Posted on 09/07/2006 9:43:17 AM PDT by WKB
They work in the same Hinds county office building, but they were complete strangers during a frightening encounter in the backyard of a Clinton home.
A startled Hinds County Chancery Judge grabbed a machete, he says because he feared for his life and property.
A Hinds county employee has filed a criminal complaint and says he was just doing his job.
This encounter has now changed the way Hinds County tax assessors do their job.
"I felt I was assaulted," said Hinds County field tax assessor Bob Merritt. "I was ambushed from behind."
The county employee said he was measuring the dimensions of a garage on Hinds County Chancery Judge William Singletary's property when the judge walked up behind him and threatened his life.
"He grabbed me from behind," Merritt said. "I had my tape and my paper in my hand. A machete came around here and was up to my throat and was poking like this."
Last Wednesday the 53-year-old says he parked his marked county vehicle in front of the house, rang the door bell and knocked but got no answer, although he saw a car.
Merritt said after Singletary grabbed him, he identified himself and begged the judge to call 911, but he continued to hold the machete to his neck and ushered him to his county vehicle.
"We've never to my knowledge had any incident such as this occur," said Hinds County Tax Assessor Mike Barnes.
Barnes said Singletary apologized following the incident, but now because of the Castle Doctrine that allows residents to protect their property, he has changed policy.
Five field officers assess taxes on over 28,000 parcels a year. Barnes has now instructed employees not to enter the property without permission of someone on the property.
"Leave your business card at the front door," Barnes added, "(and) hopefully someone will call you back. Estimate the addition that may have been made on the house if it is occupied and hopefully the individual will call you back. We will then set an appointment to go out there."
Judge Singletary said he was working in his garage when he was startled by someone walking in his backyard.
The judge denies ever putting the machete to Merritt's neck and says he could not see any employee badge that would signify that this person had a reason to be in his backyard. "I was just trying to find out who the guy was and protect me and my property in the process," Singletary said.
The six-year county employee has filed a complaint with the Clinton Police Department and says in light of the "Castle Law," which offers leniency to citizens who use deadly force to protect their property, he is now concerned about the safety of workers like himself who must access private property.
Barnes says if residents do not contact the assessor's office for an appointment after an employee visit, they will be assessed taxes based on the estimate of the property.
Mississippi Ping
I love it when two people who are "above the law" clash. It'll be interesting to see which one's abover than the other.
Libertarian ping?
"What we have here is a failure to communicate."
It'll be interesting to see which one's abover than the other.
Well the guy was coming to "rob" him of his tax money.
That just sounds bizarre.
Sounds like the judge is more abover, which is about what you'd expect.
I expect nothing will come of it. Judges are generally sacrosanct, as long as they don't do anything heinous. Nobody was hurt, so the storm will blow over.
No illegal trespass:
now there's a novel idea
Don't enter private property without permission of the property owner ... what an incredibly innovative concept.
Hooray for the Judge! I hope he tells others about how he felt when an "unknown" person invaded his property.
Myself, I meet all "unknown" persons locked and loaded.
That Headline writer had a sense of humor!!!!
It'll never catch on.
Hehe. I imagine the judge will get the short end of the stick as he was in his capacity of subject at the time, unless he can pull some strings behind the curtains.
Go wandering around in someone's backyard in Texas, you'll be lucky if having a machete held to your neck is all that happens. People been known to get shot for that sort of thing.
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