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Mississippi abortion: DAs won’t prosecute for seeking

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Two Mississippi district attorneys say they will not prosecute people who provide or seek abortions

Following the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a federal right to , two Mississippi district attorneys say they will not prosecute those who seek, provide or someone obtain an abortion. 

Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens and District Attorney Shameca Collins, who represents the sixth district for Adams, Amite, Franklin and Wilkinson counties, signed a joint statement published by Fair and Just Prosecutions.  

They join 90 district attorneys and attorneys general from 31 states who pledged to use discretion not to criminalize personal decisions. With the overturn of , individual states can decide how to legislate abortion. 

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“All members of our communities are our clients – they elected us to represent them and we are bound to fight for them as we carry out our obligation to pursue justice,” prosecutors said in the June 24 statement. “Our legislatures may decide to criminalize personal healthcare decisions, but we remain obligated to prosecute only those cases that serve the interests of justice and the people.”

Prosecutors said enforcing abortions bans goes against obligations and interests they are sworn to uphold. They also said it will wear down trust in the legal system, take resources away from prosecuting other crimes, retraumatize victims of sexual violence and hinder prosecutors' ability to hold people accountable for sexual violence. 

Collins, elected in 2019 and whose office is in Natchez, did not respond to a request for comment. Owens, also elected in 2019 and whose office is in Jackson, was not available for comment. 

Other district attorneys who signed the joint statement represent major cities in the South Atlanta, Austin, Birmingham, Dallas, Durham, Nashville, New Orleans and San Antonio. 

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Mississippi is one of 26 states that have or are poised to ban or restrict abortion in most circumstances following the Supreme Court decision, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive research and policy organization. Most of those states are in the South. 

The state is also one of 13 with trigger laws that can go into effect now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Under those laws, people who seek abortions or those who perform them can face felony charges and prison time. 

In Mississippi, a 2007 trigger law will outlaw abortion with two exceptions: when the mother's is in danger or a rape has been reported to law enforcement. 

Anyone who performs an abortion here, other than the pregnant person, can face between one and 10 years in prison, according to state code. 

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Mississippi's trigger law is set to take effect this week after Attorney General Lynn Fitch certified the law June 27. 

A day after the law certification, the Jackson Women's Health Organization – Mississippi's only abortion clinic and the subject of the case that resulted in the Roe decision – filed a lawsuit that argued the trigger law is invalid because of a 1998 state Supreme Court decision said abortion is protected under the state constitution. 

After a Tuesday hearing, Judge Debbra Halford denied the clinic's request to block Mississippi's trigger ban from going into effect. 

Not all of the prosecutors agree about abortion on a personal or moral level, but they said in the joint statement they stand together because they have a responsibility not to use the criminal legal system against people for their medical decisions. 

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“Criminalizing abortion will not end abortion; it will simply end safe abortions, forcing the most vulnerable among us — as well as medical providers — to make impossible decisions,” the prosecutors said.  

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Nettleton hires Houston DC Kyle Bond as next head football coach

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www.wcbi.com – Jon Sokoloff – 2024-03-28 20:51:30

SUMMARY: Nettleton High School has hired Kyle Bond as its new head football coach. With over a decade of coaching experience, Bond started at Kossuth High School in 2012 and has since worked at and Booneville, where he led the team to an undefeated regular season and division championship in 2018. Bond spent the last four seasons as the defensive coordinator at Houston. He takes over from John Ketih, who left to become an assistant principal at New Albany Middle School. Bond's coaching experience and at Houston make him a promising addition to the Nettleton football program.

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Mississippi News

Aberdeen mayoral election: Incumbent Charles Scott

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www.wcbi.com – Allie Martin – 2024-03-28 18:45:46

SUMMARY: Voters in Aberdeen, Mississippi, will head to the polls for municipal elections, with Charles Scott running for reelection against challenger Dwight Stevens. In an interview, Mayor Scott discussed his goals for a second term, highlighting his focus on improvements, youth leadership, and community involvement. He emphasized his experience in the military as preparation for the mayoral role and mentioned his pride in securing grant money for the Aberdeen Port. Scott also outlined plans for Aberdeen Vision 2030, a roadmap for future . The election will take place on Tuesday, with no Republican challenger, meaning the winner will become the next mayor.

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Mississippi News

Mostly clear through Easter weekend – Home – WCBI TV

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www.wcbi.com – Ashleigh Bryant – 2024-03-28 18:26:14

SUMMARY: Clear conditions are expected to continue through the end of the in Columbus, Mississippi. Temperatures will drop into the 30s on Thursday night with possible patchy frost. Friday will bring more sunshine with high temperatures in the low to middle 70s. The will see temperatures pushing towards 80 degrees with no rain expected. Next week, warm and humid will flow into the Deep South, with a of scattered showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday. It is still uncertain if these storms will be severe, but it is being monitored closely.

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