By Billy Davis

Marvin Brownlee is returning to state prison after his probation was revoked Tuesday in a revocation hearing in Batesville.

Circuit Judge Jimmy McClure ordered Brownlee, 56, to return to prison to serve the remainder of a 2010 sentence for striking a police officer.

Brownlee was sentenced to two years in prison and three years probation in July 2010, McClure reported from the bench.

Brownlee was back in the courtroom Tuesday after accumulating multiple misdemeanor convictions since he was released, said Assistant District Attorney Jay Hale.

Since the 1980s Brownlee has made Batesville Municipal Court a revolving door, and a police detective has testified that Brownlee’s court paperwork numbers in the thousands of pages.

Brownlee also had felony convictions for arson and assaulting a police officer when he faced a jury trial in 2010 for striking BPD Lt. Ruby Myers. The defendant turned down a plea offer even after he was told he could face life in prison if convicted of the felony assault charge.

Brownlee, who is known as “Paps,” was also facing a bond revocation in front of McClure at the 2010 hearing, where bond was revoked to keep him sober for trial.

“Marvin’s the best person you’ll want to meet if he’s sober,” Paul Shivers, a veteran Batesville police detective, testified at the 2010 hearing.

But Brown is “combative” when he’s intoxicated, which led to the assault on Myers, Shivers said.

“You couldn’t meet a nicer, more intelligent young man. He knows his Bible front and back,” Marie Leland told The Panolian this week.

Leland, the full-time volunteer director of the Panola County Food Pantry, relies on Brownlee and other volunteers to help at the pantry.

Leland said Brownlee, when he’s sober, works at the pantry at least two days a week. When a delivery truck needs to be unloaded, Brownlee is always ready to help, she said.

“I don’t have to worry about unloading it,” said Leland, “because I know Marvin will be there ready to help.”

“But when Marvin gets under the influence, he’s a different man,” Leland said. “We’ve talked and talked to Marvin, and his excuse is he drinks because of his dead mother, Susie. We tell him, ‘Marvin, Susie wouldn’t approve of your drinking.’”  

In the courtroom this week, McClure asked Brownlee how the circuit judge should proceed with his criminal case.

“Give me another chance,” Brownlee, shackled in striped jail clothes, replied.

“You’ve got to explain to me what that means,” McClure said, reminding Brownlee of his history of court appearances.

The judge noted that Brownlee had attended an alcohol rehab program in prison and ordered him to re-enter the program when he returns.

“I wish you good luck,” McClure said as Brownlee was led away.