Request for more time in Carly Gregg appeal cites concerns over former attorney

JACKSON, Miss. (VDN) — The new attorney representing Carly Gregg has been granted additional time to file an appeal with the Mississippi Supreme Court, citing recent revelations about Gregg’s former lead trial counsel, Bridget Todd.

According to reporting by WLBT, Attorney James Murphy filed a motion on July 30 requesting a 30-day extension to prepare Gregg’s Appellant Brief, citing the “substantial size and complexity” of the case and “certain facts and circumstances concerning Appellant’s lead trial counsel.” The motion was approved by the court on July 31, moving the new deadline to Aug. 19, 2025.

Murphy wrote in the motion that new information had come to light within the previous 30 days regarding Todd’s conduct, which “may bear relevance to the issues raised in this direct appeal.”

On July 4, the blog Jackson Jambalaya published details from a 37-page divorce decree against Todd. The court found that Todd had falsely accused her ex-husband of a crime to gain emergency custody of his children and that she used her position as an attorney to “intimidate and manipulate” him through legal threats. Additional findings detailed other concerning behavior.

Murphy confirmed to WLBT that his request was directly related to the newly surfaced allegations.

“Our request for additional time is directly related to the newly discovered information about Carly’s lead trial counsel that raises profound concerns about the integrity of her original defense,” Murphy said. “Some of these issues involve serious allegations of dishonesty and misconduct by counsel in other legal matters, including sworn proceedings.”

He added that while his legal team is still investigating how Todd’s conduct may have impacted Gregg’s case, “the severity of what we’ve learned demands a thorough and unhurried review.”

Gregg was convicted in September 2024 for the murder of her mother, Ashley Smiley, the attempted murder of her stepfather, and tampering with evidence. She is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Her appeal remains pending before the Mississippi Supreme Court.