‘Affront to democracy': Concern about appointing Mississippi judges where most are elected
1 year, 7 months ago

‘Affront to democracy': Concern about appointing Mississippi judges where most are elected

Associated Press  

— Three residents of Mississippi’s capital city testified Wednesday that their rights as citizens are undermined by a new state law that would create a court inside Jackson with judges who are appointed because the state constitution requires most judges to be elected. The laws will expand state policing in the capital city of Jackson, establish a court with an appointed judge and authorize four appointed judges to work alongside the four elected circuit court judges in Hinds County, which is home to Jackson. A special assistant state attorney general, Rex Shannon, argued Wednesday that the state constitution allows legislators to create “inferior” courts with appointed judges. Shannon said he appreciates the plaintiffs’ testimony, but “there is no evidence that they will experience any actual, real-world, practical harm from any of the laws they are challenging.” The other lawsuit was filed by the NAACP in federal court, and it warns that the new laws will return “separate and unequal policing” to Jackson.

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History of this topic

Trial starts in case that seeks more Black justices on Mississippi’s highest court
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Trial starts in case that seeks more Black justices on Mississippi’s highest court

Associated Press  

— Mississippi has the largest percentage of Black residents in the U.S., but only one Black justice serves on the state’s highest court. A federal judge started hearing arguments Monday in a lawsuit that seeks to compel Mississippi to redraw its three Supreme Court districts to increase the chances of Black candidates being elected. “The reason for this persistent underrepresentation …

Federal appeals court denies effort to block state-run court in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Federal appeals court denies effort to block state-run court in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital

Associated Press  

— A federal appeals court has denied a legal effort to stop Mississippi officials from creating a state-run court in part of the majority-Black capital city of Jackson, over objections from the NAACP. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans denied the NAACP’s motions for an injunction pending an appeal and vacated an administrative stay that had temporarily blocked state …

Judge allows new court in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital, rejecting NAACP request to stop it
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Judge allows new court in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital, rejecting NAACP request to stop it

Associated Press  

— A federal judge has ruled that he will allow Mississippi officials to move forward with creating a state-run court in part of the majority-Black capital city of Jackson, over objections from the NAACP. Attorneys for the civil rights organization had sued on behalf of several Jackson residents, saying the new court undermines democracy because local voters or local elected …

In federal challenge to Mississippi law, arguments focus on racial discrimination and public safety
1 year ago

In federal challenge to Mississippi law, arguments focus on racial discrimination and public safety

Associated Press  

— A federal judge will consider arguments over racial discrimination, public safety and local democracy as he decides whether to block appointments to a state-run court set to be created on Jan. 1 in part of Mississippi’s majority-Black capital city. The court would consider misdemeanor cases, with a judge appointed by the state Supreme Court’s chief justice and prosecutors appointed …

Battle over creating new court centers on equality in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital city
1 year ago

Battle over creating new court centers on equality in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital city

Associated Press  

— The constitutional right of equal treatment under the law is at the center of a monthslong legal fight over a state-run court in part of Mississippi’s majority-Black capital city of Jackson. “Just like many past efforts to undermine Black political power, singles out the majority-Black City of Jackson for loss of local control of its judicial system and ability …

Mississippi high court blocks appointment of some judges in majority-Black capital city and county
1 year, 3 months ago

Mississippi high court blocks appointment of some judges in majority-Black capital city and county

Associated Press  

— The Mississippi Supreme Court on Thursday struck down part of a state law that would have authorized some circuit court judges to be appointed rather than elected in the capital city of Jackson and the surrounding county, which are both majority-Black. Justices said the Mississippi Constitution allows legislators to create “inferior” courts, and the new Capitol Complex Improvement District …

Mississippi discriminates against Black residents with appointed judges, Justice Department says
1 year, 5 months ago

Mississippi discriminates against Black residents with appointed judges, Justice Department says

Associated Press  

— A new Mississippi law discriminates against residents of the majority-Black capital city of Jackson by requiring the appointment of some judges in a state where most judges are elected, the U.S. Justice Department said in court papers filed Wednesday. Kristen Clarke, the department’s assistant attorney general for civil rights, said in a statement that Mississippi lawmakers created “a crude …

Mississippi justices hear arguments over appointed vs. elected judges in majority-Black capital
1 year, 5 months ago

Mississippi justices hear arguments over appointed vs. elected judges in majority-Black capital

Associated Press  

— The Mississippi Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday about a state law that has sparked a monthslong dispute over whether white state officials are stomping on local self-governance in the state’s majority-Black capital city, Jackson. Solicitor General Scott G. Stewart of the Mississippi attorney general’s office said legislators acted properly when they created a new court with one appointed judge …

Federal judge extends temporary halt on appointed judges in Mississippi capital
1 year, 7 months ago

Federal judge extends temporary halt on appointed judges in Mississippi capital

Associated Press  

— A federal judge on Monday extended his order that temporarily stops the Mississippi Supreme Court chief justice from appointing judges in the capital city of Jackson and the county where it’s located, both of which are majority-Black. The law would expand state policing inside the city of Jackson and create a new court inside part of Jackson with a …

Lawsuit: Mississippi violates rights by appointing judges
1 year, 7 months ago

Lawsuit: Mississippi violates rights by appointing judges

Associated Press  

— Mississippi is violating its own constitution with a new law that requires some judges to be appointed rather than elected in the state’s capital city and its surrounding county, civil rights groups said in a lawsuit filed Monday. Tate Reeves signed bills Friday to expand state policing in Jackson, to establish a lower court with an appointed judge and …

