Jackson Jambalaya

Why does such a 'low level' court hear a capital murder case initially? Isn't that a waste of time and resources. What if some rogue JP were to dismiss the charges with prejudice?

Justice courts and municipal courts are permitted to hold preliminary hearings. However, they can be transferred to a county court, and in a Capital case probably should be, since that is a court of record. However, no judge can dismiss a case at a preliminary hearing with prejudice. If a case is dismissed at the preliminary hearing stage it can still be indicted.

You can rest assured Bruce McKinley will take appropriate action these 3. They will not leave the jail for this. Madison County has video arraignment.

On another note.....the captcha verification here is getting to be a pain in the ass.

So 8:15 Why do justice courts and municipal courts get involved if they simply rubber stamp and move on with no authority to dismiss and still have an indictment? I really do not understand. It seems like nothing but a money pit.

Thank God this is in Madison County. And 8:26am, I agree, sometimes I find that using a moniker every now and then helps. But...without a captcha, we would see lots of spam I'm guessing. And spam is like herpes, once you get it, it's impossible to get rid of. That's why you stay out of those bars, I mean use captchas.

8:56
I agree that all JPs ( So called Justice Court Judges ) should be attorneys. However, if you really want to clog the system and cost a huge increase in the cost then require all felony preliminary hearings to be had in County or Circuit Courts. IMHO

the lower court hearings are done to comply with due process. County and Circuit Courts are too busy to tend to these tasks. if a defendant is incarcerated, as these are, they get a perfunctory preliminary hearing in which the state must prove probable cause [more likely than not] that 1. a felony crime was committed; and 2. the defendant participated in or actually committed the felony crime. the lower court also reviews bond, or denial thereof.

I'm not sure you can do a preliminary hearing using the video system.

I am no attorney, but can a corrupt Justice court judge dismiss charges??? If so, this type of activity will and probably has occurred in the Mississippi justice court system. I think Hinds county would be a probable site for something like this to happen. I know this case is in Madison county.

12:30....8:15 (above) said no.

These people are often not even attorneys. This is like going to someone in ninth grade algebra to do your taxes. Complete waste of time and resources (money).

Nothing but a rubber stamp and we have all manner of people in the room from transcriptionist to deputies to bailiffs to junior district attorneys there observing to other county employees gawking so they can get on Facebook and say they were there. We are paying their salaries to attend these useless proceedings.

12:30, in a prior career I've been "home-cooked" plenty of times in Justice Court. Most of the time I knew the law better than the "Judge," and they would hand out endless continuances and make unconstitutional rulings or issue orders beyond their scope. One time I was asked to revise a material fact in affidavit in order to help the Judge's friend out - when I reminded him that he could be charged with suborning perjury, he seemed to change his tune. I asked him if was going to recuse himself, and we all know that ended... And, as an aside, complaints to the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance go largely unheard.

As long as these dudes burn, I don't care how the dish is prepared. Oh yea, how's that conspiracy theory coming along that this was retaliation? KF, did you go to this thing at 9?

Even if the MS Commision on Judicial Performance finds that a Judge of any level acted illegally or unethically, the MS Sup. Court just reverses the ruling of the MCOJP.

Judge McKinley is an attorney.

a corrupt JP could finally dismiss a misdemeanor over which he has jurisdiction; however, could NOT "dismiss" a felony before the court on a preliminary hearing. he could release the defendant, but the case could still be indicted by the grand jury and the defendant re-arrested. there are no double jeopardy issues when a felony is before a JP.

1:51; You sound like you have an air tight opinion; however, we do not know how the retaliation theory 'worked out' since it has not 'worked out' yet. Are you foretelling what will happen in court before trial date off sometimes ten months from now?

5:30, i'm just still racking my brain on how a 6 yr old becomes a bargaining chip for any act whatsoever. kidnap, sure. murder, huh?!?! I am just not a believer in the court process bringing out details such as these. If the investigative reporters haven't cracked it yet, I fear that the case is going to grow cold and this will just be treated as a singular incident....anyway, I just hope these guys fry big time....either John Wayne Gacy-style or Jeffrey Dahmer-style (the law or the Lawd)

9:45 - I'm 5:30. I am in agreement with you that we hope these guys fry big time. I just want to be sure the skillet is large enough to accommodate all who deserve to be in the grease.

Meanwhile, the momma is pictured in the Clarion today, surrounded by family who proclaim her innocense. But, where's the receipt and video of the purchases during her stay in Kroger?

Anybody remember Casey Anthony?