Judge To Hear Hood Challenge Of Barbour Pardons

Jackson, MS - The Mississippi attorney general's office says it has not been able to find one of the five former trusties pardoned by Haley Barbour during his final days as governor.

Hinds County Circuit Judge Tomie Green ordered the five former Governor's Mansion trusties to appear in court Monday, but authorities haven't located Joseph Ozment. He was convicted in 1994 of killing a man during a robbery.

Green scheduled a 3 p.m. hearing to consider arguments from Attorney General Jim Hood, who's challenging Barbour's pardons.

Hood wants to return the one who were freed to prison. Most people who could be stripped of pardons were out of prison before Barbour's action.

Republican Barbour ended his second term Jan. 10. He pardoned 198 people in his final days in office.