Former Jackson Police Department Detective Anthony Fox was charged, convicted, imprisoned, and later acquitted in the criminal case tied to the January 13, 2019 police encounter with George Robinson, a 62-year-old Jackson man who died two days later. This story is based on multiple sources, including the Mississippi Court of Appeals opinion, Associated Press reporting, Mississippi Today, and WLBT.
Reported Incident
According to the Mississippi Court of Appeals opinion, Fox was a Jackson Police Department detective and SWAT member on January 13, 2019, when officers were searching for a juvenile suspect in the killing of Pastor Anthony Longino. Officers went to Jones Avenue in Jackson after receiving information that the suspect might be in that area.
The court opinion says officers encountered Robinson near a white four-door sedan outside a residence where people were gathered for a barbecue. Trial testimony described Fox going toward Robinson’s vehicle while other officers approached people in the yard. The opinion says Fox later cited Robinson for disobeying commands and resisting arrest, field-released him, and that no contraband or weapons were found in Robinson’s car.
Associated Press reported in January 2019 that Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart said an autopsy concluded Robinson’s death was a homicide, with Robinson dying from bleeding on the brain caused by blunt-force trauma to the head.
Allegations and Trial Testimony
Witnesses for the prosecution testified that Fox pulled Robinson from the car and that Robinson’s head struck the pavement. The Court of Appeals opinion recounts testimony from Ronnie Arnold, who said Robinson told officers he could not move fast and was trying to remove his seatbelt before Fox grabbed him and threw him to the ground. The opinion also recounts testimony from Connie Bolton, who said she saw an officer she identified as Fox pull Robinson out of the car and body slam him.
Those statements are allegations and trial testimony, not the final legal status of the case. The appellate court later found the evidence legally insufficient to sustain Fox’s conviction.
Charges
Fox, Lincoln Lampley, and Desmond Barney were indicted in connection with Robinson’s death. Mississippi Today reported that Fox had been indicted with two other officers for second-degree murder before Fox was later convicted of the lesser charge of culpable-negligence manslaughter. Mississippi Today also reported that charges against Lampley and Barney were dismissed in 2021.
Conviction and Sentence
On August 5, 2022, Fox was found guilty of culpable-negligence manslaughter in Robinson’s death. WLBT reported that Fox was sentenced to serve five years in prison. Mississippi Today reported that the sentence was 20 years, with 15 years suspended, five years to serve, and five years of probation.
Appeal, Reversal, and Acquittal
Fox appealed. On January 30, 2024, the Mississippi Court of Appeals reversed the conviction and rendered a judgment of acquittal in Fox’s favor. The court held that the evidence was insufficient to prove culpable-negligence manslaughter beyond a reasonable doubt. The court wrote that no evidence established that Fox acted in a grossly negligent manner or that Robinson’s death from the injuries described in the medical testimony was reasonably foreseeable under the circumstances.
Associated Press reported that the appeals court overturned Fox’s conviction and acquitted him, and that Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch had asked the appeals court to reverse the conviction. The appellate opinion also noted that the State conceded error on the sufficiency issue.
Medical Evidence Discussed by the Appeals Court
The Court of Appeals opinion separated the eyewitness testimony from the medical evidence. The opinion said the State’s medical expert described Robinson’s visible injuries as abrasions and testified that he had never said Robinson was beaten, kicked, body slammed, or had his head intentionally slammed into pavement. The opinion also noted testimony that Robinson was taking blood-thinning medication and that a subdural hemorrhage could develop from trauma that was severe, minor, or spontaneous.
The appeals court majority concluded that the medical evidence did not support the jury’s finding that Fox committed culpable-negligence manslaughter. The dissenting judges disagreed and would have allowed the jury’s verdict to stand.
Lawsuit and Settlement
Robinson’s relatives filed a civil lawsuit against the city of Jackson and the officers. Associated Press reported that a judge ordered enforcement of a settlement between the city and Robinson’s family. AP reported that Jackson City Council approved a $17,786 settlement and that city documents said the settlement was not an admission of liability by the city or the three officers named in the lawsuit.
WLBT likewise reported that the settlement did not constitute an admission of liability by the city of Jackson, Anthony Fox, Desmond Barney, or Lincoln Lampley.
Official Statements
After the appellate ruling, Mississippi Today reported that Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens II said he was disappointed in the decision but thankful for the court’s careful consideration, and that his office’s goal in each case is to seek justice.
WLBT reported that the Clinton Board of Aldermen approved Chief Ford Hayman’s request to rehire Fox after the reversal, and that Fox would return as a K9 narcotics detective.
Uncorroborated Claims
No uncorroborated claims are included as fact in this story. Claims from witnesses, prosecutors, family members, attorneys, city officials, and police officials are identified by source and separated from the current legal outcome. As of the appellate decision, Fox’s conviction was reversed and a judgment of acquittal was rendered in his favor.
