Tyler

By CASEY KNAUPP
Staff Writer

A 53-year-old Tyler man, who backed out of a plea agreement Thursday, changed his mind and pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to commit capital murder.

Jessie James Jackson pleaded guilty to the first-degree felony before jury selection was set to begin in his case. Jackson is charged with being involved in a plot to kill a confidential informant who was buying drugs undercover for police.

In the midst of his guilty plea on Thursday, Jackson’s hearing was halted by 241st District Judge Jack Skeen Jr.

Jackson, represented by defense attorney Rex Thompson, stated he was pleading guilty because he was guilty and for no other reason. After Skeen asked him if his guilty plea was done freely, knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily because he committed the crime, Jackson gave a lengthy pause, then replied that he couldn’t honestly answer the question. When the judge asked him what that meant, Jackson said, “I wouldn’t be telling the truth.” Skeen immediately terminated the plea proceeding and said Jackson’s case would go to trial this week.

But on Monday, Jackson ended up pleading guilty without a plea agreement, meaning the judge can sentence him anywhere within the five-years-to-life-in-prison range.

Skeen gave him a lengthy admonishment and asked the defendant many questions, making sure he was pleading guilty freely, intelligently, knowingly and voluntarily because he was guilty of conspiracy to commit capital murder — and for no other reason.

Jackson said he understood that the prosecutor’s recommendation of a 25-year sentence through a plea agreement had been withdrawn after he backed out of the deal Thursday and that it was no longer effective.

When asked by the judge what he did to lead him to plead guilty, Jackson said his co-defendants asked for his help in locating the confidential informant they wanted to kill because Jackson knew him. He said after the CI was bonded out of jail, he rode around with Johnathan “Greasy Greg” Brown in Aldener Dunning’s vehicle to try and locate the victim. He admitted he knew they wanted to find him to kill him.

“What is your plea to the indictment today?” Skeen asked him.

“Guilty,” Jackson replied.

The defendant will be sentenced by Skeen on July 18.

Last week, Ms. Dunning, 59, Lindale, entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors and received a five-year sentence for her involvement in conspiracy to commit capital murder.

In October, Ms. Dunning’s son, Johnathan “Bisco” Toliver, 37, was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to commit capital murder and was sentenced to life in prison.

Brown, 33, Tyler, has also been charged with the conspiracy, as well as former Smith County Jailer Kenya Bush, 26, Longview.

Assistant Smith County district attorneys Joe Murphy and Zach Davis are prosecuting the case.

Jessie James Jackson
(Courtesy Smith County Sheriff)