Mississippi cop and Army veteran, 29, kills himself following allegations he repeatedly sexually abused a 15-year-old girl in the back of his patrol cruiser and filmed the attacks on his phone
- James Hollins was reported to Jackson Police Saturday after the mother of a 15-year-old girl alleged he had sexually assaulted her daughter
- Cops say the mother showed them video recorded by the Mississippi officer
- He was accused of recording clips in the back of his patrol car for six months
- Police chief obtained permission from the mayor to put Hollins on leave
- Monday on the same day as a press conference about the allegations a body was found in a personal car on the I-220
- It was later confirmed that Hollins had shot himself with another cop’s gun
- Internal and criminal investigation launched into videos and child’s family lawyer said: ‘You wouldn’t find anything worse on Pornhub’
A Mississippi law enforcement officer accused of sexually assaulting a minor in his patrol car over a six-month period has killed himself with another officers gun, days after he was placed on administrative leave.
His body was discovered in a Dodge Charger on Interstate 220 at 12.45pm on Monday – the same day a police conference was scheduled to detail the allegations against him. When asked if there was a connection between the two-hour highway closure, the Jackson Police Department spokesperson said at the time that it could not be confirmed.
James Hollins, 29, was removed from his police duties this weekend pending an investigation into claims by the mother of a 15-year-old girl that her daughter had been a statutory rape victim during the past six months.
James Hollins died by suicide after allegations he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl in the back of his patrol car for six months emerged
His body was discovered in a Dodge Charger on the Interstate 220 Monday 12.45pm
‘All matters involving assault we take very seriously. We want the family to understand that if at any point in time, there’s evidence of wrongdoing going on, we will not hesitate to take action,’ Sergeant Roderick Holmes had said in the press conference.
The department said there would be an internal and criminal investigation.
The body was later confirmed to be Hollins who had served in the US Army.
He was found dead in his personal vehicle after having shot himself with another officer’s revolver. While officers placed of leave do not always have their weapon confiscated, this may have been the case for Hollins.
‘It’s not known to us now if the officer even knew their weapon had been taken in the moment,’ Mayor Lumumba told WBLT.
The Facebook account of a woman who also appears to be an officer with Jackson Police suggests Hollins is a father and that she has two children with him.
The Jackson Police Department said there would be an internal and criminal investigation after the mother reported her daughter had been a statutory rape victim over the past six months
According to the lawyer of the victim’s family, the teen was approached by Hollins and he befriended her. The alleged abuse took place several times a week over the course of half a year before the child’s mother found out.
Attorney Lisa Ross said the mother was asked if she had evidence when she made the allegation and she responded yes in regards to the videos obtained.
Police viewed the videos and initial statements were taken from the victim.
Attorney Ross said about the sexually explicit videos on Monday: ‘You wouldn’t find anything worse on Pornhub.’
‘We plan to ask the United States Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice to take over an investigation of a Jackson Police officer who has repeatedly sexually assaulted a minor,’ Ross said before Hollins’ death was confirmed.
‘What he did to this young girl was unconscionable and there’s no telling how many others are out there… We want people who have seen something to say something.’
The Facebook account of a woman who also appears to be an officer with Jackson Police suggests Hollins is a father and that she has two children with him
Ross reported the allegations to police on Saturday but has complained that Chief Davis ‘didn’t jump right out in front of this’.
Mayor Lumumba said the police chief notified him that he had been presented with videos of the Hollins and his victim. The mayor said Chief Davis asked for permission to place Hollins on leave, which he granted.
Davis then contacted internal affairs and the department sent Hollins a letter, which he signed acknowledging the administrative leave.
The mayor believes the police chief acted immediately.
Lumumba said about criticism of the timeline for action: ‘That is something that we don’t need to add to the narrative. The narrative is already sad, and it’s a bad story to begin with.
‘That doesn’t make me anti-police, but it does make me anti-police corruption.’
Attorney Lisa Ross reported the allegations to police on Saturday but has complained that Chief Davis ‘didn’t jump right out in front of this’