PIKE COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled against a McComb attorney’s appeal to disqualify a special judge appointed in his case.

In 2022, Robert Lenoir was indicted for murder, tampering with a witness, tampering with evidence, child abuse, child endangerment and two counts of possession of methamphetamine.

He was charged in connection to the death of Wendy McMahan Dansby, who was found dead inside Lenoir’s home in 2021. Lenoir pled not guilty to the charges.

Pike County Circuit Judges David Strong, Jr., and Michael Taylor recused themselves from the case and appointed Senior Status Judge Forrest Johnson to preside over the matter in April 2021.

In June 2022, Johnson entered an order appointing E. Lin Carter, District Attorney for the Twelfth Circuit Court District, as the special prosecutor in the case.

Lenoir argued that Johnson was was not properly appointed and that his appointment of Carter should be void. However, the Mississippi Supreme Court found no reversible error and remanded the case to the circuit court for further proceedings.