Jackson Jambalaya

 Kenneth I. Stokes is at it again.  The Ward 3 Jackson City Councilman said "I'll cut that bitch out" during a city council meeting after a woman in the audience said something about his mother.   

Bedlam ensued as a mob tried to take over the meeting.  JPD Chief Rashall Brackney tried to shut down the meeting but Council President Vernon Hartley resisted.    The Council voted 4-3 to recess the meeting for an hour. 

The video and transcript are posted below.  It should be noted that Ward 4 Councilman Bryan Grizzell, he of estrogen fame, was the first member of the Council to leave the room while the female 

Transcript 

Council President: "Please, now, you had your three minutes and that's it. Right now, the councilman from this... is speaking. Please respect and honor that. Please."

Councilman Stokes: "Mr. President, you don't have to keep asking them not to speak. We speaking for poor people. We gonna speak for those citizens that still drive Bailey Avenue with no lights on the bridge. We gonna speak for those people who drive on Fortification Street with no lights on the bridge. We gonna speak for those people who live on Mayes Street where the bridge is closed. We understand you bougies think y'all better than the poor, and you want to come here and say we don't need money. We have an item on the agenda, where we gonna ask this Mayor, listen to anybody who want to come to this city and bring some money to help these poor people and these poor neighborhoods. Our streets need to be paved too... And you think we gonna keep turning down the money, let Brandon get it, let Richland get it, let Rankin County and Madison County get it, and the only thing we get in Jackson is excuses? Hell yeah let's do some datacenters. Bring some money to Jackson. And I'm ready to vote. Thank you."

Council President: "That concludes the introductions of ordinances..."

Councilman Stokes: "Mr. President. Now she did mention my mama. My mama taught school, and she was a good lady. Now I don't fight women, and I'll never fight 'em. But I'll cut that b**** out."

(The crowd erupts in shock; attendees stand up and begin shouting)

Councilman Stokes: "She talked about my mama! She talked about my mama! Y'all take the rags off your head, y'all not Muslims!"

(The crowd continuously chants "Kick him out!" for nearly a full minute as police attempt to restore order)

Police Officer: "Would everyone please be seated. We have a meeting to conduct here. Please be seated. Lower our voices so that the meeting can continue... If this meeting cannot be conducted in a right, decent manner, we will have to close the doors for public safety and everyone will be moved to the outside... If there is another interruption or disruption of a public meeting, I will clear this room."

Councilwoman: "Hold on a minute, please be seated. At some point we need to learn some manners in the city of Jackson. It doesn't matter who's the president or who's in charge... we need to learn some manners in the city of Jackson, okay? We need to respect everybody... And we need to recess and go home for the day."

Council President: "No, we are not going to do that, we are going to conduct the business of the people. We will not allow 15 seconds, 20 seconds heated things to interrupt the other two hours that we have to go and pay the bills and doing the business of the city. We will not."

Councilwoman: "Wait a minute... We have to be respectful. I'm a woman, and we have to respect each other. We can't call women out their name... I think everybody needs to take a recess, just like the chief said, and get ourself under control, okay?"

(A motion is made and seconded to recess the meeting for an hour)

Council President: "It's been properly moved and second that we recess for an hour. Discussion, council members."

Councilwoman: "Mr. President, what's the position of you as the president of the council?"

Council President: "I am in control of the meeting. I direct the meeting... we try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. But what we're asking is please, let's do stuff decently and in order. Councilman Stokes, please. Concerning your behavior, sir."

Council President: "The motion on the floor is that we recess for an hour... Colleagues, what is your will? Shall we recess for an hour? All in favor? ... All opposed? It's been voted four to three that we recess for an hour. We are recessed."