In September of 2007, George Bell brutally murdered Heather Spencer in his mother’s home in Jackson. Kingfish at Jackson Jambalaya has been raising serious questions about this case since I’ve been aware of his blog.
Specifically, he’s had serious suspicions of the dropping of accessory to murder charges against Bell’s mother, Robbie Bell. Today, he’s got two long posts up, based on both his prior efforts and the police report and autopsy at the time of the murder.
The first post in particular is graphic and horrifying He describes the killing, with a blood-everywhere beating and rape. It was this scene Mrs. Bell came home to about 8 in the evening the night of the murder; Heather Spencer died about 3:00 AM. Kingfish provides clear evidence for his view that Mrs. Bell had to know about and could have done something about this dying victim for a period of hours before she died.
In a second post raising questions of the dropped charges against Mrs. Bell, Kingfish discusses some of the later history and the fact that Ed Peters was representing her at one point, and that Jim Hood’s office was prosecuting the case and made the decision to drop the charges.
The first post– which, again, has very graphic descriptions of violence necessary to draw the conclusions Kingfish draws– is here, and the second post is here.
It was actually accessory after the fact. Thanks by the way.
Can anyone imagine a “regular” person being in Robbie Bell’s position and NOT being
indicted? And convicted? This is really shocking to me.
Could Robbie Bell have been afraid of her son?
Commenter: I suspect she was afraid of her son, all the more reason to call the police when he left the house. She had plenty of time.
The fact that Robbie Bell stayed in the house for all those hours, 8:00am until the next morning, with pools of blood everywhere and the poor girl laying there dying…..what in the world was she doing that whole time? Watching TV? I think that’s the most creepy part of this whole episode.
Can anyone imagine a “regular” person being in Robbie Bell’s position and NOT being indicted?
I can imagine it, sure. Prosecutors have discretion; expecting a mother to turn in her own son is a tall order. I’m not saying she wasn’t legally required to do something, or that she isn’t legally or morally culpable; just that I can imagine a decision not to indict.
Now, will it prove that the “Ed Peters mafia” was really the deciding factor here? Wouldn’t surprise me in the least.
My last post should have read “8:00pm until the next morning,” sorry……
Perhaps, Anderson. But imagine if the Bell family had been poor and perhaps even black, and lived in an apartment in south Jackson instead of a tony house in NE Jackson. The mother comes home one evening and finds that her crack-smoking son has bludgeoned someone whose body is still laying in the house, still alive. The mother does nothing, and in fact drives her son around in their car the next morning, possibly trying to escape. You don’t think she would be indicted? In this state? I don’t see it. Just look at the preferential treatment Karen Irby received. No poor person in this state would have been allowed to stay out of jail all that time after what happened. No way.
Jackson, MS sure is having some interesting cases come up lately, no?
by the way, this will be the lead story on WLBT tonight starting at 4.
Read the case law, there is apparently a strict duty to notify the police when you know a felony has been committed. The reports are rather damning as is the coroner’s report. I also don’t see how Hayne could’ve screwed this one up.
Kingfish: Are you serious about Hayne? Do you read Radley Balko?
Let no one be mistaken. Unless George was holding his mother at gunpoint every minute after her 8 PM arrival — and from the documents (and ongoing coverage) Kingfish has provided you get the impression that she had a certain freedom of movement — then you would understand that Robbie Bell could have easily exited her house — just as easily as James Bell did the following morning with Heather’s roommate in tow — to seek protective shelter and help from her neighbors on Trawick. No doubt about it Robbie Bell could have made her escape, if that is what it was, and had the house surrounded by JPD within minutes if what she wanted to do was to get the dying Heather Spencer medical attention.
Me?
serious?
I am interested though, Kingfish. Do you think Hayne messed up something in this case? I don’t know any of the particulars besides what I read on your blog. Thanks -
Why was the AG’s office prosecuting this case, rather than the DA?
Mrs. Bell’s complicity, and the curiosities surrounding the State’s dismissal of charges, are disturbing. Mississippi has a legal system. It’s right there. You can go look at it and listen to it. But Mississippi also has another legal system over in a parallel universe. Most of us on this forum can’t see that other system, but, like waves lapping ashore from the wake of a ship passing in the night, we sense it … we know it’s there.
I’m guessing the invisible system operates in every county. Come to think of it … there are some counties in which the invisible system is the main system. Kinda like the Tonton Macoute.
How’d we get things so screwed up? Is our state beyond reform?
I don’t think Hayne did but I am waiting for someone to start saying the whole thing is BS because Hayne was involved.
