Justice

Veterans, Students Remember Civil Rights Movement

Several events this weekend are planned to honor people who participated in the Civil Rights Movement and to remember the struggle for racial equality in Mississippi.

Dedmon Pleads Guilty to Murder

Deryl Dedmon stood by silently, his face expressionless as Hinds County Assistant District Attorney Scott Rogillio read aloud an account of the murder prosecutors say Dedmon committed last year when he was 18 years old.

Senate Sets Sights on Gun Laws

Mississippi already exports more firearms than any other state, but some legislators want to relax our gun laws even more.

Anti-Corruption Laws Strong Overall

Mississippi is sixth in the nation for government transparency and accountability, even as our campaign-finance laws need strengthening, a recent report found.

Dedmon Hearing Set for Wednesday

A hearing for Deryl Dedmon has been set for this Wednesday. Dedmon is charged with the capital murder of James Craig Anderson in what prosecutors say was a racially-motivated hate crime.

Eyes in the Sky

Jackson police have a new set of eyes in the sky to prevent crime, deter speeding on city roads and maintain crowd control during big events.

Under Darkness, Immigration and Abortion Bills Pass

Lawmakers, reporters, young pages and even a delegation of Jackson County Republican Women burned the midnight oil for a second consecutive night at the Mississippi House yesterday.

Pardongate Draws to a Close

Two months after Haley Barbour's last-minute clemency acts sparked political controversy around Mississippi and the country, the Pardongate episode has came to a close. In a 6-3 vote handed down March 8, the Mississippi Supreme Court declined to overturn Barbour's more than 200 pardons and commutations, even for those who failed to publish notice of their pardon applications as the state Constitution requires.

Voter ID: What's All the Fuss About?

The voter identification amendment that Mississippians voted in last fall has been generating some discussion on our site the past couple of days. Specifically the debate has centered around comments from Mississippi NAACP president Derrick Johnson, who said recently that voter ID will disenfranchise college students, seniors and blue-collar workers in rural areas.

Reforms Coming to Henley-Young

Children entering Henley-Young Juvenile Justice Center will now get a mental-health evaluation and counseling at the beginning of their stay, a significant change from recent practices. Youth incarcerated at the Hinds County detention facility will also have better rehabilitation options, input from family and advocates, and more time outside their cells.

Friendship Ball Honors Brooks and Reed

Owen Brooks and Phil Reed are builders. In addition to the voter registration and education drives he led as director of the Delta Ministry, Brooks oversaw economic development projects, organized Head Start centers and helped start the Mound Bayou Community Hospital and Health Center.

The Men AG Hood Wants Executed

Attorney General Jim Hood wants the state of Mississippi to kill two more men next month.

William Winter Institute Awarded $3.1 Million Grant

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation recently awarded a $3.1 million grant to the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation at the University of Mississippi.

[Your Turn] Fix the System

The recent flap over Haley Barbour's 200 pardons and commutations has highlighted problems in our current gubernatorial clemency processes. At my request, the staff of the legislative Performance and Expenditure Review Committee reviewed the files of those who were pardoned.

Fix the System