Cochran’s Marriage May Help Man’s Defense: Lawyer

By Jeff Amy and Emily Wagster Pettus/Associated Press

JACKSON – U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran’s new marriage to his executive assistant could become part of a blogger’s defense against charges related to photos taken of the Mississippi Republican’s now-deceased first wife while she was incapacitated with dementia.

Clayton Kelly of Pearl faces charges of conspiracy, burglary and attempted burglary tied to pictures he took of Rose Cochran after he entered a Madison nursing home in April 2014. Kelly used those images in a video that was briefly posted online to suggest that Thad Cochran was having an inappropriate relationship with aide Kay Webber.

Defense lawyer Kevin Camp said Thad Cochran’s wedding Saturday, less than six months after the death of Rose Cochran, lends credence to Kelly’s statements.

“It actually now sort of comes out that there was something,” Camp said. “I think it’s good for them and bad for us.”

Madison County District Attorney Michael Guest did not immediately respond Tuesday to questions about whether the marriage would affect the prosecution. Kelly is scheduled for trial June 8 in Madison County Circuit Court.

Camp questions whether any laws were broken.

“What he did, it’s not what you or I would do,” the lawyer said. “Whether or not it’s illegal is different.”

Rose Cochran died in December at age 73 from complications of dementia after living in a nursing home for 13 years.

Webber has worked for Cochran since 1981, and both are 77, spokesman Chris Gallegos said. Webber makes $165,000 a year working for Cochran, who is the Senate Appropriations Committee chairman. Gallegos said Webber will continue working for Cochran and is not changing her last name.

A week after Kelly was arrested, a Mississippi Tea Party leader and two other men were arrested and charged with being involved with the unauthorized photographing of Rose Cochran in her nursing home bed.

On the day that the three men were arrested – May 22, 2014 – Cochran campaign spokesman Jordan Russell told The Associated Press that any suggestion the senator was having an improper relationship outside his marriage was “outrageous and offensive and the dirtiest form of politics.”