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Date: 04-13-2025
Case Style:
Mark Hand a/k/a Mark Eugene Hand v. State of Mississippi
Case Number:
Judge: HON. STANLEY ALEX SOREY
Court:
Plaintiff's Attorney: OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
Defendant's Attorney: OFFICE OF STATE PUBLIC DEFENDER
Description:
exploitation
Fifty-one-year-old Mark Hand was family friends with “Kate” and her ten-year-old
daughter “Nina.”1
During Nina’s early childhood, Kate would allow Hand to babysit Nina
and drive her to the store. Hand’s mother lived within walking distance to Kate’s home and
Nina would often spend time there with Hand. As Nina became older, Kate’s friends began
to describe Hand and Nina’s relationship as inappropriate. Kate testified that Hand began
to act “strange and different” around Nina. On one occasion, Hand approached Kate and told
her that he believed another man had “messed with” Nina. Kate believed Hand was trying
to “come clean” about something himself. Nina denied that anyone touched her
inappropriately and called Hand “crazy.” Kate told Hand to stay away from ten-year-old
Nina.
The jury found Hand guilty of kidnapping under Mississippi Code Annotated section
97-3-53 (Rev. 2020) and child exploitation under Mississippi Code Annotated section 97-5-
33(5) (Rev. 2020). The trial court sentenced Hand to serve thirty years for the kidnapping
and forty years for the child exploitation, running consecutively in the custody of the
Mississippi Department of Corrections. In addition, Hand was ordered to register as a sex
offender. Hand moved for a new trial which was denied. He timely appealed.
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Outcome:
Hand’s verdicts are both supported by the evidence, and allowing them to stand would not sanction an unconscionable injustice. Therefore, we affirm his convictions and
sentences.
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments:
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