Jackson Jambalaya

Here are the latest crime stats for Jackson for the week ending February 15, 2015:

Here is one of the best football games ever. Miami Dolphins v. San Diego Chargers.  NFL Playoffs.   2 OT's.  24-0 lead blown.  Dolphins go up by two scores and lose.  Kellen Winslow blocking field goals and being carried off the field each time. Hook and Ladder. Even Joe Piscopo at halftime. Bryant Gumbel before he was a snob.  Enjoy.

JPD arrested yet another star graduate of the Hinds County Catch & Release Program. Undra Harper was charged with attempting to steal a car from the parking lot of the ER at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson. His criminal history shows a pattern of indictments, low bonds, and no prosecutions. JPD issued this press release:

Madison County Tax Assessor Gerald Barber just issued the following press release:

The Mississippi Democratic Party issued the following press release:

State Senator Josh Harkins (R-Xanadu) announced his re-election bid in this press release:

The Wall Street Journal's Jason Riley argues that Moynihan was right in his predictions about the breakdown in the black family and its effect on society.  Talk to cops, judges, and anyone else who works in the criminal justice system and they will say that absentee fathers are a leading factor  in youths who engage in a life of crime.  One observation was rather penetrating:

In 2012 the poverty rate for all blacks was more than 28%, but for married black couples it was 8.4% and has been in the single digits for two decades.

The Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance issued this press release:

Governor Phil Bryant issued the following press release:

Local attorney Vicky Slater announced her candidacy for Governor:

 Accused killer Marcus Mallett was released from prison on November 21, 2014 due to a grant of parole.  He was convicted in Madison County on August 3, 2011 of several felonies and sentenced to serve 12 years in prison.  He was later indicted in Hinds County for escape and several charges of auto burglary.  Clinton PD issued a "detainer" on Mallett.  Clinton PD withdrew the detainer on November 13, 2014 as he had served his short sentence.  However, records show the Parole Board was not aware of the withdrawal nor that it was related to the expired sentence and released Mallett- thinking he was going to stay in the criminal justice system.  JPD charged him with allegedly killing 21 year-old Shanitra Ramsey on February 5.  JPD also charged him for shooting Ramsey's friend several times as he fled the scene. .

JPD issued the following press release for the robbery at the Exxon by I-55 on Northside Drive:

Clarion-Ledger Executive Editor Sam Hall appeared on the show.

 Update: The post did not include the victim's injuries.  The victim suffered a tripoid fracture to her cheekbone and still suffers nerve damage on one side of her face and pain in her jaw.

Demarcus Jefferson will go to trial on March 2, 2015 for a savage attack on a young woman in the parking lot of Keifer's Restaurant on Poplar on March 27, 2012.  Jefferson and his partner Demonta McCray stuck a gun in the young woman's face, robbed her, and then brutally beat her in the face.  Mr. McCray is currently serving a twenty-year sentence in MDOC for his part in the armed robbery.  MDOC records state he entered the system on December 28, 2012.

Russ Latino is now on deck. This email went out this afternoon:

The press releases are a'flying today.  State Auditor Stacey Pickering issued the following press release:

Madison-Rankin District Attorney Michael Guest issued the following press release:

Treasurer Lynn Fitch issued the following press release:

 Update: Decision was postponed to March 2.

The corner of Gluckstadt and Bozeman roads may drastically change if two zoning applications are approved by the Madison County Board of Supervisors. The applications and a map are posted below. The Minnie Bozeman Family Limited Partnership filed a petition to rezone 40 acres from SU-1 (Special Use District) to C-2 Highway Commercial District. Page 61 of Exhibit D contains the details of the Partnership's intent.

Ratepayers got a break last week when the Mississippi Supreme Court rolled back Mississippi Power's 2013 and 2014 rate increases. The Clarion-Ledger reported:

Mississippi Democrat Grand Poobah Rickey Cole issued the following statements:

Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves issued the following press release:

Aaron McNair entered a petition to plead guilty to the charge of Robbery (as a lesser offense of capital murder).  McNair, Derrick Johnson, and Kameron Woodard killed James McKinney at the Shell Station at 855 Fortification Street on July 25, 2011. The store clerk was shot and wounded as well.  Mr. McKinney was a security guard at the gas station.  McNair entered the petition on January  12, 2015.  He was indicted in September 2011.  The petition states he will get a sentence of 15 years in prison with 5 years suspended under the terms of the plea bargain.  He will get credit for time served in jail.  He is currently a resident of MDOC.  He was represented by attorney Aafram Sellers.

