Moderators: Prof, Judge Roy Bean
Otis Jackson is facing corruption charges stemming from his time as Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk; now he's claims he is a "sovereign citizen".
Otis Jackson wouldn't answer questions about filing sovereign citizen paperwork, but his friend Jay Bailey had plenty to say.
"I consider him to be a close friend but it's obvious to me he is going off the deep end with this whole sovereign citizen thing."
He changed his mind and wanted to go to trial. He was in court for the sole purpose of telling the judge, under oath, that he had changed his mind about diversion.Jackson is accused of forcing employees to raise funds for his re-election campaign on the clock. He was supposed to enter into an agreement with prosecutors and get diversion. That meant if he stayed out of trouble for a year, the official misconduct charges would be wiped off his record.
State Representative Ron Lollar (R-Bartlett) is trying to stiffen the penalties for people who file these bogus liens and people who try to take someone's home illegally. Right now it's a just misdemeanor; the goal is to make it a felony, which means more punishment.
"What they are doing is illegal and it's costing money and causing problems," Lollar said.