State can reword document and re-present case to grand jury
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The indictment of a Jones County elected official was dismissed in Jones County Circuit Court, but the District Attorney’s Office does plan to reword it and continue to pursue the charges, so the case is not closed yet.
Beat 5 Supervisor Travares Comegys, who is facing charges of embezzlement and fraud, was in court with attorneys Tom Fortner and Kimberly Morrison on Wednesday morning. Morrison cited case law in making the argument that the indictment was vague, referring to “county property” and other similar references.
“What property is he alleged to have taken?” she asked. “It needs to be more specific.”
Assistant District Attorney Katie Sumrall, who is prosecuting the case, said that the indictment is not vague.
“It gives the embezzled amount to the penny,” she argued. “Nothing requires an indictment to be so specific … it addresses the essential elements and is sufficient to proceed.”
But Judge Dal Williamson disagreed, citing case law that called for a more detailed description of the accusation while also noting that the law allows for a new indictment to be filed.
“The state needs to provide something more specific … What is he accused of? What specifically did he do?” Williamson said. “The indictment as drawn doesn’t … adequately tell, ‘Here’s exactly what you’re accused of doing.’”
Continuing the case with the current indictment would likely lead to a reversal by the state Supreme Court, if there was a conviction, the judge said.
Sumrall said that the DA’s office plans to re-indict Comegys, which means the case will have to go back before a grand jury.
Comegys, 41, was booked into the Jones County Adult Detention Center in November and released on $5,000 bond that same day after an investigation by state Auditor Shad White’s office.
He is accused of using a county-owned pickup and cellphone to help operate his business, JC Beauty Supply, from July 2020 to April 2021. The business is on Central Avenue, across from the Beat 5 barn. The investigation showed that he traveled to “multiple salons and barbershops outside of Jones County” and used the county pickup on a trip to the New Orleans airport, according to the press release. It was also alleged that he used his county cellphone “almost exclusively” to operate JC Beauty Supply.
If convicted on all counts, Comegys faces up to 10 years in prison and $5,000 in fines. The case is being prosecuted by the office of Jones County DA Tony Buckley.
Comegys is in his first term as supervisor after serving two terms on the Laurel City Council. He was elected to the county position in 2019 after longtime predecessor Jerome Wyatt chose to retire after dealing with his own investigation by the auditor’s office, which was resolved. Comegys’ brother Stacy also served on the city council with him before an unsuccessful run for mayor in the last city election.
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