A petition is circulating asking Governor Tate Reeves to pardon or commute the sentence of Detective Anthony Fox, who was convicted last week of culpable negligence manslaughter in the death of George Robinson.

The text on the petition at Change.org reads:
“On August 4, 2022 Jackson Police Detective Anthony Fox was wrongfully convicted of the 2nd degree murder of Mr. George Robinson. Anthony and two other officers were indicted for this crime. The other two officers were found “not guilty” in a directed verdict by the judge. She found the state’s case so lacking in evidence that she didn’t allow that case to proceed. Sadly, Officer Fox was forced to trial, with a different judge. Despite overwhelming evidence of innocence he was found guilty. This is plain and simply stated a gross miscarriage of justice.

Although an appeal is planned, that process may take years. In the interest of justice we move toward the most direct method to free Officer Fox. This petition is directed to the Hon Tate Reeves, Governor of the State of Mississippi to use his constitutional power to pardon Officer Anthony Fox and relieve him from this ghastly burden and almost incomparable miscarriage of justice.”

The trial took two weeks and involved the testimony of four medical experts who testified against the charges in the indictment that Fox and two other officers “slammed, beat, kicked and stomped” Robinson to death.

CLICK HERE FOR DAY-BY-DAY TRIAL COVERAGE.

The case against the two other officers involved, Lincoln Lampley and Desmond Barney, was thrown out of court with prejudice by Judge Faye Peterson, who said the prosecution had not met their burden of proof. The officers were cleared by Jackson Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division, as well as by the FBI. Federal Judge Carlton Reeves issued an opinion that the three were covered by qualified immunity.

By all accounts, Fox was one of Jackson’s most effective narcotics officers during his time with Jackson Police Department, having stayed there through a lot of the turmoil because, as he told Darkhorse Press, “Jackson is my home. These are the people I want to protect and serve. I don’t want to go anywhere else.”

Fox finally left JPD and went to work for the city of Clinton after the accusations came down from District Attorney Jody Owens and Attorney Dennis Sweet launched a civil suit against the city of Jackson on behalf of George Robinson’s family. Clinton Mayor Phil Fisher and Clinton Police Chief Ford Hayman stood staunchly behind him, based on his reputation as an officer and as a person.

To sign the petition, click here.