Jackson Free Press

Saint Nick’s Swamp Tour

For the folks at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, nothing says Christmas time like coming face to face with bayou critters.

DA Dropping Charges Against Willie Jerome Manning in One Set of Murders

Prosecutors will dismiss capital murder charges against Willie Jerome Manning, 46, for the deaths of two Starkville women in 1993 as Manning continues fighting his conviction in a separate case.

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 …

A Drunken Rampage?

A decision by Judge Joe Webster to exclude Aug. 26 events from the Upper Level may keep out intriguing testimony described in a prosecution motion filed April 12, though Webster …

Tearin' Up Virden: The Melton Trial

It began while they were watching the newest version of "Walking Tall" starring the Rock, witness Lawrence Cooper Jr. said during the first day of testimony in the felony trial …

Families Accuse JPD Of Police Brutality, Demand Justice

Four Jackson families whose loved ones were victims of local police violence, three of them fatally, spoke out yesterday, publicly calling for justice in the wake of national awareness over …

BREAKING: Judge Green Recuses Herself

Judge Tomie Green has recused herself (PDF, 125K) from the upcoming Ridgeway trial, citing "recent improper and inappropriate contact with the trial judge and members of her family which makes …

D.A.: ‘It's Unfortunate'

District Attorney Faye Peterson has responded to a full-page ad purchased in the Jackson Free Press last issue by police watchdog organization group SafeCity Watch. The ad said that local …

[Stiggers] That's the Truth, Ruth

Still Bill the Funk Doctor: "Eee-Diddy-Eye! Oooh, I'm joggin', and back on the scene with the record machine. This is D.J. Ol' Skool Pete's mentor, the king of throw-back, ain't …

Brazil Congress Shelves Controversial Legislation

Brazil's congress has shelved legislation that had been a target of nationwide protests, hours before another expected round of large-scale demonstrations on Wednesday.

King Elementary "Kudzu" Drops Nationwide

Upon discovering rock 'n' roll, every teenager achingly longs to start a band. Rarely, however, does that band propel itself out of the garage fueled by the restlessness of youth, …

EDITORIAL: Public Officials, Get Facts Straight on Project EJECT

There are two sides to the proverbial Project EJECT coin: what the public hears and what actually happens.

DA Smith: Going Too Far to Help Butler?

The jury in the trial of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith has a lot to untangle, as the prosecution continues to present pieces of its case that the …

Melton Draws Attention of A.G.

Attorney General Jim Hood told the Jackson Free Press that he has not opened a formal investigation into any possible lawbreaking by Jackson Mayor Frank Melton, despite headlines in the …

Out the Back Door

Learn to Be Inspired

We live in a world where kids who can't sit still in class are labeled troublemakers or low-performers or even ADD. But maybe they're just kinesthetic learners: that is, they …

Reformer Jody Owens Wins Hinds DA's Seat, Other Races Head to Runoff

Jody Owens, a civil-rights attorney running on a "decarceral" platform with national backing, will become Hinds County's new district attorney following the Aug. 6 primary.

Transcript: 2007 JFP Interview with DA Faye Peterson

Interview by Adam Lynch

In 1997, when I started working at the public defender's office, I got hired when they were trying to create this drug court prosecution thing, because drug cases were lingering …

IRS Points Out Overlooked Benefits

[Verbatim Release] MISSISSIPPI — The Internal Revenue Service today urged taxpayers to take a moment before they file their income tax returns to be sure they do not overlook several …

Filing for Unemployment Benefits

The Mississippi Department of Employee Security has modified its existing unemployment compensation rules, allowing Mississippi workers who are not able to work due to COVID-19 to be eligible to file …