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‘Ain't Got Justice, Yet'
It was tragic when a man raped and killed Eva Gail Patterson in 1979 in Forrest County, says Emily Maw. It was horrific, Maw says, that the real perpetrator let three innocent men sit in jail for three decades for his crime.
Barbour Bleeds Education
After largely dodging cuts during the 2009 legislative session, public education in Mississippi absorbed the brunt of a new round of budget cuts that Gov. Haley Barbour announced Thursday.
Congressional Overview
Bennie Thompson (Democrat) Bennie Thompson has represented Mississippi's Second Congressional District since 1993. Thanks to the recent Democratic majority in the House, Thompson serves as chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.
KBR to Engineer Kemper Plant?
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth was electrocuted in his shower stall in Iraq in January 2008. Army documents showed that KBR Engineering and Construction had inspected the building and found serious electrical problems 11 months before Maseth's death.
Civil Rights and the Blues
The ACLU of Mississippi is having its annual membership meeting at the 930 Blues Cafe, on North Congress Street, on Friday, July 20, at 6 p.m. The ACLU will honor Jackson Advocate Publisher Charles Tisdale and exonerated Parchman inmate Cedric Willis, who spent 12 years in prison after a botched trial.
Above and Beyond
Washington Koen Media along with local and outreach partners invite citizens of cities across the nation to a public conversation they're calling "Beyond the Bricks," which promotes advocacy on behalf of black males enrolled in public schools.
Bonds, Boards and the School for the Blind
Ah, spring—the season when a state lawmaker's mind turns to money. The Mississippi Legislature spent most of last week considering appropriations bills; lawmakers had until Friday to concur or invite conference on appropriations or revenue measures for the upcoming 2011 fiscal year.
City May Help Fund Convention Center Hotel
The city could enter a cost-sharing agreement with developers of the Capital City Center, a mixed-use development project on four blocks of Pascagoula Street that will include a convention center hotel, Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. confirmed today.
Stanford Needed Regulation, Hood Says
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood blamed the lax attitude of the Bush administration for the longevity of famous Ponzi schemesfrom the Madoff scandal to the Stanford Financial Group, which has its deep ties in Mississippi.
Langston Suit Fraught with Politics
A state lawsuit against the law firm of disbarred attorneys Joey Langston and Timothy Balducci is uncovering a curious mixture of politics and money, and not all of it surrounds Langston.
‘The Ability to Discern'
Bruce Burton takes pride in his background. The Shaw native grew up on a farm, worked a variety of jobs and studied several subjects before obtaining his law degree in 1996. Burton, 50, received a bachelor's degree from Alcorn State University and studied counseling and sociology at Delta State University before attending law school at Southern University. Even now, he is pursuing a doctorate in public health at Jackson State University.
Nader 'Spoiling' McCain?
Independent Party presidential hopeful Ralph Nader asked Jackson supporters this weekend to sign a petition to include him on the Mississippi ballot in November. Nader's Independent Party requires at least 1,000 valid signatures in order to be an option in the state.
Improving the System
Trent Walker has worked most angles of Hinds County's judicial system. The candidate for county court judge has served as a special appointee to Hinds County Circuit Court, an assistant county prosecutor and a youth court referee.
Undocumented Workers, Felons and Fines
Hinds County Sheriff Malcolm McMillin warned that legislators had better be ready to back up Senate Bill 2988 with more funding if they intend for local law enforcement and jails to cover the impending crowd of convicts.
Alliances of the Little Guys
Jeff Milchen doesn't like big boxes. In 1997, Milchen noticed with alarm that large chain stores were rapidly displacing the locally owned, independent stores that gave Boulder, Colo., its character.
Willis Suit Moves Ahead
Jackson resident Cedric Willis said he will still get his day in court regarding his malicious prosecution suit against the city of Jackson, though the judge has moved the court date to September.
Coming After Bad Numbers
Mayor Frank Melton threatened to "come after" the ACLU of Mississippi Tuesday and threw out vastly inflated crime numbers to justify his methods, after the group accused him of racially profiling African Americans. ACLU Executive Director Nsombi Lambright did not deny that the mayor's "police" actions inspired the town-hall meeting later that day.
New Court Rethinking Judge Policy
The Mississippi Supreme Court is deliberating a rule change that would force the Hinds County Circuit Court to abandon a case assignment system that two black judges and some black lawyers criticized as discriminatory.
Voter ID Out of the Court
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals took Mississippi's voter ID debate out of the courtroom May 28, overturning a ruling that would have forced Mississippians to register, or re-register to vote by political party, and to present photo identification at the polls.
Allen Leaves Polarized Council
City Council President Ben Allen resigned last week, prompting a special election in Ward 1 and immediately changing the balance of power in city government. Although Allen became a Melton critic this year, voting against many of the mayor's proposals, he remained the one councilman able to forge compromises on a council deeply divided over the Melton administration. Allen's departure has apparently emboldened Melton supporters, while Melton critics deprived City Council of a quorum by walking out on a June 25 meeting.