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

— 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 to self-govern and enforce its own municipal laws,” wrote Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for the department’s Civil Rights Division, and Todd Gee, the U.S. attorney for south Mississippi, in a Dec. 5 federal court filing. Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch and Rex Shannon, a special assistant state attorney general, wrote on behalf of Fitch, Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell and Capitol Police Chief Bo Luckey that blocking creation of the new court would cause irreparable harm. The court would consider misdemeanor cases, with a judge appointed by the state Supreme Court chief justice and prosecutors appointed by the state attorney general — both of whom are white and politically conservative. “In light of the long history of racism in Mississippi, my vote is the best means I have to ensure that public officials will treat me and my community fairly and equally,” Figgers wrote, adding that Fitch and Randolph “don’t need my vote, and as far as I can tell, they have made no attempt to understand my community.” Mark Nelson, an attorney representing Randolph, responded in a Nov. 16 filing, asking Wingate to strike “disgraceful” statements by Figgers and other NAACP members from court records.