After being acquitted of a murder charge he was wrongfully accused of, a man’s excited reaction has sparked mixed reactions online.
Eddie Person from Mississippi was taken into custody in October 2022 for the alleged killing of John Anthony Tarvin, who volunteered as a coach for the Hattiesburg Parks and Recreation Department.
Known as Jay to his loved ones, he was fatally shot on January 3, 2020, at a residence on Presley Drive in Hattiesburg.
Person faced charges of capital murder and evidence tampering. However, on May 14 this year, a jury in the Forrest County Circuit Court acquitted him of all charges.
After hours of jury deliberation, Person, who was 26 at the time of his arrest, expressed his emotions by flipping off the camera with both hands.
This gesture appeared to upset his attorney and others after the footage was shared on social media.
On Facebook, where the video was uploaded, a user remarked: “Wow just wow. If I had just been declared not guilty I would’ve been more respectful to myself and my attorney!”
Another user commented: “With that attitude….. he will be back, the state will get a second bite at that apple.”
A third user stated: “Hold on so he was found guilty and then not guilty I’m confused. Was this an appeal?”
To this, someone responded: “His brother was found guilty and has an upcoming appeal.”
Reacting to Person’s gesture, another Facebook user said: “Wow not guilty and then to turn and do that to the camera ????”
Another individual added: “Lawyer has had enough of him.”
In January, Kode McNair was convicted of Jay’s murder and evidence tampering.
In November of the previous year, the US Marshals Service detailed McNair’s arrest, which occurred nearly five years after Jay’s death.
“Kode McNair, 25, was arrested in Memphis, Tennessee on November 6, 2024, after an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS),” it stated. “McNair was wanted in Mississippi for capital murder and tampering with/fabricating evidence.”
“On January 3, 2020, John Anthony ‘Jay’ Tarvin was shot and killed at a home on Presley Drive in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. On October 19, 2022, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Kode McNair in connection to the crime.
“On September 24, 2024, the USMS Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force (GCRFTF) in Mississippi adopted the case.”
The statement continued: “On November 6, McNair was tracked to a residence in the 6200 block of Thistlebrook in Memphis. With the assistance of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Apprehension Team, the USMS surrounded the residence, and McNair was taken into custody without incident.”