, he would always grab at our noses when he greeted his little nieces and nephews.
He was always a cheerful person to all whom he encountered. I will never forget the sad day, living in Tupelo, when my mother picked me up early from daycare in tears. We immediately traveled to Holly Springs. When we walked into his home, the air was full of sadness and misery. Days later, I will never forget how my mother, aunts, uncles, and grandparents fell to their knees in grief as they put to final rest Sheriff Osborne Bell of Marshall County.
As I reiterate, the life of a hero was taken.
In 1995, my mother, Imodene Bell Goodman, was killed in a tragic automobile accident. Until the day that she died, my mother, along with the rest of the family, petitioned against the release of Bart Mease.
My family was saddened greatly around that time, mourning the loss of my mother as well as the possibility of parole for Bart Mease.
No one deserves to bear that burden. I watched my mother cry many nights mourning the loss of her brother and then for my family to mourn the loss of my mother and the possibility of parole for the convicted murderer of my Uncle Osborne.
It saddens me to even think that our law would allow such. We have thieves, embezzlers, drug dealers, and gang bangers who never see the light of day for committing smaller crimes. How could the law make provisions to consider one who has taken the life of one of their very own to be released?
On behalf of my deceased mother and grandfather, who have fought and petitioned for years to keep Bart Mease behind bars, I beg and plead for the Mississippi Parole Board to deny parole for Bart Mease.
I now have four children of my very own who never had the opportunity to meet their great-uncle. They have to learn about him in school.
How fair would it be for them to one day learn that his murderer was set free? This contradicts and mocks what our children are taught everyday: love, respect, obey, and never break the law.
How could the law consider contradicting the teachings implemented into our very own school systems and most importantly, the Holy Bible? Never forget, “Thou shall not kill.”
As previously stated to the citizens of Marshall County by my family, the release of Bart Mease would be a tragedy to the state of Mississippi and law enforcement.

The Humane Society would like to thank everyone for their contributions of time or money during 2010.

We would like to report that we rescued 120 animals. We did surgery, either spay or neuter, on 766 animals.

We also used grant funds to assist people in the community, who otherwise might not have been able, to spay or neuter 277 animals.

The problem of stray animals is huge, but we have helped a few to reduce the number of stray animals wandering the streets.

Please call 662-564-2900 if you need assistance spaying or neutering your dog or cat.


Thursday, January 20, 2011
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