Case Name: Richard MASON a/k/a Richard Harrison Mason a/k/a the American, Appellant v. MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, Appellee
Court: Court of Appeals of Mississippi
Jurisdiction: Mississippi
Decision Date: 2017-10-24
Citations: 248 So. 3d 840
Docket Number: NO. 2017–CP–00179–COA
Parties: Richard MASON a/k/a Richard Harrison Mason a/k/a the American, Appellant
v.
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, Appellee
Judges: BEFORE GRIFFIS, P.J., BARNES AND FAIR, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Third Series
Volume: 248
Pages: 840–841

Head Matter:
Richard MASON a/k/a Richard Harrison Mason a/k/a the American, Appellant
v.
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, Appellee
NO. 2017-CP-00179-COA
Court of Appeals of Mississippi.
October 24, 2017
Rehearing Denied April 17, 2018
Certiorari Denied July 19, 2018
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT: RICHARD HARRISON MASON (PRO SE)
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLEE: OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL BY: DARRELL CLAYTON BAUGHN
BEFORE GRIFFIS, P.J., BARNES AND FAIR, JJ.

Opinion:
FAIR, J., FOR THE COURT:
¶ 1. Richard Mason was convicted of sexual battery in 2005 and was sentenced to serve thirty years in prison. Mason contends that he is eligible for meritorious earned time, a conditional reduction in sentence that operates as an "incentive for offenders to achieve positive and worthwhile accomplishments for their personal benefit or the benefit of others." Miss. Code Ann. § 47-5-142 (Rev. 2015). The Mississippi Department of Corrections disagreed, and after Mason brought this lawsuit, the circuit court found him ineligible as well. Because Mason is a sex offender and statutorily barred from meritorious earned time, we affirm.
DISCUSSION
¶ 2. Mason bases his argument on section 47-5-142(1), which states that "any" offender shall be eligible to receive meritorious earned time, "subject to the provisions of this section . as distinguished from earned time for good conduct and performance." He points out that he is an offender and that nothing in section 47-5-142 expressly prohibits him from being eligible.
¶ 3. However, Mississippi Code Annotated section 47-5-139(1)(d) (Rev. 2015) provides: "An inmate shall not be eligible for the earned time allowance if . [t]he inmate was convicted of a sex crime." This Court has repeatedly held that, notwithstanding the broad language in section 47-5-142, eligibility for meritorious earned time is controlled by section 47-5-139. See Riley v. State , 150 So.3d 138, 140 n.2 (Miss. Ct. App. 2014) ; Clark v. Miss. Dep't of Corr. , 148 So.3d 403, 404-05 (¶¶ 8-9) (Miss. Ct. App. 2014) ; Smith v. State , 75 So.3d 82, 83-84 (¶ 5) (Miss. Ct. App. 2011) ; Sykes v. Epps , 963 So.2d 31, 32-33 (¶ 7) (Miss. Ct. App. 2007) ; Golden v. Epps , 958 So.2d 271, 275 (¶ 8) (Miss. Ct. App. 2007).
¶ 4. The circuit court correctly dismissed Mason's complaint because, having been convicted of a sex crime, Mason is not eligible to have his sentence reduced for meritorious earned time.
¶ 5. AFFIRMED.
LEE, C.J., IRVING AND GRIFFIS, P.JJ., BARNES, CARLTON, WILSON, GREENLEE AND WESTBROOKS, JJ., CONCUR. TINDELL, J., NOT PARTICIPATING.