MADISON, Miss.,- Political blogger and McDaniel supporter, Clayton Kelly has been released from jail today after a judge reduced his bond from $200,000 to $75,000. The judge reduced Richard Sager’s bond to $50,000 and he was also released.
Kelly is accused of taking pictures of Senator Thad Cochran’s bedridden wife with dementia, Rose Cochran, inside her Madison nursing home. Kelly has been charged with exploitation, filming without permission and conspiracy.
Sager, a gym teacher and assistant soccer coach at an elementary school in Laurel, is charged with tampering with evidence and conspiracy. A judge set bond last week at $250,000 per count, which has now been lowered to $25,000 per count, according to Madison County court officials.
Sager and Mark Mayfield, Central Mississippi Tea Party board member and real estate attorney, were arrested May 22. Mayfield is charged with conspiracy and is free on a $250,000 bond.
John Mary, of Hattiesburg, is charged with two counts of conspiracy in the case. In a police report obtained by Jackson Jambalaya, investigators said Kelly was messaging Mary on Facebook about taking the picture with the intention of using it to “enhance a political video.” Mary was released after his arrest because of medical issues, police said.
The U.S. Senate race between Senator Thad Cochran and Senator Chris McDaniel will come to an end Tuesday when they face off in the state’s Republican primary election.
