Community activist and recently announced candidate for Jefferson County Sheriff Mark Cannon has been ordered to pay nearly $409,000 to Jefferson County Sheriff’s Sgt. Courtney Kelly stemming from a lawsuit Kelly filed in 2023 against Cannon and County Judge Gerald Robinson.
According to court documents, Cannon was served with a copy of the lawsuit and Cannon failed to file a response to that lawsuit in the time allowed and time ran out, resulting in the default judgment.
Special Judge Gary Arnold said in the court order that he found in favor of Kelly on claims of slander, libel, false light and outrage, for compensatory damage, for lost wages and loss of business opportunity, for damages for reputational harm, mental anguish extreme emotional distress, and in punitive damages.
Arnold also ordered Cannon to not publish false or defamatory statements and communications to third parties about Kelly and prohibits him from harassing or publishing threatening communication in any and all forms in the future.
The order also made clear that it applied only to Cannon and no other defendant.
In the original lawsuit, Kelly claimed that Cannon had accused him of stealing $25,000 from Central Arkansas Radiation Technology as well as harassing and threatening phone calls and live stream broadcasts on social media.
Cannon was ordered to prepare a list of real and personal property including bank accounts, monies, credits and to specify property that would be exempt under provisions of the law. That list must be filed with the Circuit Clerk within 45 days.
