Delays continue in the sentencing of the former Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner. As MPB's Desare Frazier reports, the attorneys are mired in paper work.
Monday, Christopher Epps was originally supposed to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Henry Wingate. Epps pleaded guilty to receiving 1.4 million in bribes. Instead attorneys on both sides are working to comb through financial paperwork. They're trying to figure out how much companies benefited financially from an estimated $800 million in contracts. John Collette is Epps attorney.
"We're getting through the process with sentencing. Judge Wingate is looking under every aspect of this and we're just continuing on with it," said Collette.
The process requires obtaining financial information from 16 companies. Cecil McCrory who also pleaded guilty to corruption charges will be sentenced. Joshua McCrory his son testified he owned a company with his father and received a subpoena for the financial records of an account his dad handled. McCrory said he forwarded the request to his father, but the documents weren't submitted. Joshua McCrory's attorney Aafram Sellers.
"He had no dealings with the issues that are before this court. So, he's basically been instructed to find any documents, if he can find them, and provide them to the court by Thursday and that's what he intends to do," said Sellers.
A status hearing is scheduled for late August, to see if attorneys have all the information needed to move forward with sentencing.
Federal prosecutors say they'll be in court on Monday, when more indictments related to the case will be unsealed.
