Jackson Free Press

Irby Receives 18 Years Behind Bars

Karen Irby, who pleaded guilty March 26 to two counts of manslaughter in the deaths of two doctors, was sentenced this morning to 18 years in prison for each count, …

No Mention of Peters in Ledger Editorial?

OK, this is weird. The Clarion-Ledger's Jerry Mitchell reports that Ed Peters may have taken a million-dollar bribe from the Scruggs clan to get Judge Bobby DeLaughter to rule in …

Study: 935 ‘Orchestrated' Lies Led Up to Iraqi War

The Associated Press is reporting on a new study that finds that the Bush administration lied repeatedly about the threats in Iraq leading up to the war:

Huh? Money to the Best Schools, Not the Worst

Can someone explain to me why we're giving extra money to the top-performing schools, and not to the lowest-performing that clearly need it the most???

Mississippi Senate to Vote on Abortion Ban

I've just received word that the Mississippi Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare has approved SB 2795, an outright ban on abortion. The bill will most likely go before …

The Street That Jim Crow Paved

Mobile Street in Hattiesburg served as one of Mississippi's most important hubs of black entrepreneurship, professional life, commerce and, later, a crucible of civil-rights activism that would have ramifications across …

Legislative Update: Fetal Heartbeats, Teacher Pay, Tort Reform

Daniella Dismuke-Roja is an activist who is challenging laws that she believes threaten the rights of Mississippians. On March 14, she traveled to Jackson and joined a group of Democratic …

American Aquarium

Change has long been the status quo for singer-songwriter BJ Barham of alternative-country act American Aquarium, but rarely has so much happened in such a short span of time.

The Avett Brothers: Learning from ‘Sadness’

Fans of The Avett Brothers might not have to find the band in such high spirits based on the title of their ninth album, "True Sadness."

JFP 2015 College Basketball Preview

Baseball has been successful in this state for a few years. Football had an amazing season that leaves everyone wondering if it can be replicated. Is it basketball's turn to …

Legislative Update: Tort Reform, Heartbeat Bills, Teacher Pay Moves Forward

On Feb. 13, the House and Senate passed "fetal heartbeat" bills, which ban abortions after a heartbeat is detected. Doctors can detect heartbeats as early as six weeks, making it …

Calling Out the Guard

Note: The print edition erroneously lists Donna Ladd as the author of this piece.

Melton's Boys Come to His Defense

Additional reporting by Ward Schaefer

Three of Mayor Frank Melton's previous mentees, and the mother of another who died more than a decade ago, have filed affidavits in support of their mentor's efforts in what …

BREAKING: Ramie Ford Leaves City Government

Ramie Ford, who Mayor Frank Melton tapped to head up a proposed Neighborhood Enhancement Division, has left city government to become the director of state parks under the Mississippi Department …

Upon Further Review: Inside the Police Failure to Stop Darren Sharper's Rape Spree

Darren Sharper's rampage of druggings and rapes could have been prevented, according to a two-month investigation by ProPublica and The New Orleans Advocate based on police records in five states, …

Attorney Chokwe Lumumba Re-instated

The Associated Press is reporting that the Mississippi Supreme Court has voted 8-1 to re-instate controversial attorney Chokwe Lumumba. Here's a JFP news story with relevant context, and an opinion …

Mayor's State of the City: 'Stay on Track'

Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. focused today on his handling of the city's budget in addition to other signs of progress.

McCain Camp Suddenly Upset About Professor He Helped Fund

The absurdity du jour is that the desperate McCain campaign and right-wing media are suddenly demanding the release of a video of a party Obama attending with Palestinian studies expert …

Mississippi AG’s Race: What’s at Stake?

Since announcing his candidacy for the state AG's office, Mike Hurst has made fighting public corruption the centerpiece of his campaign as well as attacks against Jim Hood, whom Hurst …

[Kamikaze] Local Music Stands Up

Well, we've come to another music issue. I'm sure this one will prove to be bigger than the last. Each one in the future will be bigger than the one …