By Cain Madden

The Natchez Democrat

VIDALIA — A Natchez-man formerly accused of accessory after the fact to the second-degree murder of a Monterey man in the fall of 2014 pleaded guilty Thursday to a lesser charge.

James H. Anderson Jr., 342 Old Washington Road, pleaded guilty to an amended charge of failure to report a felony. Judge Kathy Johnson sentenced him to 310 days in jail with credit for time he has already served awaiting trial. Anderson had been accused of helping George E. Byrd, 422 Dumas Drive, Apt. B., clean up the scene of a homicide in September 2014.

Last month, a Concordia Parish jury found Byrd guilty of stabbing John Perritt nine times with a knife at the victim’s Monterey trailer.

Anderson’s attorney William Yarbrough said he believes Byrd killed Perritt, but he did not think his client returned with Byrd to clean up the crime scene.

Because Anderson has already served 310 days in jail, Yarbrough said his client should be released from jail today at the latest.

Anderson’s mother, Andrea, started dancing and praising Jesus once she got out of the courthouse building.

“When I walked through the doors before court, I prayed to God,” she said. “I told Him that He is my lawyer, my judge and I prayed He would set this right.”

Anderson said her son is a quiet person who does not have a harmful bone in his body.

“He is an honorable person,” she said. “No indeed I don’t think he did it. That’s not just because I’m his mother, it’s because of the type of person he is.”

Seventh Judicial District District Attorney Brad Burget could not be reached for comment.