Appeals court upholds reversal of post-release supervision for convicted sex offender

The Mississippi Court of Appeals has upheld a Harrison County judge’s decision to revoke a convicted sex offender’s post-release supervision and send him to prison.

James Lewis argued the state waited too long to hold his revocation hearing after he completed a prison sentence in Georgia for voluntary manslaughter.

He claimed those delays should have invalidated the revocation.

The Court of Appeals ruled Lewis violated the terms of his Mississippi supervision by committing another felony.

Judges found that gave the circuit court the authority to revoke his release despite the delay, noting the hearing was also affected by COVID-19 court disruptions.