Jackson Jambalaya

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The New York Times was nice enough to post online all of the evidence presented to the grand jury in the Mike Brown case.  Testimony, police reports, photos, its all there.  Read it all here.

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Warden, consultant, prison wizard, former state senator, lobbyist Irb Benjamin said his recent resignation as warden of the Alcorn and Grenada County jails had nothing to do with the MDOC scandal.  Emily Le Coz at the Clarion-Ledger followed up JJ post last week about the sudden termination of jail-management contracts by Mr. Benjamin with some new information.

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IF you are bored and have nothing to do today,  here is the complete video of the GOP debate for the Ward 1 City Council candidates held Monday night at Bellwether Church.   Enjoy.

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Hate it when this happens.

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Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn's comments about race, crime, and protestors on November 6 went viral this week.   The video and transcript are posted below.

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Losing Hinds County Circuit Judge candidate Ali Shamsid-Deen filed a petition to challenge his loss to Judge Jeff Weill in Hinds County Circuit Court  last Monday.  The Mississippi Supreme Court appointed Neshoba County Circuit Judge Vernon Cotten to hear the challenge.   The county website states the results were:

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Time for some MDOC porn. JJ obtained the contracts and payments to Keefe Commissary Network and G.T. Enterprises through a public records request. Keefe earned over $40 million and G.T. over $3 million in gross revenue through MDOC inmate services.

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The Jackson Zoo offers free admission on Thanksgiving Day as a thank you to the community! Bring your family to visit with our Zoo family on Thanksgiving! The Zoo is filled with family fun adventure for all ages. Have the kids work up an appetite or come "walk off" the Thanksgiving meal. Either way, the animals will be glad to see you!

The train and carousel will be open ($2.00) 

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The Kingfish discussed all kinds of groovy things such as littering, father-rape, and whether someone who has been arrested is moral enough to kill people.

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Here are the October crime stats for Rankin County:

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Read 'em & weep:

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UPDATE:  JJ has confirmed that security cameras at JA and a nearby home show the perp was a white male wearing a hoodie.  Not racially motivated.  

Jackson Academy was vandalized with spray paint last night:

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A Facebook post making the rounds claims a woman's husband was robbed at gunpoint and beaten "near Baptist" hospital and accuses JPD of incompetence as well.  However, the police reports tell a different story.

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Hinds County Republican Party Executive Committee Chairman Pete Perry issued the following press release:

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I slacked off a little bit and didn't post the rest of the questions from the forum for the Ward 1 candidates for city council.  This particular question dealt with rentals and blighted properties. 

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Ward 1 City Council candidate Charles Barbour issued the following press release:

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Update: JJ confirmed with Grenada County Board of Supervisors President Chad Bridges that Mr. Benjamin informed the board on October 27 that he was terminating the management contract to operate the Grenada County jail.  The letter is posted below.

Original post on November 22, 2014: 

A former lobbyist for Mississippi Prison Industries resigned his position as warden of the Alcorn County jail yesterday.  WTVA reported:

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Governor Phil Bryant said this about President Obama's Executive Order on illegal immigrants:

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WLBT reported on the dismissed indictment of Marlon Williams last night in this video:

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Governor Phil Bryant issued the following press release:

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Bob Higginbottom switched his voter registration to Ward 1 two days before the qualifying deadline for the Ward 1 City Council race.   Hinds County voting records state Mr. Higginbottom was registered to vote at the Medger Evers precinct prior to November 10, 2014.  Mr. Higginbottom became prominent as a defender of Frank Melton during his administration. Hinds County tax records do not show Mr. Higginbottom as owning any property.  He is the only black candidate in the race. His Medgar Evers address was a property owned by Constable John Brown.  The Fernwood property is owned by the Reverend Jeffrey Stallworth.  He does get around. 