Here is what I think, Kingfish:
I know of cases where I believe Hayne played games with time of death to help out the prosecution. But I hope that there are hundreds if not thousands of cases where Hayne just described what happened and the prosecution made their cases. I hope so. If not, then Parchman is full of people who may not ought to be there. And everything I’ve heard about this case fits what he concluded as a pathologist– well, I wonder about her surviving that long, but I don’t know anything that says she didn’t.
I really think Hayne is pretty close to ultimately corrupt. What I’m seeing is the police accounts, and knowing that he wouldn’t have been thinking they needed “help” on the central whodunit question, so I’m assuming it’s pretty straightforward and taking it at face value.
Ben: Amen. How’d did things get so screwed up? GOB club. Is our state beyond reform? Yes. It won’t ever be reformed. Except for the occasional bust like Scruggs, et al — Irl Dean Rhodes, et al. Sit around and listen: those that aren’t indicted have stories told about them and how crooked they were into posterity and all the GOBs think it is just the most hilarious. Take for example the case of Judge Moore taking the gun that killed Medgar Evers from the evidence locker in Hinds County. The GOBs think nothing was wrong with him or any state court judge taking murder weapons home with them despite the fact that there has been no conviction and there is no statute of limitation on murder when the real point was to hide the weapon from the feds in the event that the feds decide to prosecute or for some sicko trophy or whatever. What sicko wanted and coveted the damned thing? We all know the answer to that question.
Yes the GOBs are just f***ing hilarious aren’t they?
Sadly most of them are lawyers and most of them have never even taken a bar examination. They just got their education from the GOBs with a bunch of other GOBs and there ya go.
The AG’s listing strangulation as one of the causes of death is important because that would preclude Heather’s surviving until 3 am the next morning?
yup. You are correct which means Hood has some answering to do and you have an idea of what my post tomorrow will be discussing.
How unfortunate that Haynes was anywhere near this case.
not a real fan of Hood, but: acc. after the fact requires that the state prove an overt act to aid the felon from evading arrest, conviction, etc, knowing that the felon had committed the crime prior to such knowledge. mere presence at the scene of a crime is NOT a crime; nor does the law make the failure to report knowledge of a crime a crime itself. what she did, or failed to do, is morally reprehensible, but what witness would Hood call to establish that she made any move to help him escape? She called the attorney who failed to convince him to turn himself in; the evidence suggests that once in the car she was a hostage just as evenly that she was helping him get away. the evidence was just not there; it was a stupid decision to indict her in the first place and, I heard, the indictment was because of pressure by the victim’s family to Hood as Fay Peterson apparently viewed the “evidence” in the same light as this post. all of this is speculation from both points of view. what is not speculation is, I wonder how that woman sleeps at night notwithstanding whether she did a criminal act or not?
BS. Here is the law:
97-1-5 of the Mississippi Code:
“Every person who shall be convicted of having concealed, received, or relieved any felon, or having aided or assisted any felon, knowing that such person had committed a felony, with intent to enable such felon to escape or to avoid arrest, trial, conviction or punishment, after the commission of such felony, on conviction thereof shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary not exceeding five years, or in the county jail not exceeding one year, or by fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or by both; and in prosecution for such offenses it shall not be necessary to aver in the indictment or to prove on the trial that the principal has been convicted or tried.”
Sitting in a house for an hour while he is out and not notifying the police is a crime under this law. The Dampier case clarified the elements for a conviction:
“(1) a completed felony has been committed; (2) the accused concealed, received, relieved, aided, or assisted a felon, knowing that such person had committed a felony; and (3) such assistance or aid was rendered with the intent to enable such felon to escape or avoid arrest, trial, conviction, or punishment after the commission of such felony.” Dampier v. State 973 So.2d 221, 231 (Miss.,2008)
According to the Police statements and reports:
If Robbie Bell returned to the home at 8:00 p.m. she was actually in the home or on the premises with Heather there until around 10:00 a.m. the next morning. If Heather actually died at 3:00 a.m. that means they sat in the house with blood splattered everywhere and Heather’s corpse for 7 hours. Not counting the 5 hours Robbie spent in the home prior to Heather’s death.
Jr. left his mother’s home, driving Heather’s car and went to Heather’s roommate residence arriving there around 7:30 a.m. …..kidnapped her at gunpoint and carried her to his mother’s house.
According to police reports, no calls were ever made to ask for assistance or to report the murder.
According to the police statements/reports: shortly after Jr. returned to his mother’s home with the roommate, Robbie Bell called James Bell and asked him to come to the home.
James Bell stated he received the call from Robbie around 10:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. but the Police Officer that James Bell flagged down stated that he was flagged down around 10:30.
