EXCLUSIVE: Hinds DA threatened man with gun, unredacted report alleges

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - An incident report claims Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens threatened a man with a gun and alleges a love triangle could have led to the confrontation, though law enforcement redacted some of these details from the public.

Joshua Towns told Capitol Police officers that Owens pulled a weapon on him while he was at his girlfriend’s apartment at Electric 308 on September 3.

The girlfriend, identified in the redacted report as Samantha Grant, works as Owens’ chief of staff.

That report, which 3 On Your Side obtained through a records request, also indicates the charge as “simple assault pointing and aiming,” though Towns had not yet filed any charges against Owens with the county.

Several lines in the narrative section of the report have been redacted by the Department of Public Safety’s legal department, claiming the information is “investigative” in nature and exempt under the state’s Public Records Act.

3 On Your Side also acquired the original incident report last week, which sheds light on details the department tried to keep from releasing.

READ THE ORIGINAL INCIDENT REPORT BELOW

Note: WLBT removed the print date and phone number of victim from the unredacted report.

Among the information DPS hid from disclosure: Towns told Officer Walter Mangum that he “believes that Ms. Grant and DA Owens were in a romantic relationship and was mad because he was in the apartment with her.’

The additional information indicates Owens was also still at Grant’s apartment when police arrived, and the DA didn’t have a gun on him, but was instead wearing an empty holster.

Capitol Police told Towns that he would have to go to Hinds County Justice Court to file a simple assault charge, a misdemeanor, himself.

Owens said in the report that he received a call for help from Grant, and claimed that she told him Towns was intoxicated and had physically assaulted her.

Owens said in the documentation he arrived and knocked on the door, but nobody answered because of loud music coming from inside the residence.

When Towns came to the door, Owens said to the officers that he simply asked Towns to leave.

When called for comment Tuesday, Owens denied the allegation.

“It’s a false statement. It’s not accurate. I’ve never pulled a weapon on anybody. Google about his shootings and stuff he’s done before you report on it,” Owens said, alleging Towns’ had a criminal past. “I would never pull a weapon on a citizen unless my life was in danger.”

WDAM reported in 2017 that Joshua Townes (sic) had been arrested and charged with firing more than a dozen gunshots outside someone’s home in Hattiesburg.

Owens, who is married, also denied any romantic relationship with Grant, saying he’s known her his “whole damn life.”

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