Court Overturns Yazoo Murder Conviction, Orders New Trial
Mississippi's appellate court found the trial judge wrongly denied a valid juror strike in the case of Dexter White.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Criminal Justice
The Mississippi Court of Appeals reversed the second-degree murder conviction of Dexter White in Yazoo County and remanded the case for a new trial. The court held that the trial judge erred in denying White's peremptory strike against a juror, who was later seated as foreman.
Why it matters
The ruling sends the case back for retrial, leaving White's 40-year sentence in question and putting the 2017 shooting death of Correy Thomas back before a jury. It also underscores how jury selection errors can overturn a verdict even when a conviction has been secured.
The Mississippi Court of Appeals reversed White's December 19, 2024 second-degree murder conviction and remanded for a new trial, which means the 40-year sentence imposed January 9, 2025 no longer stands. Whether White will be retried, and under what conditions, remains undetermined.
The players
Mississippi Court of Appeals
The intermediate appellate court of Mississippi that reviews trial court decisions and, in this case, reversed the conviction over a jury selection error.
Janie Lewis Blackmon
The Yazoo County circuit judge who presided over White's trial and denied the peremptory strike that the appeals court found to be an error.
The details
Prosecutors said White shot Correy Thomas on August 1, 2017, in Vaughan after both men attempted to rob an unidentified victim. The appeals court found Judge Janie Lewis Blackmon erred by denying White's peremptory strike against a juror, who was placed on the jury and later served as foreman.
Timeline
August 1, 2017: Correy Thomas is shot and killed in Vaughan.
December 19, 2024: A Yazoo County jury finds White guilty of second-degree murder.
January 9, 2025: White is sentenced to 40 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
November 3, 2026: The Mississippi Court of Appeals reverses the conviction and orders a new trial.
Legal Context
Peremptory strike rulings in Mississippi trace back to the limits set by Batson v. Kentucky on racially discriminatory jury selection. This decision shows that even a single improperly denied strike can reverse a murder conviction and force a new trial.
Yazoo County residents may see the case return to the local circuit court calendar as the state prepares for a new trial. Because the conviction is reversed, the 40-year sentence will not be carried out unless a future verdict reinstates it.
The takeaway
Jury selection errors can undo a verdict years after trial, so both prosecutors and defense counsel should treat peremptory strikes as a matter of record. Readers following criminal cases should track appellate rulings, since a reversal can change a sentence that seemed settled.
Further reading
For related coverage of how courts handle trial errors and sentencing, see Criminal Justice in Mississippi.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WJTV - TV 12.
