A former South Mississippi district attorney will step in to prosecute a Prentiss County murder case after First Circuit District Attorney Jason Herring recused his office. The Prentiss County murder prosecution of Jayce Bryson West, who is accused in the 2024 shooting death of a Tupelo teenager in Booneville, will now be handled by former 14th Circuit District Attorney Dee Bates, according to the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.
Why the DA’s Office Stepped Aside
The Daily Journal reported Thursday that Herring recused his office last week. His office learned that Herring’s former private practice partner had represented West’s mother about 10 years ago in a Prentiss County youth court matter.
The earlier matter is unrelated to the murder case. Even so, the newspaper reported that Herring asked the judge to appoint a special prosecutor “out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of justice.” Bates, who previously served as district attorney for the 14th Circuit Court District in South Mississippi, was named to take over the case.
Special prosecutors are appointed in Mississippi when a district attorney’s office has a conflict of interest, or even the appearance of one, that could raise questions about fairness. When that happens, an outside prosecutor takes over the case so it can proceed without that concern.
Background on the 2024 Booneville Shooting
The case stems from a shooting around 6:45 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, at the August Circle Apartments in Booneville. Booneville police said at the time that shots were fired into a vehicle carrying four people.
Damarion Calvin, 18, of Tupelo, was killed.
Another person in the vehicle was wounded, and two other occupants were not hurt.
West, then 21, was taken into custody several days later by U.S. Marshals without incident, Booneville Police Chief Michael Ramey said at the time.
When West was arrested in 2024, police announced charges of first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and shooting into a motor vehicle, and a judge ordered him held without bond. The Daily Journal now describes the upcoming trial as a second-degree murder trial. Reports in 2024 listed West’s hometown as Baldwyn; the Daily Journal’s latest report refers to him as a Booneville man.
What Happens Next in the Prentiss County Murder Prosecution
Under Bates, the case will remain in Prentiss County Circuit Court. A trial date was not included in the Daily Journal’s report. Alcorn News MS will follow the case and report when a trial date is set.
The First Circuit Court District, which Herring leads, covers Alcorn, Prentiss, Tishomingo, Lee, Itawamba, Monroe, and Pontotoc counties. Herring was appointed district attorney by Gov. Tate Reeves in 2024.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Jon R Myers is the executive editor of Alcorn County News and the founder of the Mississippi News Group, which he started in 2013 to cover communities across North Mississippi. He also founded the Mississippi Sports Group in 2006, which grew from a single community publication into a statewide network covering high school and college athletics. He reports on local government, public safety, schools and community life in Corinth and Alcorn County, working from public meetings, agency records and interviews with the people involved. Contact him at editor@alcornnewsms.com with news tips or corrections. For a correction, include the article link and supporting source material.
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