Two Life Sentences
and Additional 10 Years for Double Murder
March 3, 2025
(Jackson, MS) Hinds County District Attorney Jody E. Owens, II, announced a guilty verdict in the trial of Jermaine White. He was convicted of two counts of murder and one count of felony possession of a firearm.
On January 23, 2022, officers responded to a shooting that occurred at Rainbow Hotel, where Kiara
Poole and Samantha Cannon were fatally shot. Both women had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators determined that the defendant acted with deliberate intent when he used a Glock Model 17 handgun to take the lives of both women. The investigation also revealed that the defendant, a previously convicted felon, was unlawfully in possession of the firearm at the time of the murders.
At trial, the jury returned a guilty verdict on all three felony counts: two counts of murder and one count of felony possession of a firearm. White was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Ms. Poole, a second life sentence for the murder of Ms. Cannon, and an additional 10 years for felony possession of a firearm, all to run consecutively.
“Today’s verdict is a step toward justice for two young women whose lives were violently stolen,” said District Attorney Jody E. Owens, II. “We are deeply grateful for the tireless work of our prosecution team, law enforcement partners, and the Hinds County judiciary, whose dedication and diligence made this outcome possible. While we can never undo the harm done, we can ensure that the voices of Kiara Poole and Samantha Cannon were heard and that their families know we fought for them. Justice requires more than words; it demands action, and that’s what this office will continue to deliver.”
Arrest made in Rainbow Motel double homicide case
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