Prosecutor Long Goes Soft On Wife-Beating; Drops Charges Against Two-Time Felon Bobby Jones

Mayor Arnell Willis

According to public court documents obtained by The Inside Scoop, Prosecuting Attorney Fletcher Long has dropped two felony charges against two-time felon Bobby Jones, who is one of Mayor Arnell Willis's new department heads, stemming from a 2009 investigation and arrest of Jones by the Phillips County Sheriff's Office where Jones was accused of beating his wife Shelquala Jones so bad he broke her nose and of threatening to kill another woman, Lekesha Hill.

Bobby "Ga Ga" Jones

According to the court file in an affidavit signed by Sheriff Ronnie White, the Sheriff's Office responded to several calls at the residence of Lekeshia Hill at 245 PC 231 on July 23, 2009. The reasons for the call were conflict between the two Jones's. Upon arriving, the Sheriff's report states that Shel Quala was staying there due to fear of Jones, according to Hill. It goes on to state that Jones broke into Hill's house and beat both Shel Quala and Hill. When Hill resisted, she reported that Jones said he had a gun and would kill her. After the alleged beatings, Jones then left and the report states that Shel Quala was transported to the hospital where she was treated for a broken nose and swelling to the head.

District Judge Jesse Porter found that there was probable cause and a warrant was issued for Bobby Jones's arrest. Jones was subsequently arrested and released, pending trial.

A request from Long's office to drop the charges was submitted by Deputy Prosecutor Todd Murray on February 15, 2011 and an order was signed by Circuit Judge Richard Proctor on March 2, 2011.

Bobby Jones is a well-known vote hustler in Helena-West Helena and an ardent supporter of new Mayor Arnell Willis. During his first weeks in office, Willis fired Sanitation Department Director Victor Jordan and replaced him with Jones.

According to the court file in this wife-beating case, where Jones was charged with Aggravated Residential Burglary, and 1st Degree Domestic Battery, Jones has two prior felony convictions.

The first came on March, 29, 1990 when Jones was convicted of burglary and theft of property, both felonies, in Phillips County Circuit Court. The docket number was CR 89-251. Jones was sentenced to five years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

Jones once again was convicted on March 11, 1996 of theft by receiving, a felony, in Phillips County Circuit Court. That docket number was CR 95-184. Jones was given a five year suspended sentence in that case.