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Secretary of State Gibbert Hosemann issued the following press release:

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Marshall Wolfe just pleaded guilty in federal court to bankruptcy fraud. Judge Carlton Reeves scheduled his sentencing for December 8.  Read this earlier post for coverage of his indictment and JJ's reporting of possible bankruptcy fraud in 2009.  The notice of intent to plead  guilty is posted below.

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The Hinds County District Attorney  dropped several charges against Marlon Williams after it claimed the state could not meet its burden of proof for conviction.  Hind County Deputies arrested him on March 19 for possession of 25 lbs of marijuana and possession of a handgun during the commission of a felony.  A grand jury indicted him on August 20 on the two charges.  However, the District Attorney filed an order of Nolle Prosequi on September 15 to dismiss the case.  The order stated:

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Stand your ground or compromise? Tis the question always asked by politicians.   Wall Street Journal political columnist Gerald Sieb reported a substantial increase across the board in the number of voters who favored compromise in a poll conducted by the newspaper.  Mr. Seib wrote:

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The Kingfish discussed Mr. Kenneth Stokes today.

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This is a re-post from March 19. It is your homework assignment today. We will explain why tomorrow.

The Hinds County Sheriff's office busted a drug operation at Williams Complete Car Care on 1555 W. Northside Drive tonight.  Deputies seized 25 lbs. of marijuana (street value is $6,200), a handgun, cash, scales, and other paraphernalia. This was the third drug bust made by Hinds County deputies today and the fifth one this week.  Deputies arrested Marlon Williams (35), Joshua Holly (29), Curtis Bozeman (33), and Odarron Washington (22).  The charges are possession of marijuana with intent to distribute while in possession of a firearm.

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A Hinds County grand jury indicted little Frank Williams on three counts of house burglary in October.  JJ reported Mr. Williams' criminal history in an earlier post.  The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Jeff Weill. He is represented by Hinds County public defender Michelle Purvis.  Mr. Williams lives at 5326 Clair Street.  He was "no-billed" twice by grand juries earlier this year.  He has been arrested several times for suspected burglaries and aggravated assault.  The indictments charge him with committing house burglaries against the following homeowners:

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Google Kenneth Stokes's home address and voila:

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 Update: The home is owned by a Fabian Nelson according to Hinds County landrolls.

750 Parks Road Place sits just outside of Byram in a nice neighborhood. The house has become a major eyesore, however.  The house lacks a roof. The resident clear cut over 100 trees and left nothing but stumps in their place.  The neighbors complain to the county.  The county decides to take action.  Nothing could go wrong, right?   Enter Kenneth Stokes and the lawyer for the homeowner.  Well, here is a preview of a later post.  Stokes, cross-burnings, and picking on someone because he is black.  What could possibly go wrong? See for yourself.

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Governor Phil Bryant issued the following press release:

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A writer from the Kaiser Health News blasted Mississippi's rejection of Obamacare in a "Letter from Mississippi" published in Politico.  Sarah Varney makes some good points but engages in a little bit of advocacy journalism as there is one thing missing from her story: interviews from the other side.  In this case, the other side are people who oppose establishing Obamacare or expanding Medicaid in Mississippi.  Having said that, the article is fairly in-depth in nature and worth reading.  Some excerpts:

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The MDOC scandal made it to the national media.  The New York Times reported:

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State just can't get any respect from the media.

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The Mississippi House Democrats issued the following press release:

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Sports Illustrated just reported that Florida fired football head coach Will Muschamp. His firing might have something to do with plays like this one that took place yesterday:

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Ashby Foote has experience at attacking wasteful spending at the highest levels in corporate America.   He is committed to bringing that insight and ‘sunlight” to Jackson’s city finances if elected to represent Ward 1 on the Jackson City Council.  Here is an example from an op ed he authored in the Clarion Ledger in July 2012.

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This is scary.  I wonder how well these brats would know the answer to these questions if we had a draft.

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Hello Peoples.  Here is another edition of Sanders Speaks for you Caucasians.

