Jennings Henderson of Greenwood says that for the past year, his life has been a living hell.
A year ago, Henderson, 70, was accused by a 16-year-old girl of attempted sexual battery.
In August, a Leflore County grand jury declined to indict him. Still, he said, the ordeal from his arrest and the resulting publicity has taken a toll on him both physically and mentally.
“This is something that I’m going to have to carry with me to my grave,” Henderson said on Monday.
Greenwood Police Chief Henry Purnell confirmed Monday that the young woman, now 17, who filed the affidavit against Henderson on Sept. 17, 2011, now lives in Illinois.
Police were in contact with her, but she declined to return to Mississippi to testify before the grand jury, the chief said.
The Commonwealth does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault.
Leflore County Assistant District Attorney Tim Jones said Monday he couldn’t comment on any actions taken by the grand jury for six months.
Henderson said he was arrested and held in the Leflore County Jail for three days.
At the time, Purnell reported bond had been set at $100,000, but Henderson said he was released without bond on Sept. 21, 2011.
Henderson, a native of Greenwood, said the police could have helped clear him of the charges but “didn’t do any investigation.”
“My civil rights have been violated in the worst kind of way,” he said.
Henderson lived most of his adult life in Los Angeles, working as an aluminum mill worker and truck driver. Once the widower retired, he moved back to Greenwood and settled into a home at 337 W. Monroe Ave.
After the girl filed the affidavit against Henderson, police came to his home and arrested him.
Purnell said the department acted upon what was contained in the affidavit and nothing more. “We didn’t sign an affidavit against him; the complainant did,” he said.
Henderson said detectives also confiscated his .380 caliber handgun after searching his home. Now he wants it returned.
Purnell said Henderson was told Monday by the detectives in the case that he needed to see them in order for his gun to be returned.
Also on Monday, Henderson went to the Greenwood Police Department to get a copy of his arrest record, but he said municipal clerks told him he needed to get an attorney in order to see the report.
“I thought it was a public record,” he said. “They sure put my name out there when I was arrested.”
Purnell said the arrest record is a public record. Even so, it requires a payment of $15 document fee.
The chief said he’d personally give Henderson his arrest record, provided he pays the fee.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
