Jackson Free Press

Red And Ready To Rumble: The JFP Interview With Charlie Ross

Photos by Roy Adkins

Sen. Charlie Ross, R-Brandon, is confident this year. The 50-year-old senator is running for lieutenant governor against State Auditor Phil Bryant in the primaries, and possibly against Democratic Rep. Jamie …

Toni Cooley

Toni Cooley was born in Chicopee, Mass., but was raised as an Air Force brat in Massachusetts, North Dakota, New Jersey, Mississippi and New Jersey again.

Day 3: Police Officers Testify

Two police officers testified for the defense this morning. First was Sharon Gray, a 27 year veteran of the force who has spent the last five years as a records …

Day 3: Jury May Have Case by Noon Today

<i>Watch for updates.</i>

Word from the courthouse is that the judge may send the case to the jury by noon today. So far, defense attorneys have put no witnesses in front of the …

Day 3: Defense Down to 2 Witnesses, If That

Reporting by Brian Johnson

After examining their witness list, based on the judge's limitations on discussion of past drug activity on Ridgeway Street, defense attorneys' acceptable list of witnesses has dropped to only two …

Day 3: No to ‘Confidential Informant'; Only Pot Found

Reporting by Brian Johnson

This morning, without the jury present, attorneys for the Melton defense team called a "confidential informant," who used the name Russell Smith (not his real name). Under direct examination, he …

Day 3: Judge Limits Defense Options

<i>More details to come.</i>

As attorneys for Mayor Frank Melton prepared to mount their defense today, prosecutors protested to the judge that the defense had not provided adequate discovery on some of its witnesses. …

Day 2: Prosecution Rests

The prosecution in the felony trial of Mayor Frank Melton and police detectives Michael Recio and Marcus Wright rested late Tuesday afternoon, after a multitude of witnesses described how the …

Day 2: Many Objections, Eye Witnesses at Melton Trial

After Senior Assistant District Attorney Stanley Alexander finished redirect of Lawrence Cooper Jr. in the felony trial of Mayor Frank Melton Tuesday morning, Judge Joe Webster called a brief recess. …

Day 2: ‘No Drugs to Flush,' Witness Says

Lawrence Cooper Jr., who was the first witness for the prosecution in Mayor Frank Melton's felony trial, said the incident began when he heard people outside the duplex say, "The …

Day 2: Welch Watching ‘Walking Tall' Before Attack

In the opening statements and first testimony in the Mississippi v. Melton et al. trial, prosecutor Stanley Alexander came out of the gate with a focus on the events of …

Day 1: JFP Blogs Figure Prominently in Voir Dire

On Monday, defense attorney Merrida Coxwell Jr. conducted voir dire for Melton. In his second question, he asked if any potential juror read or made comments on media blogs, specifically …

Journalist David Halberstam Killed in Car Wreck

This is tragic, tragic news. May this amazing journalist and writer rest in peace.

UPDATED: Council, JPS Report Mayoral Threats

This is an updated version of this story that broke Monday on the JFP Web site.

Day 1: Melton Jury Selected; Opening Statements Begin Tuesday

This story was substantially updated at 8:30 p.m. For further updates, see the comments below or scroll down in the story.

Open Thread for Melton Trial Here

Have at it.

Meantime, read the JFP's Melton blog/archive here. And read the Sept. 1, 2006, story by Adam Lynch that revealed the Ridgeway Street demolition and led to the trial this week. …

The Food Stamp Diet

For Hunger Awareness Week in Oregon, Gov. Ted Kulongowski will spend the week seeing what it is like to live off the food budget of a food stamp recipient to …

Clapping from the Grave

This is a complicated crisis, but what baffles me is that the local corporate media make so little of this. They hardly mention it, and they never suggest that Gov. …

Could You Go Without Your Car for a Month?

My weekly sprint to WLEZ to do the radio show would need to be better planned.

Over at the Louisville Eccentric Observer, an alt-weekly in Kentucky, staff writer Stephen George is blogging about his attempts to go a month without his car in Louisville, relying on …

Wine Drinkers Unite

This Saturday evening will provide the connoisseur and novice alike the opportunity to strut their wine legs—both the ones that slide down the sides of the glass, giving some indication …