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or so he thinks.  Indicted? No problem.  Wear gold Rolex to court.  Lose house and condo? No problem.  Lose cars? No problem. Just go get another Benz. Yup, the day after Mr. Epps appeared at his arraignment last week, he went out and got another Benz. Wife got to have a car, you see.  The Clarion-Ledger reported:

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It looks like Br'er Haley  got into a briar patch of his own making.  Politico reported:

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Senator Roger Wicker issued the following press release:

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No bid contracts seem to be the norm instead of the exception in Mississippi.  The Wall Street Journal gave Mississippi some nice publicity yesterday.  It seems our Department of Education awarded a no-bid contract for Common Core testing after it was rejected by the contract review board.

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The deadline for qualifying for the race to replace Quentin Whitwell was at 5:00 PM today.  The candidates are:

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Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber issued the following press release:

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Raphael, Murillo, and Michelangelo echo through St. Peter's Cathedral in downtown Jackson.  Father Charles Oliver supervised its construction in 1900.  The red brick building sits across from the Governor's Mansion, its stained glass a window into the Christian past.  The stained glass windows are copied from the works of Raphael and other masters. The cathedral was completely renovated in 2009.  The marble for the altars came from the same quarry used by Michelangelo.  Jackson Jambalaya commissioned local photographer Rick Guy to photograph the cathedral. The pictures of the stained glass windows were shot during the day unless otherwise specified.  Many thanks to the Catholic Diocese of Jackson for its cooperation in this project. History of the cathedral.  

Note: If using a mobile phone, please view pictures on a larger screen. Click on each photo to enlarge.

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Here are the September 2014 crime stats for Rankin County:

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WAPT reported Northpark Mall will open on Thanksgiving Day:

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Here is an off-beat story of sorts as told by a survivor of the Battle of the Bulge.

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Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood issued the following press release:

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Management & Training Corporation (MTC) stated in a press release it terminated its relationship with Cecil McCrory, and threw former MDOC Commissioner Chris Epps under the bus, in a statement issued yesterday.  The Seethespending.org website states MTC earned  $104,668,361 from MDOC to operate several prisons.  MDOC payments to MTC do not appear on the website of the Department of Finance and Administration.*JJ obtained a copy of the statement from MTC and posted it below. The emphasis added is mine.

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Don't park in your front yard if you live in Madison.  The Madison Board of Alderman adopted the International Property Maintenance Code last week.  The Board also amended  Section 302.8.1 (p. 8 below) to include :

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Robin Mayfield filed trespassing charges against three Madison police officers on November 3 in Madison County Justice Court.  She is the wife of now-deceased Mark Mayfield.  She accused officers Vickie Currie, Scott Dean, and Chuck Harrison of entering her home without permission after she reported her husband's suicide on June 27, 2014.

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Governor Phil Bryant issued the following press release:

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Stupid ***** of the day.  Warning: language. 

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 The death spiral continues.  KiOR issued the following press release:

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Dumbass of the day, make that year, in last night's Oregon-Utah game:

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Joshua Cecil McCrory apparently represented MDOC, MDOC employees, and Keefe Commissary services in MDOC-related lawsuits. He is the son of Cecil McCrory.  A review of federal court filings revealed Mr. McCrory's role as an attorney in these lawsuits:

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The District at Eastover issued the following press release:

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Lelia Drive this morning.  Too bad its not oil.

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Governor Phil Bryant issued the following press release:

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Looks like Representative Cecil Brown (D-Xanadu) is taking some baby steps towards running for Public Service Commissioner.

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We've had some major serious stuff happen the last 24 hours so here is a break: Out-squatting the squatter.

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Here are the crime stats for Jackson for the week ending October 19, 2014:

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MDOC issued the following press release:

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U.S. District Judge Keith Ball set bond at $25,000 each for defendants Chris Epps and Cecil McCrory.  A grand jury indicted the pair in August for 49 counts of various charges, although the indictment was sealed until today.  The charges are listed in the press release posted below. Mr. Epps resigned his position as MDOC Commissioner yesterday while Mr. McCrory resigned his position on the Rankin County School Board earlier this week.  The scene in the courtroom was surreal as one of the most powerful men in state government stood as a defendant at the mercy of a judge. Both men appeared in suits as they were not in custody. 

