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‘The Nightmare Is Over': Levon Brooks Finally Free
After serving 18 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit, Levon Brooks walked away from the Noxubee County courthouse a free man this morning. Arrested for the rape and murder of his girlfriend's 3-year-old daughter, Courtney Smith, in 1990, Judge J. Lee Howard released Brooks on his own recognizance on Feb. 15, pending today's hearing. Brooks received a life sentence for the crimes in 1992 after two years in jail waiting for his trial.
Mississippian Nominated to Oversee Forest Service
President Barack Obama has nominated Mississippi State Conservationist Homer Lee Wilkes to oversee the Forest Service as undersecretary for natural resources and environment at the U.S. Agriculture Department, reports The New York Times.
Bill Advocates School Bus Ads
In a 94-21 vote last week, Mississippi House members voted to allow advertising on school buses as a measure to offset some of the state's budget belt-tightening, reports The Sun Herald. The bill imposes some restriction on the types of ads that would be allowed. Ads for alcohol, tobacco, junk food, and political and religious causes are banned.
Girl, 8, Shot at Boys & Girls Club
An 8-year-old girl was shot in the head while sitting inside the Boys & Girls Club on Sykes Road at around 2:30 p.m. today, according to Jackson police. The unidentified girl was reportedly doing her homework when a bullet came from outside.
Doris Shavers Killer Pleads Guilty
Henry Lee Phillips pleaded guilty today to murdering his former girlfriend, Doris Shavers, 40, on Sept. 17, 2007, as Shavers combed her 12-year-old daughter's hair before leaving for work. The day of the murder was Jessica's birthday.
News Bits: The Jackson Mayor's Race
Harper Withdraws, Leaving 11 Democrats for the Primary
Joyce Harper, one of 12 Democratic candidates who filed for the mayor's job in Jackson, has withdrawn from the race, lending her endorsement to incumbent Mayor Frank Melton, according to a release from the Melton campaign.
FBI Seeks Cold Case Info
[verbatim]In February 2006, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) enacted an initiative to identify and closely examine all unsolved hate crimes resulting in death that occurred prior to 1970. A review of cold case civil rights matters that met the above criteria was conducted and, with the help of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, as well as community leaders and civic organizations, numerous cases of unsolved violent crimes from the Civil Rights era are now being thoroughly examined and reinvestigated.
Music Awards Honor Local Artists
The 35th annual Jackson Music Awards, hosted by WLBT sports anchor Rob Jay, recognized a talented selection of Jackson's finest musicians and entertainers last night at the Jackson Marriott downtown. Congratulations to all of the honorees and nominees, especially to the following 28 top award winners.
Eddie Cotton
Bluesman Eddie Cotton Jr. grew up with gospel music in his daddy's Clinton church, Christ Chapel True Gospel Church of God In Christ, where he's known to sit at the Hammond B-3 organ as the church's music minister. Cotton was 4 when he picked up his first guitar.
Ben Payton
Ben Wiley Payton, 62, grew up with the Mississippi blues. The Coila, Miss. native listened to his grandmother, Mabel Johnson, playing gospel music on piano, and his uncle, Joe Birch, picking the blues on guitar.
Jackson Uniting to Retire Johnson's Debt
A group of diverse citizens who supported varied candidates in the recent mayoral elections in Jackson are putting aside their differences and joining together to help retire the accumulated campaign debt of Mayor-elect Harvey Johnson Jr. The event will be held at the University Club of Jackson next Monday, June 15, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Something for Everyone This Weekend
Kick off your weekend tonight with a wide choice of events. At 7 p.m., Ballet Magnificat's "A Christmas Dream" at Thalia Mara Hall is sure to get the entire family into a Christmas state of mind. Tickets run from $10 to $30. Call 601-977-1001. Also starting at 7 p.m., and at the other end of the cultural spectrum, the Esperanza Plantation Holiday Showcase at the Pix-Capri Theatre includes music by Tommy Bryan Ledford, Wooden Finger, Colour Revolt and more. Admission is $15. Where's the best place to start your search for things to do in Jackson? The JFP Best Bets page, of course.
From Punishment to Healing: Moving Mental-Health Care Home
Jennifer Michaels traces her mental-health problems back to Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, when she was 12 years old.
Fondren After 5 Reboot, Health-Care Facility and Restaurant Ready to Launch
With the introduction of a new health-care business, Jackson City Council President Charles Tillman said his council colleagues are becoming the A-Team of economic development.
Kelly Pates
If you've lived in Jackson for a few years or more, chances are you've heard the Patesa family roots-rock bandperform at local clubs, bars, festivals and other venues in the city. Covering good-vibe songs like Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" and Rod Stewart's "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You," Kelly and Jean Pates and their son, Andrew, have been connecting with crowds and collaborating with other Jackson musicians for the past several decades.
U.S. Supreme Court Delays Execution ... Briefly
6:37 p.m. UPDATE: WLBT is reporting that the U.S. Supreme Court has denied Burns' petition.
Judges Order Two Off Mississippi Death Row
In separate cases, federal judges have ruled that two Mississippi inmates on death row in Parchman are mentally ill. Both cases stem from 1981 crimes, and the two inmates have each served 27 years.
Jackson Prepped for Frigid Temps
The Jackson area will see temperatures drop below freezing by around 6 p.m. today, according to the National Weather Service, and won't see anything above 32 degrees until Sunday. With this morning's rain, expect ice on the roads after dark. Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. has urged motorists to use caution and to stay off the streets as much as possible during the wintry precipitation.
Exposing A Killer
"It's something you don't want to know," Ken South said, "but you need to know."
'Dereliction of Duty'
Having re-opened the sluice gates of executions with Earl Berry in May, the state of Mississippi could put a second man to death later this month. Dale Leo Bishop, convicted in 2000 in the 1998 murder of Marcus Gentry, has a date with lethal injection July 23.