Jackson Free Press

WAPT is reporting that Doris Shavers, 40, has died after being shot in the head, allegedly by Henry Phillips in a domestic dispute last night on Ludlow Street. While Shavers was in UMC fighting for her life, police had originally charged Henry Philips, 50, with aggravated assault, a felony, and domestic violence. He is now charged with murder.

Previous Comments

ID

95783

Comment

Well, lookee here, per The Clarion-Ledger: Officers arrested Henry Phillips on an aggravated assault charge Monday night but later upgraded the charge to murder after Shavers died at the University of Mississippi Medical Center about 11:40 p.m. Shavers' brother, James Hopkins, said a relative had called police Monday evening after Phillips came home and threatened an 11-year-old neighbor with a gun. Two officers arrived on scene, searched Phillips and found two guns, but then, they gave the guns back, Hopkins said. After officers left, Phillips allegedly went inside the house at 2124 Ludlow Ave. and shot Shavers as she sat on a couch with her 12-year-old daughter. Her daughter was not injured. "They should have taken those guns. They should have arrested him," Hopkins said. Threatened an 11-year-old, and he got to keep his guns!?!

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T12:33:48-06:00

ID

95784

Comment

Folks, we're reporting on this in the issue, but the Jackson Police Department is refusing to give us their policy on how police officers deal with domestic violence. Alleged Police Chief Shirlene Anderson needs to get her butt in front of the TV cameras and tell the city what the hell is going on inside her department.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T12:35:06-06:00

ID

95785

Comment

Wow!

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-09-18T12:36:28-06:00

ID

95786

Comment

Folks, if this is true, every woman in this city–and the men who love and respect us–need to march on the damned police department. And I'll say it again: Shirlene Anderson needs to step down.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T12:37:16-06:00

ID

95787

Comment

Look how gorgeous she is. Was.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T12:39:11-06:00

ID

95788

Comment

I saw that this morning on WJTV, but I didn't get all the details. My mom told me this morning that Ms. Shavers is related to a family friend of ours. That makes it even more sad.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2007-09-18T12:41:50-06:00

ID

95789

Comment

Golden, get us any contacts you can with her family, please.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T12:45:12-06:00

ID

95790

Comment

I can't believe that the police gave him his guns back. It's bad enough that he threatened a child with ONE gun, but they find out he has TWO guns and gives them back! Someone needs to be fired, tarred and feathered.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-09-18T12:46:02-06:00

ID

95791

Comment

At the very least, L.W. Cheers to the Ledger for sniffing this one out. Let's keep the heat on over domestic abuse, and how the police are responding. Clearly, clearly, we've got a crisis on our hands.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T12:47:48-06:00

ID

95792

Comment

This part from the C-L really gets me: Hopkins said Shavers, 40, and Phillips, 50, had dated for about five years but had been broken up for more than a year. Shavers was allowing Phillips to live in a spare bedroom in her home because he had broken his foot and was not able to work. They broke up, and she was still being nice to him, and this is the thanks she gets. I'm devastated.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-09-18T12:49:05-06:00

ID

95793

Comment

Well, one thing is for sure: Women need to stop coddling schmucks. And that is in no way to blame her for this tragedy. The police apparently had the chance to stop this one, and blew it. And there ain't gonna be a convenient affidavit to release to try to blame the victim this time.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T12:52:00-06:00

ID

95794

Comment

These 2 officers should already be fired, and a lawsuit already in composition.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-09-18T12:53:09-06:00

ID

95795

Comment

I hate to say it, but maybe it will take a tragedy like this to finally get the government to overhaul the system. I wish people didn't have to die for folks to get a wake-up call.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-09-18T12:54:56-06:00

ID

95796

Comment

I know. It sounds like we need a "Heather Spencer-Doris Shavers" initiative to overhaul the damn police department.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T13:04:39-06:00

ID

95797

Comment

I'll bet you money they're not fired. Anderson will defend them, if she bothers to speak at all. She is a seen-but-not-heard chief, after all. I'm hearing from good sources that a huge problem JPD is facing is that Melton and Anderson have moved around JPD officers dramatically, putting people loyal to them in coveted detective positions and such, meaning that many people are in jobs, like the chief and the mayor, who have no idea what they're doing.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T13:06:45-06:00

ID

95798

Comment

Before we start calling for peoples' heads, maybe some enterprising reporter could research whether or not one of the witnesses to the original event was willing to sign an affidavit ie. file charges. I think the first incident would've counted as nothing more than simple assault by threat, unless determined to be a deadly threat b/c he pointed the firearm at someone. Too often people are unwilling to file or testify--if they can't get a signed affidavit for a misdemeanor the police aren't going to bother, nor should they without better evidence. They are discouraged (either directly or from the dept. culture) from clogging the system with bad cases--I know this from personal experience. So, let's all call for their heads b/c of hearsay allegations w/o corroboration--good reporting? -Chad

Author

Chad Moorer

Date

2007-09-18T14:03:47-06:00

ID

95799

Comment

Chad, under the law, they didn't have to "file charges," just as Heather Spencer didn't have to. We are really going to have to do something about these myths.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T14:08:04-06:00

ID

95800

Comment

And when someone is threatening an 11-year-old with a gun, then we don't need to worry too much about "clogging" the damn system. We're talking about preventing murders here. I will also add that we have been trying to get a copy of JPD's domestic-violence policy for days. They say to "file a request," which they then will take two weeks to fill or deny, because they aren't smart enough to know that sunshine laws don't mean you get the full two weeks if you have the policy at your fingertips–they routinely take the full two weeks to be buttholes. Then again, I wouldn't doubt if they don't have a policy. What's to prove otherwise?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T14:08:48-06:00

