MS Tea Party vice chairman arrested in Cochran case

Source: Jackson Clarion-Ledger

The vice chairman of the Mississippi Tea Party and one other suspect have been arrested in connection with the photographing of the bedridden wife of U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran.

Attorney Mark Mayfield, a vice chairman of the Mississippi Tea Party and an officer with the Central Mississippi Tea Party, was arrested Thursday by Madison police. The second suspect arrested has not been identified.

Charges have not been released. Merrida Coxwell and John Reeves are representing Mayfield. Reeves declined comment, and Coxwell said he had just received the call and did not know the charges at this time.

In an April 5 post, Chris McDaniel's campaign posted on its Facebook page a photo of Mayfield and five other volunteers, saying, "Here's part of a crew that reached over 500 homes walking in Madison today. Great work team!"

Clayton Kelly, 28, of Pearl was arrested Friday and faces a felony charges of photographing or filming another without permission where there is expectation of privacy and exploitation of a vulnerable adult, which carries up to a 10-year sentence.

Authorities claim Kelly photographed Rose Cochran at St. Catherine's nursing home in Madison, where she is bedridden and suffering from progressive dementia. Kelly, a political blogger and McDaniel supporter, allegedly used the photos in a video he posted online.

Read more: http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2014/05/22/more-arrests-in-cochran-conspiracy/9440277/