Justice

Hinds, Jackson, Byram Forming Joint SWAT to Militarize Response to Crime

Hinds County is forming a new special weapons and tactics, or SWAT team, in response to violence and crime in parts of Jackson, including the Queens in west Jackson.

Inmate Dies 1 Day After Arriving in Mississippi Prison

An autopsy will be done on Robert Bond Jr., 51, a Mississippi inmate who died a day after arriving in in Central Mississippi Correctional Facility in Pearl on Thursday, May 14.

City, Businesses Offer $12,500 Reward for Arrest, Conviction of Jackson Child’s Killer

Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes led the effort for the City of Jackson to offer a $2,500 award for the arrest and conviction of those who killed 5-year-old Qeenyanna Davis on April 15.

Drive-by Shooting Charge Added Against Restaurant Co-Owner

Another felony charge has been filed against Greta Brown-Bully, the co-owner of a Mississippi restaurant who is accused of fatally shooting a man.

Analysis: More Review for Some Pretrial Cases During Virus

The leader of the Mississippi Supreme Court says he will require some judges to more frequently review who is being held in county jails during the coronavirus pandemic.

AG Fitch Backs Away from Releasing More Pretrial Detainees in Wake of COVID-19

Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch is backing away from an effort to release pretrial detainees sooner to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Mississippi jails, where it is virtually impossible for inmates to practice social distancing.

Hinds County Extends COVID-19 Emergency, Reduces Jail Population

The Hinds County Board of Supervisors is extending its COVID-19 state of emergency for non-essential employees until May 1, waiving penalties for overdue, late and new license plates, and taking additional steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among its employees and detainees in county jails.

County Jail Officer Tests Positive for COVID-19

A Hinds County Detention Center corrections officer has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Friday.

Mississippi Fair Director Charged in Prostitution Promotion

Steve Hutton, the executive director of the Mississippi Fair Commission, has been fired after he was charged with promoting prostitution.

Mississippi Alters Probation Check-in Because of Virus

The Mississippi Department of Corrections is temporarily stopping in-person check-ins for people on probation, parole, house arrest or other forms of community supervision as part of an effort to control the spread of the new coronavirus.

Local Jails, Prisons a Petri Dish for COVID-19?

Prisoner advocates describe the COVID-19 situation as a ticking time bomb in Mississippi, where 19,000 people are serving sentences behind state prison bars and 5,200 people languish for months or years in county jails

JPD Officer Tests Positive for COVID-19; No More Jail for Misdemeanors

A Jackson Police Department officer has tested positive for COVID-19, Police Chief James E. Davis confirmed in a press conference today, where he also announced more safety protocols.

Dr. Yusef Salaam of ‘Exonerated 5’: Jails, Prisons ‘Petri Dish’ for COVID-19

Living under unusual, high-pressure circumstances and without access to adequate health care or nutrition has forced the nation’s prisoners to cultivate a kind of secret knowledge that others on the outside might not possess.

JPD Will Not Change Arrest Policy Amid COVID-19 Outbreak

The Jackson Police Department is not making changes to its arrest protocols in the wake of COVID-19, even as other departments across the country are rethinking their own policing strategies in order to mitigate the spread of the infection at precincts and in overcrowded jails.

Hinds, D.A. Evaluating Release of Some Pretrial Detainees Due to COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the country and globe, advocates warn of the unique health risks the easily contracted virus poses for the 19,000 people serving sentences inside Mississippi state prisons and the more than 5,200 people locked up and awaiting trial in county jails.

Ellington