Overturned Sentence Spotlights Judge, DAThe case of Quintez Hodges is a rare one. Efforts by the Innocence Project and others have vacated death sentences and exonerated an increasing number of wrongfully convicted men, but Hodges was not wrongfully convicted, at least according to the …
No More Innocents PunishedThe news was almost unsurprising: Last week, DNA evidence exonerated three more Mississippi men—one of whom died in 2002—imprisoned for three decades for a rape and murder none of them committed.
On the Anchor Baby TrailUlises Hernandez Rincon, 21, listened furtively to the cries of outrage and angry applause from people in the community center's bleachers, his eyes darting around the room like two dragonflies trying to settle on a lily pad.
Mississippi Schools Cut 2,000 JobsMississippi school districts have cut more than 2,000 employees over the last year to manage their shrinking budgets, state Superintendent for Education Tom Burnham told a panel of legislators yesterday. Speaking to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, Burnham emphasized districts' …
Fondren Makeover; Sushi and MoreA new upscale sushi restaurant is set to open this December on Capitol Street. Wasabi Bistro is a collaboration between owner Lina Lynn, who also owns Ding How Asian Bistro in Ridgeland, and two newcomers, attorney Tami Lynn Munsch and …
Doctors Oppose Barbour's Health-Care LawsuitThe health-care reform advocacy group Doctors for America is speaking out against Gov. Haley Barbour for joining a 20-state lawsuit against the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act.
Hinds Supes Approve Eco-Devo AuthorityIn a move aimed at increasing the county's economic competitiveness, the Hinds County Board of Supervisors voted today to convert the county's economic development district into an economic development authority. The name change signifies an expanded function: The rechristened "Hinds …
Johnson Places Priorities on Hwy. 80 and Capitol StreetJackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. touted his plans this morning for expanding Metrocenter Mall to contain office and retail space that would model life-style centers in Ridgeland and Flowood.
Hood To Appeal Judges' Death Sentence DismissalMississippi Attorney General Jim Hood will appeal a federal order throwing out the death sentence of Quintez Hodges who was convicted of capital murder in 2001 for killing his ex-girlfriend's brother, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported yesterday.
Two Men Freed After 30 YearsForrest County Circuit Judge Bob Helfich set two men free today who were convicted 30 years ago for a rape and murder they did not commit.
County Can't Afford City Curfew for MinorsThe Henley-Young Juvenile Justice Center does not have the resources to house children picked up for violating a proposed curfew reinstatement, county officials told the Jackson City Council Planning Committee members yesterday.
‘Working Together Works'It happens that in the same week that the JFP is celebrating its eighth anniversary, the Fondren Association of Businesses (FAB) celebrated its own milestone--the second-annual members' meeting, this time in the newly re-monikered Duling Hall.
Above and BeyondWashington Koen Media along with local and outreach partners invite citizens of cities across the nation to a public conversation they're calling "Beyond the Bricks," which promotes advocacy on behalf of black males enrolled in public schools.
Bond Commission Grants City's $6 million BondThe standoff between the city of Jackson and members of the State Bond Commission over $6 million in interest-free loans for city water infrastructure repairs seemingly has ended.
Do It for JacksoniansOver the last several years, the Jackson Free Press has followed a tradition of celebrating our birthday every September by dedicating the issue to the city's progress. Our birthday cover stories typically explore just how far the city has come …
A Boom of Our OwnWhen a tree grows, it marks the passing of each year in distinct rings—thick rings represent the fat years when it grew quickly; thin rings for the leaner years when it barely grew at all. If Jackson were a tree …
Progress, Progress, ProgressThe Jackson Redevelopment Authority is working to finance the initial construction of the Old Capitol Green project this month.
Scott Sisters Rally Draws Hundreds to CapitolHundreds gathered on the south steps of the state Capitol today to rally in support of Jamie and Gladys Scott, two Scott County women serving life sentences for a 1993 armed robbery that allegedly netted them $11 each.
Waiting for the Convention Center HotelCapital City Center, the long-awaited convention center hotel and multi-use development planned for four blocks of Pascagoula Street, could begin construction by the end of this year if developer MJS Realty is able to secure funding.
Peace in the MPB Valley?After being absent from Mississippi Public Broadcasting offices for at least two weeks, Executive Director Judy Lewis resigned Sept. 8. A news release that afternoon announced her decision to leave her post after one hot summer controversy.
Hinds Sheriff Forced to Cut JobsHinds County Sheriff Malcolm McMillin said he was not happy with the fact that almost all of the furloughs required by county supervisors to balance the fiscal year 2011 budget were coming out of his department.
Tougaloo to Host National Education ConversationAshington Koen Media along with local and outreach partners invite citizens of cities across the nation to a public conversation they're calling "Beyond the Bricks," which promotes advocacy on behalf of black males enrolled in public schools. The tour kicks …
State Lacks Affordable Legal ServicesThe state needs attorneys to donate their legal services in order to overcome a shortage of free civil legal service aid for residents, Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Jesse Dickinson told reporters at the Mississippi Supreme Court today.
[Balko] Killed on a TechnicalityIn 1994 Eddie Lee Howard was convicted of raping and murdering 84-year-old Georgia Kemp. Firefighters found Kemp dead in her Columbus, Miss., home after a neighbor noticed smoke coming from the house. Investigators determined the fire was intentional.
JFP Persons of the Day: Jamie and Gladys ScottFor their supporters, Jamie and Gladys Scott have become emblematic of a broken criminal-justice system in Mississippi. Jamie, 36, and Gladys, 38, were 19 and 21 respectively when they were arrested and charged with armed robbery. Prosecutors alleged that the …
Health Exchanges Could Help Small BusinessesThe state will have to make several key decision regarding health-insurance exchanges in the next few years, Joy Johnson Wilson, health policy coordinator for the National Conference of State Legislatures, told a joint meeting of Senate and House committee members …
JPS Receives Accountability ResultsThree Jackson public elementary schools earned the Mississippi Department of Education's "Star School" status—the state's highest rating for school performance—in accountability results MDE released Friday.
Hinds DA: Castle Doctrine Has Gray AreasMississippi's "castle doctrine" law, which allows for the use of deadly force in certain self-defense situations, has some gray areas, Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith acknowledged in a community meeting yesterday.
When a tree grows, it marks the passing of each year in distinct rings—thick rings represent the fat years when it grew quickly; thin rings for the leaner years when it barely grew at all. If Jackson were a tree …
The Jackson Redevelopment Authority is working to finance the initial construction of the Old Capitol Green project this month.
Capital City Center, the long-awaited convention center hotel and multi-use development planned for four blocks of Pascagoula Street, could begin construction by the end of this year if developer MJS Realty is able to secure funding.