Kirksey McCord Nix Jr., a name linked with the famous Dixie Mafia, has made news once more. This time, the 80-year-old convicted murderer and criminal lord asks for compassionate release from federal prison, citing serious health problems. Nix, who carried out the horrible murders of Mississippi Coast Circuit Court Judge Vincent Sherry and his wife, Margaret, in 1987, has spent decades in prison. His appeal for parole has sparked renewed interest in his criminal history and the famed Dixie Mafia. This article dives into Nix’s criminal past, the Sherry murders, and the reasons behind his appeal for release.
The Rise of Kirksey Nix and the Dixie Mafia
Kirksey Nix Jr. was born in 1943, the son of an Oklahoma appellate court judge. Despite his lucky raising, Nix chose a career of crime. By the late 1960s, he was a significant figure in the Dixie Mafia, a loosely organized criminal network centered mostly in the south of the country. Unlike most Mafia kids, the Dixie Mafia was neither limited by ethnic ties or a formal structure. Instead, it was a collection of criminals who engaged in a wide range of illegal activities, including gambling, trafficking in drugs, prostitution, even murder.
Nix quickly rose through the ranks, earning a reputation for his ruthlessness and cunning. His criminal activities spanned several states, and he was well-known to law enforcement agencies. By 1972, Nix was serving a life sentence without parole at Angola State Penitentiary in Louisiana for the murder of New Orleans grocer Frank Corso during a home invasion.
The Sherry Murders
The murders of Judge Vincent Sherry and his wife, Margaret, remain one of the most shocking crimes in Biloxi’s history. On September 14, 1987, a professional hitman entered the Sherrys’ North Biloxi home and shot Vincent Sherry dead in their den. Margaret Sherry was killed in their bedroom as she prepared for bed. Both were 58 years old at the time of their deaths.
The inquiry following the murders turned up an advanced chain of criminality and corruption involving the Southern Mafia and local authorities. Nix, who was already serving a life sentence, was revealed as the mastermind of the murders. The cause related to a financial dispute with Nix’s lawyer, Pete Halat, who said to be embezzled funds from a fraud aimed at gay men. Halat, who later served as Mayor of Biloxi, was also involved in the scheme.
The Investigation and Convictions
The inquiries into the Sherry murders was long and complex, taking almost a decade to bring all of the offenders to prison. Local authorities initially struggled to make progress, but the FBI’s intervention in 1989 represented a turning point. The federal inquiry, led by FBI agent Keith Bell and Lynne Sposito, the Sherrys’ eldest daughter, at last revealed the entire scope of the scheme.
Nix was convicted in 1991 of wire fraud and conspiracy to conduct wire fraud, as well as other crimes linked to the murder-for-hire plan. In an additional trial in 1997, he was found guilty of fraud, fraud, money laundering, and attempt to obstruct justice.
Nix and the hitman who carried out the murders received life sentences, while Halat was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Nix’s Life in Prison
Despite serving time, Nix maintained huge influence from behind bars. He ran a “lonely hearts” scam, posting personal adverts in major homosexual books that asked people to donate money to his colleagues outside of prison. This scam got Nix hundreds of thousands of dollars, boosting his image as a clever and resourceful crook.
Nix’s health has deteriorated significantly over the years. He now suffers from congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, a severe infection in his left leg, and knee and back problems that have left him in a wheelchair. In his motion for compassionate release, Nix argues that his ability to care for himself diminishes daily and that he requires constant assistance from other inmates.
The Plea for Compassionate Release
In August 2023, Kirksey Nix filed a request for compassionate release, asking that the balance of his life sentence be served on controlled release or probation. Representing himself, Kirksey Nix cited inadequate medical care in prison as a primary reason for his request. He claimed that the federal Bureau of Prisons is paying another inmate to wheel him around the prison and that he relies on paid and unpaid inmates for basic tasks such as eating, bathing, and using the toilet.
Kirksey Nix motion also noted the removal of the doctor who had treated him for 20 years in an Oklahoma medium-security prison, leaving them without an on-site substitute. He argued that his dropping health and weakness to care for himself justified loving release, allowed him to spend his dying days in the care of his relatives.
The Legal and Ethical Debate
Kirksey Nix reach for compassionate release led to a controversial conversation. On the one hand, his ongoing illnesses and old age provide a strong case for his release due to to serve humanity. Compassionate release is meant for offenders who represent no threat to public and have serious illnesses that cannot be treated while in jail.
On the other hand, Kirksey Nix criminal history and the awful nature of his offenses cannot be ignored. The killings of Vincent and Margaret Sherry were cruel and planned, and Nix’s after criminal activity from behind bars shows his ongoing danger to society. Critics argue that releasing Nix will damage the justice served to his murders and their relatives.
The Decision Ahead
U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett, who handled the case, will decide whether Nix’s request for compassion release is granted or rejected.Judge Starrett will look at the legal and ethical issues of Nix’s situations, the seriousness of his acts, and the potential cost to society.
Conclusion
Kirksey Nix’s request for compassionate release shows the challenges of the legal system and the harsh choices rendered by judges in these situations.While Nix’s medical issues are critical, the gravity of his actions and the adverse effects of his time in jail must not be ignored. As the trial goes on, the Sherry murders’ legacy and impact on the family and town serve as a wake-up call to the seriousness of Kirksey Nix crime.
