On Thursday, March 10th, 2022, a Jackson County jury found Joel Hall, of Newport, guilty of Possession of a Firearm by Certain Persons.
Representing the State of Arkansas were Deputy Prosecutors Randy Rudisill and Kim Gould under the direction of Deputy Prosecutor John Pettie. The charge stemmed from an investigation by the Newport Police Department. After deliberating for nearly six minutes, the jury came back to deliver a verdict of guilty.
The jury sentenced Hall to 16 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Despite the ongoing challenges to the criminal justice system during a pandemic, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office along with law enforcement in the Third Judicial District endeavor to make gun crimes and other crimes of violence a priority.