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The official website of the State of Mississippi

Capital Defense Counsel

Our office was established with two main purposes:

(1) to provide high quality representation to indigent persons charged with death penalty eligible offenses in the state courts of Mississippi at the trial level and on direct appeal where the death penalty has been imposed; and (2) to relieve the financial burden death penalty cases pose to local governments.
History
The Office of Capital Defense Counsel was established by the Capital Defense Litigation Act of 2000 in order to "provide representation to indigent parties under indictment for death penalty eligible offenses."


In July 2001, André de Gruy was appointed the first director.  De Gruy opened the office August 1, and the office accepted its first case on September 12, 2001.

Since then, the office has assumed representation in over 260 death penalty-eligible cases at the trial level and over 30 death penalty cases on direct appeal. The office has also consulted on many more cases at trial and appeal level and provided training programs.

Effective July 1, 2011, Capital Defense Counsel became a division of the Mississippi Office State Public Defender. 

Capital Defense continues the mission of providing high quality representation in cases assigned by the State Defender as well as assisting the Defender Training Division with capital defense training programs as well as technical assistance to attorneys in other areas such as forensic science and mental health issues.

Information

Death Penalty Fact Sheet
Docket of Cases Pending in Trial Court
  Sentences Imposed (Excel Spreadsheet)
  Direct Appeal Roster
Post Conviction Roster: State and Federal

History of Death Penalty Cases in Mississippi Supreme Court

 Affirmed
Remanded for New Trial
Remanded for New Trial - Sentencing Only
Resentenced to Life

Staff