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“Prince Mongo” admits guilt

The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office announced today that it agreed to a consent order in Circuit Court in which Robert “Prince Mongo” Hodges admitted he was guilty of failing to remove personal property from his yard and agreed to serve time in custody for contempt of court. In September 2002, General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Larry Potter ordered Hodges to remove various items from the front yard of his home at 925 Colonial. One month later, the judge held Hodges in contempt of court for failing to comply with the court order. Hodges appealed these rulings to Circuit Court.

According to the consent order signed today by Circuit Court Judge John R. McCarroll, Hodges will pay a fine of $500 for the violation and will pay the Circuit Court costs. He will also serve two days in custody for being found in contempt of court, of which one day has already been served. Hodges is to appear at 8:00 p.m. on June 25 at the Shelby County Correctional Center Weekend Facility.

City of Memphis code enforcement officers first cited Hodges on July 16, 2002 for leaving personal property including lawn furniture, mannequin heads, golf bags, signs, lampshades, Christmas decorations, cloth material on trees and bushes, and traffic cones, in his front yard.

Judge Potter found Hodges guilty on September 30, 2002 of violating Memphis City Ordinance Chapter 48 Section 38, Failure to Remove Personal Property, and ordered Hodges to remove the items in his front yard. On October 21, 2002, Judge Potter ruled that Hodges was in contempt of court for disobeying the court order.

“Although this has been a long, drawn-out process, Mr. Hodges is being held accountable in a way that will hopefully deter any future code violations by him at any location in this community,” said District Attorney Bill Gibbons. Hodges has since moved from the home on Colonial.