SOUTHAVEN, MS -- Legal troubles are just beginning for Southaven Mayor Greg Davis. Authorities say Davis' indictment and arrest yesterday are only the first of many things to come in the new year.
Davis' term as mayor is up next June. He hasn't announced whether he plans to run again. With less than a month before candidates start to file, that question is on the minds of people who live in Southaven.
Davis cannot be removed from office without a felony conviction. He's been indicted for three felonies, but court proceedings are expected to take a while - meaning right now there's nothing legally standing in his way of running again.
"I'm glad for the people that finally something was done," says Raydel Burford. "I hate that it had to come to this to be done."
The news of Davis' indictment for three felonies is still the talk of the town a day later.
"They really need to get down to it and whatever he did wrong, he needs to pay for it like everybody else," says Annie Beauregard.
"Taxpayers are paying their money, then they're paying and he's taking," says her husband Grover Beauregard.
One question citizens are left with: what will happen in the new year and the upcoming mayor's race?
"He might have the nerve to run, I don't know," Annie speculates.
Candidates can file in January and the deadline is in March.
"I would think if you're indicted for something you shouldn't have the right to run again," says Burford. "You'd think he'd have lost his job by now, but obviously maybe he can still run. It should be different. Rules need to be changed."
"The people that have voted for him, I don't think they'll vote for him any more," Grover tells abc24.com.
"I wouldn't vote for him," adds his wife.
Not everyone's made up their mind. Others say they're still waiting to decide if Davis is guilty or not, and will wait to see what happens in court.
Southaven's mayoral primary will be held in May. The general election is in June.
