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Meet Shaun "The Turk" Yurtkuran
About Me
I’m Shaun Yurtkuran — a criminal defense and personal injury attorney, Marine Corps veteran, and former prosecutor with nearly two decades of experience in Mississippi law.
I earned my undergraduate degree from Millsaps College and my Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law. Before becoming a lawyer, I served in the United States Marine Corps as a Military Police Officer, where I developed the discipline and toughness I now bring to every case.
After law school, I spent nearly a decade as a Hinds County Assistant District Attorney and later as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Mississippi. My years as a prosecutor taught me how cases are built, how the system works — and where it fails. That experience gives me an edge when it comes to defending the rights of my clients and holding others accountable.
Today, I focus my practice on criminal defense and personal injury, fighting for individuals who are facing the power of the state or recovering from serious injuries. Whether you’ve been charged with a crime or hurt due to someone else’s negligence, I offer aggressive, informed, and honest representation.
If you're looking for an attorney who’s been on both sides of the courtroom and knows how to fight — you're in the right place.
Experienced Lawyer for Your Legal Needs
High-Profile Cases
Shaun Yurtkuran has built a legal career shaped by integrity, courtroom experience, and high-stakes prosecutions that drew statewide and even national attention. From complex capital murder trials to white-collar fraud and judicial interference scandals, Shaun has been on the front lines of Mississippi’s criminal justice system—both as a prosecutor, defense attorney and as a trusted legal analyst.
⚖️ State of Mississippi v. Stanley Dewayne Cole
One of Shaun’s most well-known prosecutions involved the 2007 murder of Jackson State University student Latasha Norman. Shaun led the trial team that secured a capital murder conviction against Stanley Cole, Norman’s ex-boyfriend, who was sentenced to life in prison. The case drew national headlines due to its tragic nature and intense public scrutiny. Shaun’s courtroom strategy emphasized Cole’s shifting story, culminating in a partial confession.
⚖️ State of Mississippi v. Keyonte Charleston
In one of Mississippi’s most emotionally charged cases of 2025, Shaun Yurtkuran served as the lead defense attorney for Keyonte Charleston, a Jackson resident charged with capital murder and related felony offenses following a tragic home invasion in August 2023.
Charleston was accused of participating in a violent kidnapping during which a masked group forced entry into an occupied home, shot and killed a man, and abducted an infant. Prosecutors charged him with multiple counts, including capital murder, burglary, kidnapping, and armed robbery—a case that dominated local headlines.
Shaun Yurtkuran led Charleston’s defense, aggressively contesting the prosecution’s evidence. Across several days of trial, the defense team presented arguments highlighting inconsistencies in eyewitness accounts, gaps in forensic linkage, and alternative interpretations of Charleston’s alleged role in the events.
Ultimately, the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on any charge. The trial ended in a mistrial in February 2025, underscoring the complexity of the case and Shaun’s effectiveness in sowing reasonable doubt.
⚖️State v. Stanley Eckhoff
In the summer of 2024, Shaun Yurtkuran successfully defended Stanley Cobb Eckhoff, a Hazlehurst auto shop owner accused of manslaughter after a fatal shooting during a customer dispute. Shaun argued self-defense, challenging the prosecution’s narrative with evidence and testimony. After a multi-day trial, the jury returned a not guilty verdict.
⚖️ State of Mississippi v. James Cobb Hutto III
Shaun served as lead prosecutor in the 2013 capital murder trial of James Cobb Hutto III, who was convicted of brutally murdering 81-year-old Ethel Winstead-Simpson in Clinton, Mississippi. The case involved chilling surveillance footage, robbery evidence, and forensic testimony. After Hutto was sentenced to death, he pursued numerous appeals, all of which were denied—including a final rejection by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2025.
⚖️ State of Mississippi v. Christopher Butler
In a case that blurred the lines between prosecution and political drama, Shaun co-prosecuted a high-profile white-collar fraud case against Jackson businessman Christopher Butler. The trial became mired in controversy when Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith allegedly attempted to interfere with the proceedings, even subpoenaing prosecutors—including Shaun—in what the court later deemed improper. The attempted contempt charges against Shaun and his co-counsel were thrown out. The case highlighted Shaun’s resolve to uphold ethical standards in the face of political pressure.