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, would create a separate judicial district within an area around downtown Jackson called the Capitol Complex Improvement District, where many state-owned buildings are located. “They’re talking about a court system in which the judges would not be elected by Jackson residents, and a police force that has no accountability,” Lumumba said. In addition to the proposal for a new court system, Lumumba also criticized a bill that would transfer ownership of Jackson’s water system to a new public entity overseen by a nine-member board, the majority of which would be appointed by state leaders.

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History of this topic

Mississippi governor announces new law enforcement operation to curb crime in capital city
10 months, 1 week ago

Mississippi governor announces new law enforcement operation to curb crime in capital city

Associated Press  

— Law enforcement officials have surged local, state and federal resources to Mississippi’s capital city for a new operation aimed at curbing violent crime, drug trafficking and other offenses, Gov. Reeves and other officials provided few details of what the operation would entail on the ground, but said Jackson would see an increased police presence. But Reeves, a Republican, and …

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 …

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 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 …

‘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 …

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. …

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 …

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