NAACP sues Mississippi over ‘separate and unequal policing’
1 year, 8 months ago

NAACP sues Mississippi over ‘separate and unequal policing’

Associated Press  

— The NAACP warns that “separate and unequal policing” will return to Mississippi’s majority-Black capital under a state-run police department, and the civil rights organization is suing the governor and other officials over it. At a community meeting earlier this month, he said the policing law would treat Black people as “second-class citizens.” The legislation was passed by a majority-white …

Mississippi OKs more state policing in mostly Black city
1 year, 8 months ago

Mississippi OKs more state policing in mostly Black city

Associated Press  

— Mississippi’s Republican governor signed a bill on Friday to expand the territory of a state-run police department inside the majority-Black capital city of Jackson, and the new law is expected to face a court challenge from the NAACP. NAACP national president Derrick Johnson, who lives in Jackson, said the law would treat Black people as “second-class citizens” by stomping …

Mississippi closer to more state police in mostly Black city
1 year, 8 months ago

Mississippi closer to more state police in mostly Black city

Associated Press  

— Tensions erupted Friday as the majority-white and Republican-controlled Mississippi House passed the final version of a bill to expand the territory of a state-run police department inside the capital city of Jackson, which is majority-Black and governed by Democrats. Officers from the state-run Capitol Police have been patrolling around state government buildings in and near downtown, while the Jackson …

Mississippi pushes more state policing in mostly Black city
1 year, 8 months ago

Mississippi pushes more state policing in mostly Black city

Associated Press  

— The majority-white and Republican-led Mississippi Legislature is taking final steps to expand the the territory of a state-run police department inside the capital city of Jackson, which is majority-Black and governed by Democrats. Critics say the proposal would stomp on local self-governance and create unequal systems of justice in different parts Jackson, which has the highest percentage of Black …

Only 1 Black rep gets role in talks on Mississippi policing
1 year, 9 months ago

Only 1 Black rep gets role in talks on Mississippi policing

Associated Press  

— One Black lawmaker and nine white ones have been chosen to negotiate final versions of bills that could expand the territory of a state-run police department inside Mississippi’s majority-Black capital city. Since January, the Mississippi House and Senate have passed different versions of two bills that would give the state-run Capitol Police department wider territory to patrol inside Jackson. …

Mississippi Senate OKs bill that expands police in majority-Black state capital
1 year, 9 months ago

Mississippi Senate OKs bill that expands police in majority-Black state capital

NPR  

Mississippi Senate OKs bill that expands police in majority-Black state capital Enlarge this image toggle caption Rogelio V. Solis/AP Rogelio V. Solis/AP JACKSON, Miss. — The majority-white and Republican-led Mississippi Senate voted Tuesday to pass its version of a bill that would allow an expanded role for state police and appointed judges inside the majority-Black capital city of Jackson, which …

Slain man’s mother decries plan to expand Mississippi police
1 year, 9 months ago

Slain man’s mother decries plan to expand Mississippi police

Associated Press  

— The mother of a 25-year-old Black man who was shot to death by Mississippi Capitol Police last year told some state lawmakers Monday that she strongly opposes giving the state-run law enforcement agency wider territory to patrol inside the majority-Black capital city of Jackson. The assistant chief of the city-run Jackson Police Department, a district attorney and several other …

Black residents of Jackson, Miss., decry plans by white-dominated Legislature for more state control
1 year, 9 months ago

Black residents of Jackson, Miss., decry plans by white-dominated Legislature for more state control

LA Times  

Timothy Norris is the owner of Mom’s Dream Kitchen, a soul food restaurant opened by his mother in Mississippi’s capital, Jackson, 35 years ago. They were completely shocked at Jackson.” Citing rising crime, Mississippi’s Republican-controlled House recently passed a bill expanding areas of Jackson patrolled by a state-run Capitol Police force and creating a new court system with appointed rather …

Lawmaker: Power struggle is ‘decapitation’ of Black-run city
1 year, 10 months ago

Lawmaker: Power struggle is ‘decapitation’ of Black-run city

Associated Press  

— Black lawmakers in Mississippi are denouncing efforts by the majority-white and Republican-led state Legislature to grab power from the majority-Black and Democratic-led capital city of Jackson. “The actions being taken by our legislative leadership amount to a symbolic decapitation of Black elected leadership,” Democratic Sen. John Horhn of Jackson said Wednesday during a Legislative Black Caucus news conference. Bills …

Mississippi House OKs court with unelected judges in Jackson
1 year, 10 months ago

Mississippi House OKs court with unelected judges in Jackson

Associated Press  

— The Republican-controlled Mississippi House on Tuesday passed a bill to create a new court district in part of the capital city of Jackson with judges who would be appointed rather than elected. Democratic Rep. Zakiya Summers of Jackson said the proposed district would include predominantly white areas of the city. Summers, who represents a majority-Black House district that would …

State capital mayor: Plan for courts is like apartheid
1 year, 10 months ago

State capital mayor: Plan for courts is like apartheid

Associated Press  

— Legislation that would create a separate court system run by unelected judges in part of Mississippi’s capital city is racially motivated, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said Monday. Not only in terms of putting their military force over Jackson but also dictating who has province over decision-making.” House Bill 1020, introduced by Rep. Trey Lamar, a Republican from Senatobia, …

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