SOUTHAVEN, MS (abc24.com) - Southaven Mayor Greg Davis will go before a DeSoto County judge May 2.
Mayor Davis is charged with two traffic misdemeanors: one for passing a stopped school bus, the other using flashing blue lights.
Residents are ready to put the mayor's troubles behind them.
"He should be held responsible for it, but I really don't think he had anything in mind other than helping the children," says Peggy Breazale. She's willing to give Davis the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his arrest in March.
"I just really didn't think he was out of line that way," she tells abc24.com. "Maybe reprimand him, and if they have removed the blue lights then that should take care of that."
Davis' lawyer joked they'd be in court this week with bells on and no lights, telling us from the beginning he expects the mayor to beat the charges.
"You can make up any argument you want to throw rocks at the mayor, which is what everyone has done, but fact of matter is this is bush league," says attorney Steve Farese.
"You can't put a blue light in your car," says Gail King. "Over in Arkansas they had the blue light rapist. Not everyone knows the mayor when they see him, even though he's been on TV widely. He should be charged, at least what I think."
Residents may have mixed feelings about the traffic charges, but when it comes to the civil and criminal audit into Davis' spending, there's no disagreement.
"That should go forward, that should go forward very definitely," says Breazeale, "because he has somehow misrepresented himself."
"He's the mayor, he should have known rules," King says. "Everyone answers to someone else and he had someone he needed to answer to and he didn't do it."
The judge hearing Davis' case is a former Southaven police officer. He says if either Davis or the woman pressing charges against the mayor have an issue with him, he'll recuse himself and the hearing will be rescheduled.
