By By Sheila Blackmon/The Meridian Star
Dec. 6, 2000
DECATUR The search continues this morning for Chris Cleveland, who escaped from the Neshoba County Jail Monday night after being convicted of aggravated assault earlier in the day.
A Newton County jury found Cleveland guilty in the April 17 shooting of Cleveland McCall. He was being held in Neshoba County and was scheduled to be sentenced Thursday.
McCall was the primary witness in a March trial in which Trellis Windham, a former Newton deputy, was convicted as an accessory before the fact in the sale of cocaine. Windham is Cleveland's uncle.
Cleveland escaped between 7:30 and 7:45 p.m. Monday and authorities believe he was still in Philadelphia at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Cleveland eluded authorities for three months after the shooting. At one time, he was listed as a national fugitive. He returned to the area, and Union police arrested him at his mother's home in Union on July 19.
Neshoba County sheriff's deputies, Philadelphia police, Union police, Decatur police and troopers from the Mississippi Highway Patrol are assisting in the search. Cleveland is also listed with the National Crime Information Center.
Anyone with information about Cleveland's whereabouts should contact the Newton County Sheriff's Department at 635-2101.
Sheila Blackmon is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail her at sblackmon@meridianstar.com.