US EditionDeSoto County D.A. calls for school board member to resign
District Attorney Matthew Barton condemns Michele Henley’s support of Lindsey Whiteside, highlighting concerns about the message it sends to victims and community trust.
- On Tuesday, DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton called for Michele Henley to resign after she publicly backed Lindsey Whiteside, saying her support undermines her public service role.
- Lindsey Whiteside, former youth pastor, pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a girl and was sentenced Oct. 13 to three years of house arrest and seven years of probation in DeSoto County, Mississippi.
- Prosecutors amassed more than 64,000 pages of evidence, including text messages and church stationery, and seek a lengthy prison sentence for Whiteside.
- The DA's office will challenge the sentence and seeks to publicize letter writers; Action News 5 has reached out to Henley for comment and a copy of her letter but received no immediate response.
- Barton warned that Henley's support `sends the wrong message to victims, parents, and every child who looks to adults for protection` after she testified on Monday, and he called for her resignation.
13 Articles
13 Articles
DeSoto County DA calls for school board member's resignation following her support of convicted child predator
DA Barton said the reason she got what he calls a light sentence is that multiple community members showed unwavering support and wrote letters to the judge. "There were nine teachers and one vice principal that wrote letters, and hopefully that will all be public soon, as well as members of the church and the community at large," Barton said. Michele Henley, a school board member, was asked by the DA's office to resign from her position.
The Commercial Appeal
The Clarion LedgerDeSoto County DA calls for school board member to resign over support of sex offender
DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton is calling for a school board member to resign after she issued support for a sex offender.
DeSoto County D.A. calls for school board member to resign
HERNANDO, Miss. -- DeSoto County’s District Attorney wants a school board member to resign after she wrote a letter in support of a convicted child sex offender. This comes after Lindsey Whiteside, a former youth minister, pleaded guilty to sexual battery of a child and received house arrest and supervision. Former youth minister pleads guilty to sexual battery of minor Lindsey Whiteside in court A mix of different reactions in DeSoto Coun…
Action News 5
fox40jackson.comDeSoto County DA calls for school board member to resign over support for sex offender
DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton is calling on DeSoto County School Board member Michele Henley to resign over support of Lindsey Whiteside.
DCS Superintendent Uselton says school doesn’t support or condone support of convicted sex offender
DeSoto County Superintendent Cory Uselton issued a letter to the public stating on Wednesday stating that the letters written in support by some educators on behalf of convicted sex predator Lindsey Whiteside were not condoned and do not align with…
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