Case: 25CI1:20-cr-00049-AHW Document #: 44 Filed: 12/13/2021 Page 1 of 4

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF HINDS COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI

FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT

STATE OF MISSISSIPPI PLAINTIFF

VS. CAUSE NO. 25CI1:20-cr-00049-AHW-1

JOHN DAVIS DEFENDANT

DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO EXTEND THE COURT’S ORDER LIMITING PRE-

TRIAL PUBLICITY

John Davis (hereinafter “Mr. Davis), by and through Counsel, and moves the Court to enter

an Order extending the Order entered by this Court, and in support would show as follows:

1. On February 4, 2021, Judge Adrienne Wooten entered an Order prohibiting all

attorneys, their representatives, parties, witnesses, law enforcement officers and court personnel

from discussing or commenting on any aspect of this case with the media. See Judge Wooten’s

Order, attached as Exhibit “A”.

2. Mr. Davis asks the Court to extend the order to Mississippi Auditor Shadrack

White, Mississippi Department of Human Services Director Robert Anderson, and their agents

and employees. Both Messrs. White and Anderson are attorneys licensed to practice in the State

of Mississippi. Both Messrs. White and Anderson have intentionally and repeatedly commented

publicly on the allegations surrounding Mr. Davis 1 which threatens Mr. Davis’ right to a fair and

impartial jury. As attorneys both Messrs. White and Anderson should be familiar with the

1
An example of the public comments can be found here: https://www.wlbt.com/2021/10/01/audit-finds-69m-
unallowable-questionable-expenses-money-earmarked-needy-families/
https://www.wtok.com/content/news/Mississippi-auditor-DHS-audit-reveals-millions-wasted-570176951.html
https://www.wlbt.com/2021/10/06/executive-director-mississippi-department-human-services-discusses-findings-
forensic-audit/
https://mississippitoday.org/2021/12/07/mississippi-welfare-agency-subgrantees-demand-letters/
 Case: 25CI1:20-cr-00049-AHW Document #: 44 Filed: 12/13/2021 Page 2 of 4

Mississippi Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, Trial Publicity, and 3.8 Special

Responsibilities of a Prosecutor. Mr. White is a State Auditor and takes credit for helping bring

the case to the Hinds County District Attorney’s Office and is therefore both a lawyer under Rule

3.6 and a Prosecutor under Rule 3.8. Bob Anderson is an ex-Federal Prosecutor and current head

of the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS), who has commented on evidence and

procedures at MDHS. Both Mr. Anderson and Mr. White have repeatedly made comments about

Mr. Davis, inferring matters about his guilt, but failing to report instances when the actions taken

by Mr. Davis were approved by MDHS policies. In some instances, Mr. White and Mr. Davis have

made comments about Mr. Davis’s actions when those actions were approved by other people at

MDHS. Mr. Davis and Mr. White have on more than one occasion inferred that Mr. Davis did

*****followed an approval process in the MDHS asks the Court to prohibit Messrs. White and

Anderson as well as their employees and agents from commenting publicly about Mr. Davis.

Respectfully submitted this the 13th day of December 2021.

JOHN DAVIS,
PLAINTIFF

BY: s/ Charles “Chuck Mullins

CHARLES “CHUCK” MULLINS
 Case: 25CI1:20-cr-00049-AHW Document #: 44 Filed: 12/13/2021 Page 3 of 4

PRESENTED BY:

CHARLES R. MULLINS (MB# 9821)

MÉRRIDA “BUDDY” COXWELL (MB# 7782)
COXWELL & ASSOCIATES, PLLC
Post Office Box 1337
Jackson, Mississippi 39215-1337
Telephone: (601) 948-1600
Facsimile: (601) 948-1600
Email: chuckm@coxwelllaw.com
merridac@coxwelllaw.com

Attorneys for Defendant John Davis

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

This is to certify that I, Charles R. (Chuck) Mullins, attorney for Defendant John Davis, do

hereby certify that I have this day electronically filed the above and foregoing Motion to Enforce

the Court’s Order Limiting Pre-Trial Publicity, with the Clerk of Court using the ECF system,

which sent notification of same to all counsel of record.

Further, I hereby certify that I have mailed by United States Postal Service the document to

the following non-MEC participants:

State of Mississippi Auditor

Shadrack Tucker White
501 N West St. Ste 801
Jackson, MS 39201-1008

MDHS Executive Director

Robert Anderson
200 S. Lamar Street
Jackson, MS. 39201

Office of the Mississippi Attorney General

Lynn Fitch, Attorney General
P.O. Box 220
550 High Street
Jackson, MS. 39205
Case: 25CI1:20-cr-00049-AHW Document #: 44 Filed: 12/13/2021 Page 4 of 4

This the 13th day of December 2021.

/s/ Charles R. (Chuck) Mullins

CHARLES R. (CHUCK) MULLINS