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This Jackson County jury duty summons containing two incorrect phone numbers -- one for a phone sex line -- was recently received by at least 350 Jackson County residents.

(Facebook photo)

Randy Carney

PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- Randy Carney has been the Jackson County Circuit Clerk for exactly one month as of Monday -- and already he is likely dealing with one of the more unusual problems a circuit clerk has ever faced.

About three weeks ago, jury duty notices were sent out to at least 350 Jackson County residents, with instructions to call one of two numbers -- a local Pascagoula number or an 800 number -- on the night before the date of their summons, which was Monday, Feb. 1.

When the potential jurors called the first number, all they received was a voicemail, rather than instructions on whether to report for duty. If they called the 800 number, they reached a phone sex line.

"We're very aware of it, unfortunately," Carney said Monday morning when asked if he was aware of the issue. "We're really not sure how it happened.

Carney explained that the summons are not printed in-house. Instead, the circuit clerk's office contracts to have them printed. He said the two numbers which potential jurors should receive have not changed "in years."

"The only thing which should have changed is (former circuit clerk) Joe Martin's name should have come off and mine added," Carney said.

The numbers printed on the recent summons each included one incorrect digit. In the case of the 800 number, the last four digits should have been 3044. Instead, they were printed as 3244 -- which connected callers to the phone sex line.

Carney said he was in the process of writing a letter to all of the jurors who received the incorrect summons and those letters should be received by all of them by Wednesday or Thursday.

"Obviously, there was a glitch in the system," he said. "All I can do at this point is correct it and apologize to the people who received them."

Carney said he met with Jackson County Judge Dale Harkey Monday morning and had also spoken with district attorney Tony Lawrence. The summons snafu should not cause any delays in upcoming court proceedings.

"I'm sure at some point I'll sit back and laugh about it," Carney said, "but right not it's not too funny."