11:17 Police Notified of crime
11:50 Coroner notified
12:31 Coroner viewed body – blunt force trauma
9:00 Initial Autopsy results (Haynes) blunt force trauma
It would appear there is some time missing…just how long was Robbie Bell alone in the home with Heather after Jr. left?
Or just how long was James Bell actually at the home prior to flagging down police around 10:30 a.m.?
Robbie scared of her son:
Robbie Bell was in the home for 14 hours….a certain amount of time was spent there alone and with her car there for her use, because Jr. drove Heather’s car to the roommate’s residence to kidnap her.
When they returned, Robbie Bell walked out of the house to the car.
When James Bell got to the home he tried to talk Robbie into leaving with him and the roommate, she refused to leave Jr.
She was driving the car with Jr. when they met up with the police at the B.P. station. After the standoff was over she rode with Jr. to the police station where not only was Jr. read the Miranda Rights, she too. Jr. got locked up, Robbie went home with her attorney, both refused to give a statement of the events. Robbie never gave a statement to the police in these reports.
She later got a Circuit Court Order and went to the Police station to reclaim two pistols: one listed on the crime scene report as having been in Jr’s hand during the standoff.
In none of the statements from police or the witness does it state Robbie Bell feared for her life.
She never made a phone call to the police even though she used the phone numerous times after 7:30a.m. with Jr. present according to the statements filed with the police.
The reason why the family asked for Hood to prosecute was because Smith was the incoming DA and his connection to Melton/Peters was well known. Unfortunately for the family,the Scruggs scandal hadn’t broken yet. I suspect the post above was written by a Bell hack.
oops….from 8 p.m. until Heather’s listed T.O.D. at 3 a.m. is 7 hours.
Then from 3 a.m. until around 10 a.m. is another 7 hours.
Which gives Robbie Bell 14 hours in which no phone calls to the police were made.
So if a felony — especially one as heinous as murder — is committed in my house and the felon leaves my house and then I, in turn, do not immediately call the authorities to report the felony that is not enabling a felon to escape and/or to avoid arrest?
Its not a crime to choose not to call police knowing a felony has been committed. That’s NOT what the Dampier case says. Kingfish is an excellent blogger and writer, but is simply wrong on this point. Under this flawed logic, unwilling witnesses would be subject to prosecution.
Guess again:
Mr. Smith was driving a car with his girlfriend as a passenger. In a burst of inspiration, she decided to take a crowbar out of his car and steal jewelry from a window display after smashing the window, despite his pleas not to do it. He drove off without her but she somehow chased the car and jumped in. Even though he tried to leave her and had commanded her not to commit the crime, the Court still said: . “Although Smith was present, the proof is uncontradicted that he neither assisted nor encouraged her by any word or act to commit this crime. A jury would have been warranted in finding him guilty as an accessary after the fact to burglary or larceny, but not as a principal to burglary.” Smith v. State 523 So.2d 1028, 1030(Miss.,1988)
CJ: Under this flawed logic, unwilling witnesses would be subject to prosecution.
I can’t see how Robbie Bell would be listed as an “unwilling witness”. 14 hours and no phone calls, sounds more like an accomplice than a witness.
correction: 14 hours with no phone calls to the police.
Did Robbie Bell call anyone else during the 14 hours besides her brother-in-law / lawyer. Inquiring minds want to know.
Kingfish @9:39 Someone knowing of a felony and not reporting it is involved in a criminal act. Hell man that’s everyone I’ve ever met at the Hinds county court. Ben kinda slam the nail with the invisible force known as the GOB network. This is bad and very sad. It’s also a common theme of the GOB network.
SilenceDoGood:
From what was contained in the Police Reports and the Statements that were given, the only one that is shown that she called was her brother-in-law/lawyer.
The police state that they were notified at 11:17 a.m. (not by Robbie but by the first policemen after talking to the brother-in-law/lawyer)
The phone records would have to be interesting.
I read the police reports which you can find in the first link. The statement of James Bell provides plausible deniability as an accessory after the fact to Robbie Bell. It is a little too nice and neat, but James Bell accomplishes his purpose, i.e. protect Robbie Bell from any charges.
As to the time when George Bell had left her alone, Robbie Bell could easily say that she had been traumatized and was not thinking clearly. But, that assumes that she would take the stand or give a statement to the police, and neither of those things would ever happen.
But, any prosecutor would have a hard time proving a charge beyond a reasonable doubt against Robbie Bell, in my opinion.
Are there any civil suits being pursued by the decedant’s family or her roommate? With a lower standard of proof, those could be successful. And, Robbie Bell would have to testify, correct?
