Jackson Free Press

Letter to Biden Says ‘Trump’s Racist Raid’ Caused Damage to Immigrants, He Must Reverse

A letter to President Joe Biden is demanding action to address the plight of immigrant workers in the wake of the August 2019 federal raid of food-processing plants in six …

10 Local Stories of the Week

There's never a slow news week in Jackson, Miss., and last week was no exception. Here are the local stories JFP reporters brought you in case you missed them.

3 Inmates Set to Die; Previous Execution Botched

There have been no U.S. executions in the seven weeks since an Oklahoma inmate died of a heart attack following a botched lethal injection. That soon could change, with three …

Analysis: Mississippi Examines Help for Departing Inmates

A Mississippi law that took effect July 1 expands parole eligibility, and lawmakers are looking at programs that could help people make the transition from prison back into the free …

Hood Takes Gloves Off Over Barbour Ballot Scheme

[Verbatim from Attorney General Jim Hood] Jackson, MS-Gov. Haley Barbour's ill-conceived attempt to gain a partisan political advantage for his party and violate state law is an embarrassment for both …

Hurricane Recovery, Barbour - Style

Photos by David Rae Morris,

As residents of Mississippi's Gulf Coast gathered to commemorate the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, they recalled a cataclysmic storm that spared no one, rich or poor, from its destruction. …

Barbour Supports Civil Rights Museum

[The following letter is verbatim from Gov. Barbour to the Civil Rights Museum Federation Committee at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History]

Trial Over Prison Conditions in Mississippi Comes to a Close

Closing arguments are set in a federal trial in which inmates say they live in unsanitary and excessively violent conditions in a Mississippi prison.

Mississippi Treasurer Intends to Run for Attorney General

Second-term Mississippi Treasurer Lynn Fitch says she intends to run for state attorney general next year.

David Ishee

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant is promoting a judge from the state Court of Appeals to the state Supreme Court.

Ann Lamar

Gov. Phil Bryant is naming recently retired Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Ann Lamar of Senatobia to the College Board.

Camps Trade Sharp Words About Miss. Senate Runoff

A campaign adviser for Sen. Thad Cochran says it's time for challenger Chris McDaniel to "put up or shut up" about claims of people voting illegally in last week's Republican …

No. 36, August 8

<b><em>Trophy Wives and Slow Death</b></em>

Over the years my wife has been rightfully concerned about my time following and fighting Big and Brutal Tobacco. Get-a-way cruises can make wives more supportive. Regretfully, no cruises here …

Timothy Fizer

The front door of F. Jones Corner bursts open around 4 a.m. on a Friday, and Timothy Fizer emerges, holding a drunken man's arms behind his back as the man …

Senate Committee Passes Anti-Immigrant Bill

This afternoon, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed Senate Bill 2179, which is similar to a controversial Arizona law that forces local and state law enforcement to ask for proof of …

House Approves Medicaid Hospital Measure

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journail is reporting that the Mississippi House has approved a $45 million assessment on hospitals in a compromise to cover part of the $90 million shortfall …

Silver Alert Legislation Awaits Barbour's Signature

Keeping our parents and grandparents safe is the goal of a Mississippi House bill creating a Silver Alert system. The system, based on Amber Alerts for children, will allow family …

Mason Says Merger Plan a Leaked ‘Idea'

As Jackson State University President Ronald Mason Jr. shook hands at a forum this morning at Koinonia Coffee House in Jackson, he sought to quell concerns about a possible HBCU …

State Launches Site for Visiting Debate Journalists

[Verbatin] An estimated 3,000 journalists are expected to descend upon Oxford this week for the first 2008 Presidential Debate. To assist media with resources for broadcasts and articles pertaining to …

High Court Won't Block Mississippi School Disparity Lawsuit

The U.S. Supreme Court said Thursday it will not get involved, for now, in a lawsuit that says Mississippi allows grave disparities in funding between predominantly Black and predominantly white …