Second Black Catholic politician at center of Jackson bribery scandal

Hinds County District Attorney Jody E. Owens II is among several public officials facing federal corruption charges in Mississippi, where bribes concerning contracts in Jackson are center-stage in a trial their attorneys say should be delayed.

Owens is accused of conspiring with Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and City Councilman Aaron Banks to accept a total of at least $115,000 from undercover federal agents in exchange for a real estate deal in the capital city’s troubled downtown district.

The three men, all African Americans, each face multiple charges stemming from the sting operation carried out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation earlier this year. An indictment against all three was unsealed Nov. 7. They have each pleaded not guilty.

“From campaign donations generated through laundered money to stacks of cash bribes, the members of this conspiracy allegedly offered and accepted bribes in exchange for official acts,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. 

The indictments had been expected for months, following the guilty plea of Jackson City Councilwoman Angelique Lee on similar charges in August. The Black Catholic legislator resigned from her position the same day as other council members warned of a wider investigation.

“I believe there's going to be a number of indictments coming down to this community at the county level and at the city level,” said City Councilman Kenneth Stokes following Lee’s resignation.

The federal probe, which began in 2022 and initially targeted another Black Catholic in Owens, led to the guilty plea of his cousin Sherik “Marve” Smith in October.

FBI agents raided Owens’ office in downtown Jackson in May, discovering $20,000 in hidden cash as they built their case against the 43-year-old law enforcement official. The sting operation has produced recordings of Owens negotiating deals with the undercover cops, using vulgar language that openly suggested criminal intent.

Owens, who now faces eight felony counts and up to 90 years in federal prison—alongside millions in fines—has described the conversations as “drunken locker room banter” that does not constitute illegal activity.

“This indictment is a horrible example of a flawed FBI investigation and certainly the indictment was an assassination attempt of my character,” Owens told reporters after entering his not guilty plea earlier this month.

“We will vividly fight all of these charges.”

In a motion submitted on Nov. 20 to delay the trial, attorneys for the three indicted officials argue that the complexity of the case demands that it not proceed as scheduled. It is currently set to commence on Monday, Jan. 6.

Owens and Lumumba have vowed to remain in office during the proceedings. Meanwhile, the defendant in at least one case being prosecuted by Owens has requested the district attorney be removed from the case due to his own pending criminal trial.

Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.

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