Jackson Free Press

‘Fair and Even-Handed'

Jackson Municipal Judge Ali ShamsidDeen is not trying to be a politically divisive figure, but his background as a editor of the Jackson Advocate in the 1990s and an associate …

Property Issues Stall Critical Water Line

Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. said the city could have avoided two massive city-wide water failures this year had owners of a historic fishing club not stalled construction of a …

Q&A: Curtis Wilkie on the Wrong Crowd

Author and University of Mississippi professor Curtis Wilkie speaks with a degree of sadness when he references the life of disgraced Mississippi attorney Richard "Dickie" Scruggs.

How to Make Enemies

When award-winning journalist Curtis Wilkie sets out to cover the downfall of Mississippi's foremost trial attorney, he goes at it like a neurotic terrier digging in a graveyard--with a macabre …

The Brett Favre Story Leaves Us Wondering : Did He or Didn't He

A story broke late last week on the website deadspin.com about former Southern Mississippi and current Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre. The story accuses Favre of sending racy text messages …

Wicker Defends Obama Against ‘Birthers'

United States Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., found himself defending President Barack Obama against some of the more conservative elements of the tea party during a forum last night. The Central …

Supreme Court Rejects Kemper Appeal

This story has been updated to reflect a correction.

Read the Supreme Court's decision (PDF, 68 KB)

State Waits on Personhood Ruling

A war of semantics filled Judge Malcolm Harrison's courtroom this afternoon, as opposing parties debated the constitutionality of a 2011 ballot initiative asking voters to determine when life begins.

JFP Freelancer of the Month: Valerie Wells

Her desire to make a difference in the world instinctively drew Valerie Wells to the field of journalism.

‘Trustworthiness and Integrity'

Bridgett Clayton came to the practice of law relatively late, but she has built a varied career in a brief amount of time. The Meridian native studied political science at …

Domestic Terrorism: Stalked to the Death

Adrienne Klasky knew for years that Michael Graham would kill her. She just didn't know when it would happen.

Personhood Initiative Heads to Court

The outcome of a lawsuit over a 2011 ballot initiative asking voters to define when life begins will come down to whether the initiative requires modifications to the state Constitution.

[Balko] Guilty Before Proven Innocent

Last week, USA Today published the results of a six-month investigation into misconduct by America's federal prosecutors. The investigation turned up what Pace University law professor Bennett Gershman called a …

Lesbian Teen's Lawsuit Challenged

Copiah County School district officials are asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit that lesbian teen Ceara Sturgis filed after school officials excluded a photograph of her wearing a …

Study Finds Unequal Punishment of Black Students

Black students are twice as likely to get out-of-school suspensions and in some school districts, middle schools are three times more likely to suspend black boys, a new Southern Poverty …

Voter Registration Deadline Saturday

Citizens must register to vote by Saturday to cast their ballots in the Nov. 2 judicial and congressional elections.

Copy-Cat Immigrant Law Costly

Jackson City Attorney Pieter Teeuwissen said he was confident that the city could be exposed to considerable legal liability if legislators pass a bill mimicking a controversial Arizona law, which …

Conservative Agenda Fueling Medicaid Numbers?

Republican governors in states including Mississippi and Nebraska may be using inflated cost figures for Medicaid in order to help a movement to roll back recent health-care reform.

[Balko] How to Record the Cops

This summer the issue of recording on-duty police officers has received a great deal of media attention.

Community Events and Public Meetings

6 p.m., Young Leaders in Philanthropy Advisory Council Meeting at United Way (843 N. President St.). Council members and the YLP Executive Board meet monthly to strategically discuss upcoming YLP …