A Pearl River County man was arrested in June of this year by Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department deputies on an outstanding rape warrant from 2012.
Vernard A. Knight, 44, of 48 Will Brown Ln. in Sumrall was arrested June 9, by the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department for rape with carnal knowledge of a child under 14 years of age.
Fifteenth District Attorney Hal Kittrell said Knight was indicted on a statutory rape charge in 2012.
After his arrest in June, Knight was arraigned on June 29 and his case was assigned to Circuit Court Judge Prentiss Harrell, said Kittrell.
Knight’s first court appearance before Judge Harrell was set for August 29 when the judge will then determine a trial date, said Kittrell.
Kittrell said Knight’s attorney, Percy Watson, had filed for a motion to reduce Knight’s $50,000 bond.
The Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department directed the complaint to the Picayune Police Department in June 2012, said Assistant Chief Jeremy Magri.
Picayune investigators put together a case and presented it to the District Attorney’s office on October 11, 2012, said Magri.
The case was then presented to a grand jury, who indicted Knight on December 10, 2012, said Magri.
The charge came to the DA’s office by the grand jury, not by the victim’s statement, said Kittrell.
The claim filed on June 20, 2012 stated the alleged incident took place in July 2009, said Magri.
At the time of the alleged incident, the female victim was 13 and Knight was 37, said Magri.
It is unclear why it took so long for Knight to be arrested on the charge.