NEWS

Cochran photo case investigator loses job

Jimmie E. Gates
The Clarion-Ledger
Judge Dale Danks

The lead Madison Police Department investigator in the case involving the taking of a photo of U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran's bedridden wife has been reassigned to the animal control/rescue division.

No one is commenting why Vickie Currie has lost her job as an investigator with the Madison Police Department. When reached at Animal Control/Rescue, Vickie Currie wouldn't comment. Currie's new assignment began this week.

Only three months ago, Currie was lead investigator in the case and was the only witness for the prosecution in Clayton Kelly's preliminary hearing in May. Kelly is accused of taking the photo of Cochran's wife. Three others were charged with conspiring with Kelly to take the photo of Cochran's wife in the Alzheimer unit of a Madison nursing home.

Currie's reassignment is the latest in a case that has has seen many twists, including one of the defendants apparently taking his own life and the man's family planning a lawsuit against Madison PD. One defendant has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge.

Madison police officials haven't responded to requests for comment about Currie's reassignment. It's unknown whether the reassignment is related to the Cochran photo case.

Kelly's attorney, Kevin Camp, couldn't be reached Wednesday for comment about Currie's reassignment.

Tom Fortner, attorney for Richard Sager, one of the remaining defendants, said he was unaware that Currie had been reassigned. He said the first time he met her was when she testified in Kelly's preliminary hearing.

Madison County District Attorney Michael Guest also hasn't responded to recent requests for comments about the case. His only comments came after John Mary pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge earlier this month and agreed to testify against Kelly and Sager if their cases go to trial.

Madison police have come under scrutiny about the felony charges in the case after respected Ridgeland attorney Mark Mayfield, who was charged with conspiracy in the case, took his own life July 25th. He was an official with the Mississippi Tea Party and supporter of Chris McDaniel in his race against Cochran.

Family members of Mayfield criticized Madison PD for coming to Mayfield's Ridgeland home immediately after he allegedly committed suicide.

Attorney John Reeves, who was Mayfield's brother-in-law, said this week that Mayfield's family is still planning a lawsuit against the Madison PD for overstepping their authority.

During the preliminary hearing for Kelly, Currie testified Madison police began an investigation after being notified that Kelly posted photos on his YouTube page of Cochran's wife in a state of unconsciousness in her bed at St. Catherine Village.

Currie said she and another investigator contacted Kelly, who confirmed he posted the photos, but then said he determined it probably wasn't appropriate and took it down. Currie said Kelly explained he wanted the photo to launch a blog and video show on the web.

Contact Jimmie E. Gates at jgates@jackson.gannett.com or (601) 961-7212. Follow @jgatesnews on Twitter.