Mississippi News
‘We can’t wait for another death’: Judge rules Hinds County must appoint receiver to manage its jail
‘We can't wait for another death': Judge rules receiver will be appointed to manage Hinds County jail
A federal receiver will be appointed to manage the Hinds County jail, a federal judge ruled Friday.
U.S. District Court Judge Carlton Reeves wrote officials have received multiple chances to fix the Raymond jail, but they have been unable to. The court will appoint a receiver by Nov. 1.
“We can't wait for continued destruction of the facilities,” Reeves wrote in his 26-page order. “We can't wait for the proliferation of more contraband. We can't wait for more assaults. We can't wait for another death. The time to act is now. There is no other choice, unfortunately.”
Receivership, a form of intervention by the federal court to take an institution out of the hands of local or state management, was an option considered during three weeks of hearings at the federal courthouse in Jackson earlier this year. Hernandez Stroud, counsel for the Justice Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, said receivership for county jails is uncommon, the Clarion Ledger reported.
The decision to appoint a receiver comes years after the U.S. Department of Justice investigated the jail and settled with the county to come up with a consent decree, whose goal was to help Hinds County address unconstitutional issues at the jail.
Hinds County Board of Supervisors President Credell Calhoun said Friday the county will work with its attorneys to come up with an action plan about receivership.
The county and U.S. Department of Justice can submit ideas for powers and duties of the receiver, but ultimately what the receiver can do will be up to the court.
Calhoun said despite the decision, current members of the board have made progress at the jail, including making plans to build a new one.
“We've done a lot to improve the facility since this board was sworn in, and we think we've made a lot of progress in the jail,” he said.
In his order, Reeves said the county has spent millions of dollars on the jail, but that hasn't fixed conditions. He also said building a new jail won't fix unconstitutional issues occurring now.
In April, Reeves issued an injunction to scale back the county's consent decree. During a press conference at the time, Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones said the lifted decree was “a step in the right direction.”
By May, the county indicated that it planned to appeal.
Attorneys for the county filed a motion for reconsideration for a March contempt order Reeves filed against officials for failing to fix problems at the jail, which Reeves denied in his Friday order.
A July 19 hearing was a last chance for the county to offer evidence that jail conditions were being addressed, Reeves said. Testimony and evidence showed a risk of harm remains at the Hinds County Detention Center, he wrote.
A team of court appointed monitors have visited the jail since 2016 and offered ways to help the county comply with the consent decree. Reeves said the monitoring team will stop its work once a receiver is appointed.
“After ample time and opportunity, regretfully, it is clear that the County is incapable, or unwilling, to handle its affairs,” Reeves wrote in his Friday order. “The County's motion for reconsideration is denied. Additional intervention is required. It is time to appoint a receiver.”
Read the full ruling here:
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Warm and quiet weekend ahead – Home – WCBI TV
SUMMARY: The week in Columbus, Mississippi is ending with warm temperatures in the 80s, which will continue into the weekend. Friday night will be warm and pleasant with temperatures dropping to 63 degrees under partly to mostly cloudy skies. Saturday will be warm and nice with highs in the low to mid-80s and a gusty southeast wind. Sunday will see highs in the low-80s with the possibility of gusty winds. Next week, rain and the chance of strong storms are forecasted for Monday afternoon, with possible showers on Tuesday and Wednesday. Highs will remain in the 80s throughout the week.
The post Warm and quiet weekend ahead – Home – WCBI TV appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Mississippi police were at odds as they searched for missing man, widow says
SUMMARY: Dau Mabil, a Sudanese Civil War refugee, went missing in Mississippi, leading to a blame game between the Capitol Police and Jackson Police Department on the stalled investigation. His body was found by fishermen in a river, but the circumstances leading to his death remain unclear. The two police agencies were criticized for not cooperating in the search efforts, despite recent joint crime-curbing initiatives. A legal dispute arose between Mabil's widow and her brother-in-law over the handling of his autopsy. The police agencies are still investigating the case, with a court awaiting further information before considering an independent autopsy.
The post Mississippi police were at odds as they searched for missing man, widow says appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Two arrested for stealing AT&T internet lines in Adams County
SUMMARY: Two individuals, Joshua Peebles and Tiffany Vickers, were arrested in Adams County for stealing copper by cutting AT&T internet lines. This was the second time in two weeks that deputies had responded to internet lines being cut. The suspects admitted to stealing 143 feet of internet lines on both occasions. They were arrested in Claiborne County during a traffic stop, and stolen property and burglary tools were recovered. Peebles and Vickers are facing charges of felony possession of stolen property in Claiborne County, as well as grand larceny and larceny charges in Adams County, resulting in approximately $10,000 in damages from each incident.
The post Two arrested for stealing AT&T internet lines in Adams County appeared first on www.wjtv.com
-
228Sports6 days ago
From Heartbreak to Hoop Dreams: Pascagoula Panthers Springboard from Semifinal Setback to College Courts
-
Mississippi News6 days ago
2 dead, 6 hurt in shooting at Memphis, Tennessee block party: police
-
Local News2 days ago
Sister of Mississippi man who died after police pulled him from car rejects lawsuit settlement
-
Mississippi News5 days ago
Forest landowners can apply for federal emergency loans
-
Mississippi Today2 days ago
At Lake High School in Scott County, the Un-Team will never be forgotten
-
Mississippi News4 days ago
Cicadas expected to takeover north Mississippi counties soon
-
Mississippi News3 days ago
Viewers make allegations against Hatley teacher, school district releases statement – Home – WCBI TV
-
Mississippi News5 days ago
Nationwide health alert issued for ground beef over potential E. coli risk