There was no overt or affirmative act by Mrs. Bell to assist her son in avoiding arrest in order to prosecute her, so there could be no jury issue. Hood actually got one right. I hope Bell lives in her own personal Hell and sees Heather everytime her eyes close, but she did NOT commit a crime under MS law. Smith actually assisted in allowing the burglar to leave the scene of a crime. Also, I agree that the Dampier case does not stand for the proposition that KF advances.
OWIL:
Actually, according to one of the statements of one Det. Christopher Watkins (Robbie Bell called James Bell),”Then I received a phone call from Robbie and she told me that she and George had left the house because George thought I would contact the police.”
Does this sound anything like assisting someone in a felony crime???
I think it was played like a hostage situation, wasn’t it?
At no time during any of the reports or statements does it play out like a hostage situation. It was only at the gas station when they told her to get out of the car, Jr. held on to her arm. No guns pointed to her head..etc.
Didn’t you read the information? Just curious.
He didn’t take her with him when he went to kidnap the roommate.
I do remember him holding on to her, which would be an act of dominion over her and a gun wouldn’t be required. I read James Bell’s statement as helping her avoid criminal liability, not implicating her. The fact that George did not take her with him when he went after the roommate is of no consequence legally in regard to what happened later at the station. Or at least it wasn’t in my analysis. Politically, I think this would be a tough call for an honest prosecuting authority; legally, I do not think it is a tough call once the elements of the offense are considered along with the requisite burden of proof.
There is also the added fact that I did not post earlier was that there were 5 police officers standing there at the time that James told them what Robbie said.
This was prior to the standoff at the station with Jr.
Well….seems I missed the new development…the girl that was kidnapped has now filed something against Robbie and requested a jury trial.
Might get interesting.
That is an interesting development. I would like to read that Complaint to see the cause of action she is pleading.
in the Smith case cited by Kingfish, the defendant drove the burglar away from the scene for 3 blocks before crashing into a tree, knowing that she had broken a window and stole jewelry with him telling her not to; however, when she jumped into the car, he continued to drive her away. Sorry Kingfish, the case doesn’t back up your theories, it disputes them. Good Blogger, poor reader of law.
BS justice. First of all, the statute doesn’t say not calling the police when you are in a situation as Ms. Bell was doesn’t constitute a violation. There is NO case law that says such behavior is NOT a violation. Therefor, its a question of law for the jury. There is a good chance the jury would’ve convicted her and given the facts of the case, the SC probably would have left intact the verdict and several attorneys I know, one of whom clerked there and is respected as a lawyer, said the same thing when I argued that position to him.
Actually, I didn’t misread the Smith case but was working off of the annotation. I later read the entire case and facts are as you said. The code annotation doesn’t give all of the facts if I remember correctly. However, I will stand by what I said about Dampier as the Court issued a test. My contention is Ms. Bell’s conduct rose to the level required to meet the third element of the test. Definitely enough for a prosecution, enough to send to a jury, and probably enough for a conviction.
I am still stuck on the 14 hours or so that Robbie Bell spent in the house with a dying / dead Heather. What the hell was she doing that whole time? I suspect she was traumatized a bit,
but still. It’s just really creepy and weird.
Is there no legal duty to notify the authorities when someone is dying in your house following a violent crime? If I walked into my house and found blood everywhere and then someone dying in my bed, I don’t have a legal duty to notify the authorities?
Jackson cafe society plays by different rules than I do, I suppose.
Robbie Bell’s house, there is a dead girl inside it, Jr. kidnaps another girl, brings her to Robbie Bell’s house. Robbie Bell does nothing. She doesn’t make a phone call to police to prevent the kidnapping of the other girl, which could have possibly been another death, all of this happening out of her home with her in it.
Now…because they think James is going to call the police, she gets in her car with Jr. in the passenger seat and calls James and tells them that.
What part of assisting someone in leaving the scene of a crime does this not point too. Also, at the gas station. Police told her to get the keys out of the car as she was getting out. She takes the keys out of the ignition and the officer thinks she has them with her when he takes her to his car. Low and behold…she left them in the car for Jr.
She has provided no statements of the events that occurred. Then she goes back to court, gets a court order to get her guns back.
What part of this does not sound like someone helping someone? This is not even considering the moral aspects of the case.
Think about this if you will, sometime during the morning, Ms. Robbie Bell got up and got all dolled up for the cameras while Heather Spencer lay dead with her skull open laying on a bedroom floor of that house, while Robbie went about the business of a normal day.
Perhaps when Jr. came back after kidnapping the other girl, she just simply could not stand the thought of having to get ready again if he killed this one as well, so she called James. What do you think?