By Billy Davis

It was his last day on the bench.

Almost.

Andrew C. Baker, 74, the venerable circuit court judge in Mississippi’s 17th District, was set to step off the bench Friday for the last time, concluding a judicial career that spans three decades.

He was wearing his robe in Batesville, where he was overseeing a court docket of pleas and sentencings.

And everything was ready for the goodbye. Court Administrator Elizabeth Lentz, between dabbing away tears, was hauling food into the judge’s chamber as the sun was peeking above the trees.  

Court reporter Kathy Sanford helped, too. She had stayed up late Thursday night to bake sweets for Judge Baker’s last day, and she waited proudly with Lentz when Baker entered the small room.

“He was like a kid on Christmas morning,” recalled Lentz, who has worked alongside Baker for nine years.

Word spread around Batesville, either about the judge’s retirement or the spread of food, and a parade of lawyers and bailiffs, and two sheriffs and a circuit clerk partook of the spread of goodies between court hearings.

Circuit Clerk Joe Reid, seated outside chambers, provided entertainment, recounting a story about a horse that’s unprintable here.

But Baker’s last day in court got postponed, at least for a few days.

Christopher Richardson, who was set to be sentenced for burglary in Tate County, was also the last criminal case before the judge. But the defendant was given a last-second chance to help authorities recover some of the 11 firearms he admitted to stealing from Gerald McLemore, 71.

Baker, seated on the bench, listened as McLemore, his lower lip trembling, testified that the stolen firearms included a shotgun he had owned since his childhood, and a rifle once owned by his father.

Richardson, testifying at his sentencing hearing, admitted that he had yet to lead authorities to any of the firearms, which he sold for drug money.

“I’ve been looking around…looked around Southaven for a guy,” he told Assistant District Attorney Rhonda Amis.

Amis ripped apart Richardson’s testimony, pointing out that the defendant, just that morning, claimed he could take police to a house where he believed some of the firearms were hidden.

Richardson had pleaded guilty to burglary November 4 and never offered to help, she told the court.

McLemore told the court he and his wife had tried to help Richardson, at times loaning him money. McLemore’s wife, a retired school teacher, had planned to help Richardson obtain his GED.

Richardon’s brother was renting a mobile home from the McLemores, and the brother had asked the elderly couple to help his troubled younger brother. But Richardson broke into the McLemore home, taking away the firearms, a laptop computer, valuable coins, and a camera.

 “We have to live everyday wondering if Christopher is going to come back,” McLemore told public defender David Walker, who was representing Richardson.

McLemore wiped away tears as Baker silently read the crime victim’s statement about the burglary.

Looking down at Richardson, Baker said, “Let me ask you something: why haven’t you done something to help yourself?”

“I try, as a sentencing judge, to see the individual,” Baker continued. “I don’t see where you’ve done anything.”

Baker explained that a burglary can often seem like a worse crime than even an assault, because the crime victim “never gets over it,” he said.  

Then Richardson, moments away from sentencing, had a come-to-Jesus moment. He whispered to Walker that he could recover some of the firearms.

Baker then reset the sentencing and handed Richardson over to Tate County Sheriff Brad Lance.

“If you’re putting me on, son,” Baker said, “I’m gonna be the last one you talk to.”

Lentz, reached Monday morning, said Richardson’s sentencing hearing will be held this week.

Richardson faces a minimum of three years, and a maximum 25-year sentence, for burglary.

Baker’s retirement party is set for 1 p.m. Monday, December 20 in the same courtroom.