Mississippi Criminal Law Blog

According to Colin Kalmbacher with Law and Crime, Justin McCall was sentenced to a lengthy prison term for a series of burglaries, partly because he shot himself in the leg. Justin McCall, 28, was found guilty on multiple burglary charges by retired judge Paul A. Rasmussen. The judge sentenced the defendant to 20 years in prison on March 6, State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden said in a Monday press release. In relation to a series of burglaries that took place between October 2022 and January 2023, McCall was charged with 13 separate crime, the state attorney’s office said.

“In addition to stealing miscellaneous items from the vehicles he burglarized, McCall stole a firearm from an unsecured vehicle,” the press release notes. “McCall then proceeded to burglarize another vehicle with the stolen firearm in hand. While rummaging through that vehicle, McCall accidentally discharged the firearm and shot himself in the leg which resulted in McCall pleading for help from the very person whose vehicle he had just burglarized.” The firearm theft that resulted in his injury was apparently not his first, law enforcement noted. At the time of his arrest for the burglaries, 

McCall shot himself on Jan. 4, 2023 – he was found by OCSO deputies with a gunshot wound to the leg, the sheriff’s office said. He was then taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The police investigation that ensued revealed that the defendant had been captured by several home video surveillance cameras breaking into vehicles in the area. “A homeowner on Zach Avenue says she discovered someone had broken into her car and taken her purse,” the OCSO said in a press release at the time of the arrest. “Later while watching a neighbor’s surveillance video, she saw McCall on camera wearing her white Sperry boots, which had been in her home’s garage.”

TikTok No Kia’s or Hyundais on Your Block:

A viral TikTok trend exposing gaps in security has led to a surge in car thefts involving specific models of Hyundai and Kia vehicles. In response to the alarming trend, Hyundai and Kia have developed theft deterrent software and are offering it free to millions of vehicle owners. Additionally, the companies are collaborating with law enforcement agencies and providing steering wheel locks to enhance vehicle protection. This blog post delves into the impact of the TikTok security challenge, the measures taken by Hyundai and Kia, and the broader implications for car manufacturers, consumers, and car thieves.

The TikTok Challenge:

Arson is a serious offense in Mississippi, and you can expect stiff penalties if you are convicted of this crime. But your penalties depend on various factors, including the judge’s approach to your case. Some judges act in a predictable manner, while others make decisions that seem to go against patterns set by past arson cases. Such was the case when a Walmart arsonist received double the recommended sentence in Mississippi. 

But why did this arsonist receive a sentence that was so different from the recommendations of the prosecutors? What made this judge act in such an unpredictable manner? At the end of the day, this is simply the unpredictable nature of the justice system. Sometimes, things just do not turn out the way we expect them to. On the other hand, all defendants can pursue more predictable and positive results by working with qualified, experienced criminal defense attorneys in Mississippi. 

Arsonist Gets 18 Years in Federal Prison for String of Targeted Walmart Attacks

A student at St. Olaf College in Minnesota, Waylon Kurts, was charged with conspiracy to commit second-degree assault and conspiracy to commit threats of violence, among other charges. According to the charges, the items found in Kurts’ dorm room included a tactical vest, empty boxes for ammunition and magazines, a tactical knife, a folding knife, firearm earmuffs, six propane canisters, fireworks, lighter fluid, a battery with wires and a lock pick set. The Star Tribune reported that police also confiscated notebooks with writings that included a plot to steal ammunition from a retailer, police radio frequencies, and a hand-drawn map of the recreational facility on campus. The map included an arrow indicating a travel route and apparent exit path, the charges said. 

Kurts’ attorney, Paul Rogosheske, said Kurts “has some things that look funny,” but said there is nothing that poses a threat to anyone. Rogosheske said his client is a hunter who shoots a lot, and noted there were no guns or ammunition taken from Kurts’ room or vehicle. He said Kurts drew the map for someone else. Northfield Police Chief Mark Elliot said authorities are trying to determine what, if anything, Kurts had in mind. St. Olaf officials said they became suspicious of Kurts when a custodian saw two empty packages for high-capacity magazines in a garbage can. The college then reached out to officers at the Northfield Police Department to report items “connected to potential acts of violence” found in the student’s dorm room. The student was arrested a day later on suspicion of threats of violence. 

The criminal complaint also notes that, outside of the items found in Kurts’ room and vehicle, they also found texts between him and someone about buying a gun from unlicensed sellers. Kurts had also texted photos of a box filled with rifle magazines on a bench with the words “Kids’ve got no idea whats in here.” Further, some of the notes in Kurts’ vehicle allegedly said “combat is much faster and closer than you think” and “the average door takes 2.5 kicks”. The notes also contained training directions for where to shoot a person on their body.