Speaker of the House Phillip Gunn and several leading Democrats criticized Representative Gene Aldray for his remarks in the Clarion-Ledger yesterday:

The Old Warhorse actually pulled it off.  Representative Jerry Turner's bill that would reform the state contracting process passed the House last week. Bill status and language.  However, one little amendment was added from the floor.  Representative Cecil Brown (D-Moscow) offered an amendment that would require all state advertising and marketing contracts be opened up for competitive bidding if over $5,000.  The bill itself states that all contracts not exempted that are over $5,000 and has a different set of rules for those over $50,000: 

We got us a honky Kenneth Stokes.  Representative Gene Alday (R-Citizen's Council) said a few things in this Jerry Mitchell story about education in Mississippi:

See for yourself:

Jimmy Connors told the Wall Street Journal last week that his recent exhibition against Aaron Krickstein will be his last public appearance to play tennis.  All good things come to an end and no tennis player was more exciting to watch than Jimmy Connors.  His total number of singles titles is still unmatched at 109.   The Wall Street Journal reported:

The Senate passed a bill requiring insurance companies to cover ABA therapy* for children suffering from autism and related disorders. It is the only effective method for treating autism.  The Senate passed the bill on a 39-6 vote although a small group of conservative senators put up a fight on the floor.  The Clarion-Ledger reported:

13 auto burglaries at the Cabot Lodge on North State Street last night.  All were trucks and yes, guns were stolen.  The police were never called and the new security guard reported blew off reports of suspicious activity in the parking lot.  This is not the first such episode at this particular hotel as an AR-15 was stolen out of a DWFP truck last year. 

Kingfish note: Possible inside job? Just a thought.

Note: The problems at Singing River Health System (Jackson County) continue to mount. The Sun-Herald has been breaking stories about the troubled hospital system since November. It is important to start from the beginning, so JJ is posting stories about this fiasco starting from several weeks ago, to give readers the history of this story.

The Sun-Herald reported on January 15 that Singing River CEO  claimed that losses for the health system were shrinking:

The city of Jackson issued the following press release:

Attorney General Jim Hood issued the following press release:

The Senate passed a bill unanimously to remove the exemptions from public records laws for the public hospitals.  Copy of bill SB #2407.  The relevant proposed changes in the law are :

Wonder why cops don't take any chances at traffic stops? Read this press release from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries on the capture of murder suspect Marcus Mallett:

Just read this letter to the editor published in yesterday's edition of the Clarion-Ledger:

Update: MDOC reponded to a JJ inquiry regarding whether it would revoke Carter's probation with this statement: "We have asked that a hold be placed on this offender for probation violation."  MDOC now wants Carter.  It remains to be seen if the Hinds County District Attorney will revive the armed robbery charge that was remanded to file.  Question for Mr. Carter: How does it feel to be so popular? Flowood wants you, MDOC wants you, even Robert Schuler Smith might want you. 

Original post on 2-11-15: Flowood Poh-lice arrested Carter and Sharonda Willis last week for a string of armed robberies of Flowood gas stations.   WLBT reported on February 4:

SB #2550 died on the Senate calendar today. Earlier post

Kingfish note: McInnis is an MDOC employee. McInnis and Brown are suspected of participating in other robberies in the Jackson area, including one on Belle Glade Street and at the Fondren P.O.

The Clinton Police Department issued the following press release:

Starting your own business is part of the American Dream. Take the risks, struggle, and hopefully earn the rewards that come from owning a successful business. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that young people are shying away from this path in increasing numbers. Some fear failure, some lack the financial means to start a business. Others have no real work experience that gave them the needed skills to start a business. The Journal reports:

The Mississippi Court of Appeals served up some justice as it upheld a finding of contempt of court against disbarred attorney Michael J. Brown. JJ readers remember that is the case where Aaron Henry's grandson inherited $3.3 million upon his mother's death when he was 16 years old. Money became the root of some very serious evil as young DeMon McClinton's father, attorney, and father's girlfriend all conspired to loot his inheritance, Young DeMon be damned.

A Jackson family claims that Ridgeland police pulled a gun on a six-year old boy during the execution of an arrest warrant. WLBT reported:

The Kingfish discusses the Porter case, Ridgeland PD controversy, and other subjects. Oh, there was even storytime for children in the third segment. 

Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves issued the following press release:

JPD issued this press release: