Jackson Jambalaya

It is my guess that RSS is "making hay while the sun shines". Terrible for car owners in Hinds County.

Judge Gowan knows damn well that this person will be a recidivist for life. Go ahead and send him up for a long, long time and get it over with.

If RSS manages to show up as a candidate again, I look forward to voting against him again. I had rather he resign, voluntarily or not.

I have the notion that Judge Gowan may not run again, but if he does . . . .

What is wrong with our judicial system? Serious question. Why will they not work with law enforcement and government officials?

The officials in the judicial system are doing exactly what they know the majority of the voters want them to do. Can't be too hard on that man. He's a victim of the system where the white man is keeping him down, and he's just trying to make it.

the post and the comments all assume that the evidence was strong to prove both cases. I don't know either, but the plea deal screams weak evidence to me. but hey, why pass up a good opportunity to second guess and blast the system?

everyone needs to know that law enforcement in Hinds County is weak and inefficient. prosecutors are constantly asked to make bricks without straw.

Let's help Woodrez turn his life around by getting him a job at Whole Foods, or, better yet, an unpaid internship at the Jackson Free Press.

@ 1:41 - you must have left your reading comprehension skills at home today. Please note: This guy had 9 felony CONVICTIONS. That's CONVICTIONS, not accusations or even indictments...but CONVICTIONS. How much stronger evidence do you need???

Put this boy in jail for 70 years.

It's fascinating that GoldFish can criticize Judge Gowan for this sentencing without even knowing the facts of the case. Were there viable defenses? Was the case against the defendant strong? Were there other factors in the criminal discovery that made this sentence appropriate? Maybe it was a screwed up plea deal but without knowing all the facts how can the "reporter" or anyone else be sure?

Well, I guess the facts shouldn't get in the way of a good story.

Everyone needs to keep in mind that George Soros funded RSS's last re-election campaign.

2:06 my reading skills are fine. are yours? nine prior convictions aren't part of the evidence in these two new cases. forensics, witnesses, and physical evidence is required. the prior convictions can be admissible under limited circumstances that a smart defense attorney eliminates. IF the First District jury convicts after a trial, THEN the nine convictions become relevant for the Judge in deciding on a punishment. That decision is taken away from the Judge if the State proves nine priors because the law then REQUIRES that the defendant get the maximum statutory time OR, if a violent habitual offender, LIFE without parole or other early release.

now review this post to make sure you read correctly before you make another idiotic post...

We also don't know @2:24, without knowing all the facts, whether it is true or not that you abuse animals and members of your family.

The judge is smart enough to know that his constituents will not vote for him if he locks up their innocent babies.

To listen to the naysayers and KF's detractors, the Hinds County criminal justice system is a well-oiled law and order machine.

Enjoy the bag y'all are holding. It gets heavier every year as Hinds County and Jackson drain population elsewhere.

He must have used the Hillary defense. He didn't mean to do it, all nine times, it was an accidental event.

I sure hope next time, he doesn't break into the Mayah's Cah....

This is exactly why I move far away

I've got my carpenters tool kit on. Who would like to help me build this fine gentleman a Habitat home in Madison or Rankin County?

Kingfish, it's time you started to post photos of these judges so we can pick them out at church or social events, just like you post mugshots.

Great idea @5:23. Sometimes I think the judges are criminal in their behavior by turning these thugs loose on society time and time again. I don't like my tax dollars giving these low life criminals a bed and three squares any more than the next guy, but some people just don't belong on the streets. Lock 'em up, PLEASE!

Bill Gowan is a white male, mid 70s, grey hair that is either a wig or greatly in need of a cut. He stands stooped and around 6 ft. at appx. 195lbs. South Jackson type. Buddies with Mac, Peters, Bluntson and that ole crew. He therefore supports RSS and company. You get the picture. He has made his living on the backs of the taxpayers and all that comes with a little power, i.e. medium sized fish in a small pond.

It is not the job of the judiciary to "work with law enforcement". Quite to the contrary.

5:23

Judge Gowans picture is on line you dolt.

Best be careful how closely you choose to target our judiciary....lest you wind up in cuffs for stalking and harassment.

Feel free to campaign....but this physical threatening is out of bounds.

Soft judges make hardened criminals.

This judgeship is the first job Gowan has had where he has to show up and stick around for a few hours.

@2:24, strong enough evidence or not. If you're able to "possibly" get felony charges brought against you 11 times, there is no way your ass is in any way innocent. That's like saying you were in 11 wrecks but your driving history is impeccable and it was always the other persons fault. Where there's smoke, there's fire and 11 convictions means you're a piece of trash. I could care less about any other details.

9:18, no one is saying this guy is innocent. we can agree that he is a thug whose only activity is being a criminal.

but you seem pretty dense to lack the understanding that each crime charges have elements that must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, and the criminal history is NOT one of those elements. criminal history is almost never heard by a jury. the state has to go forward with the proof; if that proof is weak, the prosecutor has to decide if a conviction and some jail time is better that risking an acquittal, a common result in the First Judicial District of Hinds County. the defendant has to assess the risk of going to trial and maybe getting convicted and getting maxed out because of the criminal history, or getting sent away as an habitual offender. your childish assumption that because of a long criminal history, a conviction is almost automatic, is laughable to anyone that has actually toiled in the Hinds criminal justice system, prosecutor or defense counsel. I understand the frustration and agree the system sucks in Hinds County. but attempting to lay the blame on just judges, or just prosecutors, or just police won't change anything. in my opinion, nothing is going to change and Jackson is the south's Detroit.

They've pleaded cases out just like this for time served where the defendant was a habitual and it had zero to do with the evidence. It's a pattern. RSS needs to resign if he gives a a damn about this hellhole of a city.

Judges like this need to find a new job more in their line of thought. Maybe something in the Library. They have no place in law enforcement. We need new judges that know and understand the law. Judges that want to protect the crime victims instead of the criminals.

No, 10:07 I am not ignorant. I know how it works, but if you've been accused that many time, you need to have your ass locked up for good. I know the legal system doesn't allow for common sense judgment, but in my opinion it should. If you get accused and charged of sexual harassment 11 times, you should be locked up for such.

1007, all true but the question to me is dropping the habitual in accepting this plea. His history does count there; that's the definition of habitual. RSS made sure it wasn't a part of the plea so that he could stick his finger in Fishers eye. Gowan shouldn't have accepted that part. If these charges, with his history isn't habitual we don't need that in the code.

Keep in mind that most of his convictions were kept out of the indictment this time but were mentioned in other indictment.

@1:16...in response to question "What is wrong with our judicial system? Serious question. Why will they not work with law enforcement and government officials?" the answer is they can't. Out tripartite system comprises an Executive Branch, a Legislative Branch, and a Judicial Branch. Each has a distinct function and the function of a Judge is not to sit as a prosecutor nor is to police our streets, nor is it to rewrite the statutes. A Judge must remain fair and impartial in his deliberations and stay within the scope of his branch of government. Judge William Gowan is a well-reasoned and learned Judge who exercises great care is seeing that his Court operates within the very fundamental mandates the Constitution, giving both the State and the Defendant an opportunity to present their case to the Court. When the State's case cannot and does not support the allegations in an indictment, the Judge cannot speculate as to facts that are not before him, nor can he punish a Defendant for things that have not have happened. The fact that a person comes before the Court as an habitual has little if anything to do with the underlying facts and charges of the indictment that is the subject of the plea. The alternative is take every case to trial including this one, get NOT GUILTY and release the Defendant at a huge cost to the taxpayers. Compromise is the only way to efficiently manage the Hinds County dockets given the sheer size of the caseloads. That being said, Judge Gowan does an exemplary job on the bench.

Gowan is a hack and everyone knows it. Any honest judge that cares about the public would have sent this habitual criminal away for a long time. He didn't. That is all there is to it and making excuses will not help.

This boy needs a chance at rehab. Chris Epps put all kinds of programs in place to help the weekend-offender like this boy. Get off his back! Who knows....he might one day be a project manager in the City of Jackson. With a GED he could serve on the Airport Board. He could run papers across town for Ben Allen. Y'all too quick to judge and slow to recognize latent talent. That's all I got to say.

@4:32...your intelligent comment lets us know 1 of 2 things...you are either stupid (in which case there is no cure) or you are ignorant ... In which case you need to go to college, graduate with a GPA that will get you into law school, then go to law school and graduate... then take the bar exam and actually pass the bar... Then you can comment on what real lawyers do.... Otherwise you need to just go home and be quiet

10:21, go home and shut up is what most of the people left in Jackson already do. They do not have any other choice. Law enforcement in Jackson is a joke, a bad joke. Expecting them to do their job is called racist.

You do not have to go to law school to know someone is a crook. Their actions will tell this to anyone with common sense.

Let me guess, you are part of the system. You just hope everyone will go home and shut up so they will not notice the piss poor job you are doing.

10:21, you are spot-on! I suppose 4:32 can hit a curveball too. And score 10 under par at the Masters. And kick a 75 yard field goal to win the Super Bowl.

Some people have.no idea.what they are.talking about. The frustration is appropriate, but 4:32's solution just doesn't take account hoe the law actually works. But, vitriol and angst sometimes triumph over lack of k owledge

More of a reason to be armed while in Hinds County. Catch this piece of trash stealing from you? Put a couple rounds in him and make it so that we don't have to worry about the thieves and thugs anymore. If more people in Hinds County started killing these criminals then there would be less criminals.