Embattled prosecutor Doug Evans withdraws from Curtis Flowers case

The prosecutor in Curtis Giovanni Flowers' six murder trials — criticized by the U.S. Supreme Court for racial bias with jury selection — has removed himself from further involvement in the case.

District Attorney Doug Evans filed a voluntary recusal motion in Montgomery County Circuit Court on Monday and is asking the state Attorney General's office be appointed as lead prosecutor.

Flowers has been tried six times. He is accused of the July 16, 1996, killings of Tardy Furniture owner Bertha Tardy, 59, and three employees, Carmen Rigby, 45, Robert Golden, 42, and Derrick Stewart, 16.

"I have personally prosecuted the defendant in all six of his prior trials," Evans said in the motion. "While I remain confident in both the investigation and jury verdicts in this matter, I have come to the conclusion that my continued involvement will prevent the families from obtaining justice and from the defendant being held responsible for his actions."

Curtis Flowers: freed on bond for the first time in more than two decades, six trials

But Flowers' attorney Rob McDuff of the Mississippi Center for Justice hopes Evans' decision to remove himself will lead to the end of the case against Flowers.

"Doug Evans had no business staying on this case and we are pleased he recused himself," McDuff said. "We look forward to what we hope will be an impartial review of this case by the new attorney general of Mississippi."

" As the trial judge indicated when granting bail, the evidence of innocence has become even more clear since the last trial," McDuff said. "There is no reason to continue wasting taxpayer money and putting everyone through a seventh trial. Curtis Flowers is innocent. This misguided prosecution has been plagued from the beginning by misconduct and racial discrimination, and it is time to bring it to an end."

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Flowers' conviction and death sentence, citing Evans for excluding potential black jurors based on race in Flowers' last trial.

Following the order of the U.S. Supreme Court, the state high court vacated Flowers' conviction and death sentence.

Last month, Circuit Judge Joseph Loper granted Flowers a $250,000 bond as a decision is awaited on whether Flowers will be tried a seventh time. He had been in jail for more than 20 years prior to his release on bond Dec. 16.

McDuff and others said information uncovered by investigative reporters with APM Reports' podcast "In The Dark" cast doubt on Flowers being responsible for the crime. McDuff said this includes recorded interviews with key witnesses who admitted to lying and evidence pointing to alternate suspects.

The evidence investigators gathered at the scene included a bloody footprint and bullets.

Police arrested Flowers, who had worked at the store for a short time before being fired, several months later. He was indicted on four counts of capital murder.

Prosecutors have portrayed Flowers as a disgruntled employee who was out for revenge.

Family members of the victims have maintained that Flowers is guilty.

Contact Jimmie E. Gates at 601-961-7212 or jgates@gannett.com. Follow @jgatesnews on Twitter.