Justice

Unnamed Officers on Paid Leave for Shooting of 21-Year-Old Driver

Early Saturday morning, two Jackson police officers shot at 21-year-old Crystaline Barnes during a traffic stop in response to a report that Barnes may have forced another motorist off the roadway, but is so far only providing vague information about the deadly incident as well as whether its use-of-force policy for moving vehicles meets national guidelines.

Hinds County DA Robert Smith's Criminal Trial Delayed Again Until March

Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith was supposed to be in front of a Rankin County judge this morning to begin the trial for two counts of domestic violence, and aggravated stalking and robbery. After yet another delay, the trial will take place in March.

'Anti-Gang' Bill Heads to Full House to Expand Policing Powers

Rep. Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, called the "Mississippi Anti-Gang Act" one of the most significant pieces of legislation the Legislature could pass in 2018. The bill would make "criminal gang activity" a separate offense from any underlying misdemeanor or felony a person is accused of if prosecutors can prove they are gang members.

Re-entry Reform Hits Wall, But Kids No Longer Face Death Penalty

Rep. Joel Bomgar, R-Madison, had a tough time convincing the House Corrections Committee to pass additional re-entry criminal-justice reforms on Wednesday, Jan. 24.

Boy, 13, Indicted for Armed Robbery, Forced to pay $100,000 Bond, Gun Missing

A Neshoba County grand jury has indicted a 13-year-old African American boy on armed-robbery charges, and he is now out on $100,000 bond.

OPINION: Project EJECT: A War On Jackson

Project EJECT is not original, and it is not a novel way to combat violence. It is the failed "war on drugs"; it is New York's unconstitutional "Stop and Frisk" program and all other "tough on crime" crusades. Like all of them, it will result in collateral damage to society's most vulnerable.

Crises in the Capitol: Infrastructure, Crime Lab, Not Enough Money to Cover Needs

It's hard to prosecute someone for a violent crime if you do not know how the victim died. The Mississippi Legislature is grappling over that question in the new session; the Mississippi crime lab is in crisis.

Dismantling the Last Debtors’ Prisons

Corinth police officers arrested Sammy Brown on Dec. 1, 2017, and charged him with public drunkenness. Brown sat in jail for several days because he could not afford the $600 bond the Corinth Municipal Court required.

Victims' Family Speak to Man Sentenced for 2013 Triple Homicide

Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Jeff Weill Sr. sentenced Javondus Beasley to life in prison for capital murder plus two consecutive 40-year sentences for second-degree murder today.

EDITORIAL: Time for Evidence-based Crime Prevention at JPD

As this year comes to a close, so will Jackson Police Chief Lee Vance's 30-year career in the Jackson Police Department, who announced his retirement on Dec. 20.

Museums Open, Mississippi Turns 200: Where to Go, What to Do on Dec. 9

Mississippi turns 200 this year, and to celebrate the state's bicentennial, a lot is going on in downtown Jackson on Saturday, Dec. 9.

Feds Helping JPD, Hinds 'Eject' Suspects into Federal System Without Bond

On the steps of the federal courthouse in downtown Jackson, U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst stood alongside federal, state and local law enforcement as he announced their new project to reduce violent crime in the City of Jackson called Project EJECT: Empower Jackson Expel Crime Together.

Ellington