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Copy of indictment is posted below. 

Highlights: 
-McCrory spent over $350,000 (allegedly) to pay off  Epp's home mortgage
-Epps awarded numerous no-bid contracts to companies owned or represented by McCrory. 
-Feds seek forfeiture of all Epp's properties, cars, and funds for tax evasion. 
-Epps & McCrory had a kickback scheme making monthly payments based on "consulting" fees. 
-Epps and McCrory used a money laundering scheme  
-McCrory served on the Penitentiary Committee in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1990-96.

A federal grand jury indicted former MDOC Commissioner Chris Epps and former Rankin County School Board President Cecil McRory on 49 counts of fraud, tax evasion, .  Here are the highlights from the indictment:

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The U.S. Attorney issued the following press release:

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I am working on the post right now and it will take some time to scan and upload the documents, but here is the nutshell version.

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Update: JJ confirmed Mr. McCrory is linked to the federal investigation for former MDOC Commissioner Chris Epps. 

Rankin County School Board President Cecil McCrory resigned his position yesterday. Mr. McCrory owns several companies that provide telephone and commissary services to prisons such as G T Enterprises of Ms, Correctional Communications of Ms, and Mississippi Correctional Communications.  A 2011 PEER report criticized MDOC for issuing  a "no-bid" contract to G T in 2007 even though it was legal.  The report stated G T  was the largest provider of canteen goods for MDOC.  MDOC awarded a similar contract to Keefe Commissary Network, LLC in 2008. 

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The Washington *#$% published an excellent story on how the Republicans took the Senate. There is even a blurb on the McDaniel-Cochran race. Long read but worth it for the polijunkies.

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This is the election night thread.  Will the Tea Party help Childers beat Cochran?  Will Ali and his barbarian hordes run Weill back to Lelia Drive? Can Skinner keep his seat and his tan? Will the Republicans take the Senate? Stay tuned.

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Ali Shamsid-Deen peeps are handing out these sample ballots at the Belhaven College precinct:

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Mayor Tony Yarber just issued the following press release:

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These flyers about Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler appeared on cars in several church parking lots last Sunday:

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Tom Magliozzi of Car Talk died today.  Listened to his show on NPR for years. He will be missed. Here is one classic: The Andy Letter:

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The Lefleur East Foundation held a forum for the candidates for Ward 1 City Council.  Former WLBT news director Dennis Smith moderated the event.  JJ is posting the video of the forum by question.  Here are the candidates on crime.

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Melanie Sojourner actually filed her annual campaign finance report:

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Keisha Redmond accused JPD of killing her 15-year old daughter Keonna in a "high speed chase".  Keonna died in a stolen car that crashed into a tree after police stopped the car.  JPD states the driver drove off in the car after the police officer got out of the car and that there was no chase.  However, JJ obtained a picture of the deceased that casts "baby" in a different light.

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The Daily Mail (UK) published a story recently about how an elderly man lay dying in the hospital- until his dog was found.  The newspaper reported:

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Our favorite little radfem is back to write about her vision of Utopia: a world without men. I mean this lady is talking about euthanizing  most men and lowering their life spans of those who survive.

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The Special Committee on Judicial Election Campaign Intervention issued a cease and desist against Hinds County Circuit Judge candidate Ali Shamsid-Deen, as well as a cease and desist order yesterday.  The committee ordered Mr. Shamsid-Deen to stop using campaign materials that are "misleading" and imply that "he is the incumbent Circuit Court Judge."  The order and press release are posted below.  The committee states Mr. Shamsid-Deen ignored the order.   The committee also ordered Mr. Shamsid-Deen to stop using materials showing his picture along side that of Travis Childers.  Mr. Childers is the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.

The press release states:

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Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following press release:

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