Parade Honors Convicted Police Chief

Winnfield is having a parade this weekend, but not for Mardi Gras. Police Chief Johnny Ray Carpenter is being released from jail this week, after serving a six-month sentence for obstruction. Now, some in the town are throwing a parade in honor of his return. But as News Channel Five's Nolan Crane tells us, not everybody is in a partying mood.

"We are looking forward to this weekend to celebrate his homecoming because he went to prison," said Ray Cage.

The small town of Winnfield suddenly finds itself in the middle of a big debate. It's all because of a homecoming parade scheduled for the convicted Police Chief, Johnny Ray Carpenter.

"I think that it sends the wrong message to the children of Winnfield that its okay to go to jail for six months, were still going to love you, your going to come home and were going to celebrate you having to go to jail. And I just think it's wrong," said Debra Langley Kennedy.

But others in Winnfield say Police Chief Johnny Ray Carpenter, despite what the courts said, was not guilty. Nor should he have spent six months in jail.

"I think that it was an unjust charge. I think he spent unjust time," said Rev. Lawrence Spikes.

"He has shown and proven that he is genuinely concerned for the people of Winnfield you know that's why he is our police chief, and that's why we admire him so much," said Ray Cage.

Others say the parade on Saturday isn't just to celebrate carpenter's release.

The parade was going to go on regardless of weather he was out or he was in because this is black history month. This is the time that we should be focusing on what black people should be doing," said Lerry Davis.

Debra says she is okay with people wanting to welcome chief carpenter home but she thinks this public display is too much.

"To use the public streets and the public facilities, Main Street to celebrate a man that just got out of prison for obstructing a federal investigation, I think it totally wrong," said Debra Langley Kennedy.

The opinions on the parade are varied.

"If you support him, if you believe that it was unjustly done which I believe then I support him and I'm with the parade," said Rev. Lawrence Spikes.

I think it's ridiculous to have a parade for someone getting out of jail for doing wrong," said Michael Wells.

But one thing is clear, there's a parade about to roll through Winnfield, and not everybody is on board. In Winnfield, Nolan Crane, News Channel Five, your local station.

We did try to speak to the mayor today, but he was unavailable for comment. The parade is being organized by a group of local residents-not by the city itself.