Jody Owens

Jody Owens, the former District Attorney of Hinds County, Mississippi, resigned effective July 1, 2026, following his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. The plea, entered on June 29, 2026, concluded his involvement in a federal corruption case involving undercover FBI agents posing as real estate developers. Owens admitted to facilitating bribe payments to city officials, including former Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and former Councilman Aaron Banks, to secure approval for a downtown hotel project. Regarding other controversies, Owens faced allegations of pointing a handgun at a man in an employee's apartment in 2022 and accusations of sexual harassment prior to taking office in 2019. He denied both sets of allegations. Additionally, his campaign finance reports were criticized for errors and late filings, resulting in fines. Owens is currently seeking to permanently surrender his law license.