Man pleads guilty to ‘terroristic threats’ against MS Coast judge in Heather Wyatt case
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The death of Aubreigh Wyatt
The death by suicide of 13-year-old Aubreigh Wyatt has focused national attention on South Mississippi, with widespread calls for justice and anti-bullying enforcement.
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A Mississippi man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to leaving a “terroristic” phone message for a Jackson County Chancery Court judge who ruled in a controversial hearing last month, Assistant District Attorney George Huffman said.
Jeffery Scott Miles, 38, will spend 10 years on post-release supervision after he pleaded guilty to making terroristic threats and retaliation against a public servant, Huffman said.
Huffman said Miles left a phone message last month and threatened to slap Judge Mark Maples, who ruled in a case involving Heather Wyatt, an Ocean Springs mother whose daughter died by suicide.
Judge Calvin Taylor sentenced Miles to 10 years and suspended all but the month Miles has already served since his July 19 arrest. Taylor also ordered that Miles have no physical or electronic communication with Maples or “anyone associated with the case that triggered the threat,” Huffman said.
“There are consequences for your actions,” he said. “The judge was doing something that he took an oath to do. We can’t tolerate people making threats for him doing his job.”
In his plea hearing Tuesday, Miles apologized and acknowledged he made a mistake by allowing himself to grow angry over a story he heard on social media, Huffman said.
Miles, a truck driver from Cleveland, Mississippi, began reading social media posts and comments about Heather Wyatt, whose daughter, Aubreigh Wyatt, died by suicide. The Ocean Springs mother has gained national recognition by posting about her daughter on social media sites like TikTok. Maples had temporarily blocked Wyatt from using her social media accounts in effort to protect several minor children accused of bullying Wyatt’s daughter. Maples restored Wyatt’s accounts with restrictions in July.
Miles called Maples and “said if he saw the judge in public he would was going to slap him,” Huffman said. Huffman said Miles’ message also included “a lot of other vulgar language.”
Investigators identified Miles by tracing the call. U.S. Marshals arrested Miles in Rockford, Illinois, the day after Maples ruled to restore Heather Wyatt’s social media.
Staff writer Margaret Baker contributed to this report.
This story was originally published August 20, 2024 at 12:01 PM.
