Sarah Jones’ Parents on ‘Midnight Rider’ Sentencing: The “Message Needed to Be Sent”

Sarah Jones' Parents on 'Midnight Rider' Sentencing: The "Message Needed Be Sent" — Sarah Jones Oscars Photo - H 2014
Courtesy of A.M.P.A.S

JESUP, Georgia — Sarah Jones’ father, Richard, said he and his wife, Elizabeth, are “content” with the outcome of the sentencing of Midnight Rider director Randall Miller.

“No one won anything today. It’s a great deal of loss all around. We are, as much as I can use the word, satisfied with what came of the case,” he said. He and Elizabeth urged “the movie and TV industry to examine themselves, examine the myth of the bubble of cinematic immunity that they think they may have. It doesn’t exist.”

Miller switched his plea to guilty and received a 10-year sentence, with two years in Wayne County jail. Executive producer Jay Sedrish, who entered an Alford plea, received 10 years probation and a $10,000 fine.

Richard Jones told reporters that he did believe a defendant or defendants needed to serve jail time to send the industry a message. “I believe it sends a message of, ‘If you do not respect those you’re in charge of, you may end up behind bars.”

“We’re not trying to seek revenge. We’re really not. Unfortunately, that message needed to be sent,” he added.

Said Jones’ mother, “We are Sarah Jones.”

The district attorney’s office will not comment on the outcome until the trial of Midnight Rider first A.D. Hilary Schwartz, Brunswick judicial circuit assistant district attorney John Johnson tells THR. Schwartz was until recently part of Miller, Savin and Sedrish’s case under the same charges. She might be tried Tuesday or later in the week, says Johnson.