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Moore Alleges DA ‘Misconduct'

The attorney for Sharrod Moore, who is awaiting his Sept. 15 trial for the Nov. 14, 1995, murder of Jackson police officer Robert J. Washington, is accusing Hinds County District Attorney Robert S. Smith of "prosecutorial misconduct." Smith, they say, used "perjured" witness accounts to get the indictment, has not provided timely discovery documents and alleged a police "cover-up" in the case in a Jackson Free Press interview in May.

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UPDATED: Melton Denies Former Bodyguard's Allegations

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton addressed reporters Thursday morning condemning the testimony of his former bodyguard Marcus Wright. Melton's statement prompted Judge Daniel Jordan to issue a gag order on the mayor's upcoming civil rights trial. Wright pled guilty to misdemeanor conspiracy in U.S. District Court Tuesday, but further implicated Melton with his statements. Witnesses say Melton, Wright and Melton's other bodyguard, Michael Recio, participated in the illegal demolition of a duplex on Ridgeway Street in August 2006.

Plame-Gate Moves Closer to Karl Rove

Big news today was that Karl Rove was a source in a Time magazine story that helped out undercover CIA investigator Valerie Plame. Newsweek reports:

Winners in Run-offs

Dewayne Thomas and Virginia Carlton were victorious in run-off elections held on Tuesday. Carlton, who was running against Ed Patten for a seat on the court of appeals, took 20, 852 votes to Patten's 17,791, according to figures from WLBT. Thomas, who was running against William Bell for chancery court, took 3,525 votes to Bell's 2,478.

McMillin to Bring Back Crime Prevention Unit

Jackson's new police chief said the city is facing big bills this year thanks to overtime and unpaid debt—and is bringing back the Crime Prevention Unit that the mayor disbanded in order to help meet some of the city's policing challenges.

Why Foreign Businesses Dig Mississippi

The state of Mississippi currently has 30,231 businesses that count as foreign-owned, or are owned by corporations, LLCs, unlimited liability partners or other business organizations. The list includes companies such as Calgon Carbon from New Zealand, Rolls-Royce and BP America Production from Britain, and MG Industries from Germany, among many others.

Public Option: A Necessity?

Blane McClellan, co-owner of Security Services Inc. of Jackson, says he wants a public option in the national health-care plan to compete with insurance companies that routinely refuse to cover his daughter due to her history of medical ailments.

Don't Stereotype Me

I sat on Belhaven College's campus, on my lunch break, right after school had finished for the year and summer school was beginning. I watched as people came in and out, very rarely seeing any face twice.

Just the (Correct) Facts, Ma'am, on James Ford Seale Case

It's been interesting to watch the national media coverage of the arrest of James Ford Seale for the kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping of Henry Dee and Charles Moore in 1964. In some ways, the story has been a victim of the 24-hour news cycle, with small errors becoming headlines and big errors being completely overlooked or processed away.

Snow

The last significant snowfall I recall was New Year's Day, 2001. I remember it well because I was at church on New Year's Eve when the snow started, and it had accumulated quite a bit by the time service was over. Thankfully, I kept a can of de-icer in my trunk at all times, and I even loaned it to someone who didn't have an ice scraper. I crept my way home, unable to see the lines in the street. Despite a traffic jam due to an accident or something, I managed to get home within an hour.

Sign of the Future? Gannett Detroit Paper 3X Week?

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Detroit Free Press, the Gannett-owned daily newspaper in Detroit, Mich., is likely to scale back home delivery to three times a week. It is widely believed that daily newspapers, in severe decline currently, will soon revert to a free circulation model, only publishing a maximum of three times a week. I predict that The Clarion-Ledger will shrink to a free paper distributed no more than three times a week within a year, perhaps as soon as next week, the way things are going over there. The paper has suffered declining circulation and slashed 25 percent of its jobs in recent months.

Gannett Stock Plunges 24% Today; Down to $2.22 Share

The Gannett Corp., owner of The Clarion-Ledger, a newspaper in Mississippi, took a dramatic hit in the stock market today as its stock price plummeted 24 percent in one day, closing at $2.22 a share, the Gannett Blog reports:

Shaking The Image

Jackson Public Schools may have decaying buildings, overcrowding and infrastructure concerns, but architecture and aesthetics are nothing compared to the mental image the system has to battle daily.

Eminent Domain a Job Killer?

Limiting eminent domain to public projects only is a "job killer," Bishop Ronnie Crudup, senior pastor of New Horizon Church International, said yesterday.

Hmph!

When I made the decision to leave Ole Miss and venture down to Jackson, MS, I was admittedly scared.

Taking breaks from epic Halo 2 battles and scourging fraternity pledges, I'd caught breaking news flashes of Jackson's zany mayor busting into residential buildings and wearing Kevlar vests.

Ledger Needs Help Finding Positive Stories

Clarion-Ledger Perspectives Editor David Hampton ends his navel-gazing (and defensive) column this week about why his paper is so bad, and so negative, this way:

Ignorant Fools Pushing Obama Citizenship Rumors

With the country facing problems of epic proportions, dumbass conspiracy theorists who have nothing better to do are pushing the debunked theory that Barack Obama is lying about his U.S. citizenship. Per Politico:

What a Tragic Way to Play a Game

Not long after we started the JFP, a man who had worked in the public domain in the state for many years warned me about something: "You'll have all sorts of weirdos lining up to tell lies about you." The truth is, there haven't been that many. I'm thrilled at how the entire community, including many people whom I disagree with on some major issues, have opened their arms to the JFP and our truth-telling mission. But there have been a small handful (usually who have been kicked off this site for racist or personal attacks) who will try anything to discredit the JFP. The other night a man at a party who is a fan of the JFP laughed and said, "I hear you have some sort of relationship with Robbie Bell."

NAMIWalks for the Mind of America: Help me "Stomp Out The Stigma of Mental Illness"!

I am writing you today to tell you about an upcoming event that I am

I am participating for the third time because I am a member of NAMI, and I have struggled in the past with panic attacks, depression and suicide. Because of my struggles, I have seen the shortcomings in how mental illness is dealt with in our society, and I want to help change that.

Learn English. Worship Britney.

Simply the title of this article should lead you to believe we are now headed towards the downfall of the Western world.