Jackson Free Press

Sharpton Defends the 'Jena 6'

Photos by Chelsi West & Maggie Burks

In the small, pastoral town of Jena, La., police arrested six black students 15 to 17 years old and charged them with attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy after a string …

Merry Freakin' Christmas

I saw this letter to the editor in the CL today about the origins of Christmas. There was some debate about certain retailers using the phrase "Merry Christmas" in their …

Update: Melton Is Appearing in Meridian Court Today

Oct. 2, 12:20 p.m.: Mayor Frank Melton has been spotted in the Meridian courtroom where jury selection took up the morning. The judge has asked all parties to be in …

AG Scrutinizing Clarion-Ledger's TDN Scheme

Free Speech or Bad Behavior?

A recent Jackson Police Department internal investigation is a prime example of the wild world of free speech in the Internet era. On March 10, the department released a statement …

Greetings From Accra: Day 4 in Africa

Greetings from across the Atlantic to all of you. Of course I would have loved to have checked in with you guys sooner but internet access is not nearly as …

Step Away From The Hummer

I was sent an article yesterday from Science.com that talks about Global Warming in a way that brings it home.

Buying Judges: Tell the Whole Story

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals partially overturned the convictions of Mississippi attorney Paul Minor and former judges John Whitfield and Walter "Wes" Teel Friday.

Melton Asks All Board, Commission Members to Resign

Today, Mayor Frank Melton announced that all city board and commission members must "resign their position(s) effectively immediately." According to the press release from Carolyn Redd, this includes all members …

Pigeons and Other Violations at A-1 Pallets

City code enforcement performed a site inspection of A-1 Pallets on Mill Street this morning, one day after Municipal Judge Melvin Priester signed a search and inspection warrant for the …

Dudes We Dig

Jackson Free Press' 2014 Dudes We Dig consist of men who help their communities, including a veteran who is an veterans' advocate, a conservative baker who is fighting against the …

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The FBI's Turn on Frank Melton?

Photos by Jaro Vacek and Brian Johnson

The FBI has subpoenaed documents from the city of Jackson, including but not limited to the activities of Mayor Frank Melton, according to Special Assistant to the City Attorney Pieter …

All Time Favorite Melton Moment

Its the one where Melton pulls over four school buses so he can touch the children.

Okay, this piece in the Clarion Ledger is now officially my "all time favorite Melton moment".

Don't Nobody Know: Lalee's Kin

Everyone who cares about human dignity and justice should see "Lalee's Kin: The Legacy of Cotton," which debuted on HBO Sept. 18. I first saw it during the Crossroads Film …

[Kamikaze] The War Outside

"There's a war going on outside no man is safe from." —Prodigy of Mobb Deep

Voter ID: Excessive Regulation?

In 2005, Noxubee County Democratic Executive Committee Chairman Ike Brown decided to go the extra—and illegal—mile to get votes for African American candidates, according to court records.

Voter ID: Partisan Posturing?

Mississippi Democratic Party Executive Director Sam Hall is accusing Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant of pushing for voter identification for political reasons. "We have to ask if this is nothing …

Market Wars

The new Mississippi Farmers' Market, brainchild of Agricultural Commissioner Lester Spell, opened in February at a cost of $4 million, and first stirred up controversy when it displaced vendors working …

Fighting For Suffrage

The ACLU of Mississippi filed a lawsuit Oct. 7 challenging the state's denial of voting rights to citizens convicted of felonies. Strickland v. Clark, filed against the secretary of state's …

Look At All These Rumors

As the JFP goes to press, the city is awash in rumors about what is going to happen next to Mayor Frank Melton and friends. Some are more credible than …