ID

95801

Comment

Donna, the article says that a relative (apparently of Shaver--but C-L editors never met a clear antecedent) called b/c Phillips threatened a neighbor/girl with a gun. If (big IF) the article is correct, I still don't see how the first incident rises to the level of domestic violence, which is what, I think, you are referring to when you say that no witness is needed. As far as I know, a non-domestic simple assault by threat requires either a witness statement of some kind or for the officer to witness the incident. Please, correct me if I'm wrong. Let's get all of the facts clear before we get on any high-horses about what the police can do to end domestic violence--esp. in a week when tempers are running high b/c at least two less-than-men finally proved that they should be culled from the gene pool. -Chad

Author

Chad Moorer

Date

2007-09-18T14:33:18-06:00

ID

95802

Comment

Chad, we will continue to report and comment on the facts as they are available. But, in no way are you to tell me to not be passionate on this topic. Two women are dead, and I'm going to make very loud noise until something is done to straighten out this police department. We're at a crisis point.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T14:42:34-06:00

ID

95803

Comment

Oh, and speak for yourself and lose the "let's" and the royal "we." You don't speak for me. I don't need you to.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T14:43:02-06:00

ID

95804

Comment

On a more positive note, a male source I'm e-mailing with told him all this reminds him to go send his wife flowers to show how much he loves her. Sounds like a lovely idea.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T14:48:55-06:00

ID

95805

Comment

Donna and all at JFP - This is off this discussion, but I don't know how to start new topic. Was anyone else struck by the story by CL reporter Jimmie Gates, re: man receiving two years in prison for shooting a teenager in the back and killing him in December 2005 after a rock was thrown and broke the man's truck window. I ask you all, if Judge Green or Judge Kidd made the same statement as Judge Yerger that the killing was the teenage victim's fault - do you think there would not be a huge public outcry? Wouldn't the two african american judges be tarred and feathered and run out of town....I guess it is okay to gun down black youths for throwing rocks at a car. Amazing....thougthts, possible follow up by JFP? Outrageous!

Author

JenniferGriffin

Date

2007-09-18T15:16:18-06:00

ID

95806

Comment

Jennifer, yes, we were struck by it, and Adam was in the courtroom. I haven't mentioned it, yet, because there was no need to scoop his story, which is MUCH more detailed than the Ledger's. It'll be in the print pub tomorrow, but I'll post it today, as soon as the final copy edits are made. It's a remarkable story–about as shocking as the Jena 6, frankly.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T15:27:55-06:00

ID

95807

Comment

That fool shot the mother in front of her child on her child's birthday. What a sorry piece of crap!

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-09-18T16:03:31-06:00

ID

95808

Comment

And she was combing her daughter's hair when he did it. I'm for torture in this one.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-09-18T16:04:46-06:00

ID

95809

Comment

And that, friends, is from Ray Carter. When you got Ray and me calling for men to be tortured, you know we have a crisis.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T16:06:48-06:00

ID

95810

Comment

And that, friends, is from Ray Carter. When you got Ray and me calling for men to be tortured, you know we have a crisis. I had to reread the posts just to be sure I hadn't stepped into the Twilight zone.

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2007-09-18T17:35:26-06:00

ID

95811

Comment

Well, it is remarkable to live in a place where many people get more outraged about house burglary and carjacking than mistreatment of children, not to mention women. We need to get our priorities figured out.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T17:38:29-06:00

ID

95812

Comment

:( this makes me sad. that poor little girl is going to be traumatized for life because of this. something has to be done about the ridiculous amount of domestic violence in this town.

Author

music chick

Date

2007-09-18T17:57:37-06:00

ID

95813

Comment

Tell me when and where, I will give my time and passion for anything to make these beautiful women's names known and counted with the women who have gone before them. One aspect of this horrid shame which has become so overlooked through years of systematic abuse women and children have suffered. The memory in this child will be with her for life. It will rule her relationships with anyone for the rest of her life. If she is forgotten, she will be doomed to repeat what she has learned in some way. If given the love and support she deserves during this time, she will become another fierce warrior for fixing the problem. That's the message I take away from these tragedies. It's the perpetuation of the cycle that we as a people of Mississippi must learn. Be it, the injustices of race, or the injustices of sex, we have the power to change. All we must do is stand up and let it be known that this is not excusable treatment, anymore. We may be way behind, but we can get there.

Author

old&tired

Date

2007-09-18T18:53:41-06:00

ID

95814

Comment

I know, old&tired (you gotta change that user name!). Maybe the Chick Ball women need to hold a town-hall meeting about domestic abuse and what needs to be done–including by law enforcement. We have a good story by Ronni Mott out tomorrow about that. And we're going to have to tackle the "boys will be boys" attitudes in this state, the worst I've seen anywhere. Men as a gender must step up to stop the violence, the excusing, the sexual abuse, the belittling of strong women and the idea that women are their toys. I mean, look at how supposedly educated men "argue" in this town on public forums. They pick fights with strong women, and then blame the women for being "angry." They stand back and don't say a word as men go after women's body parts and their personal lives in dishonest and disgusting ways. I know of a situation now where one of the biggest cads in the city–you wouldn't believe the ways he's cheated on his wife and kids–is up to something truly despicable against his family with other "upstanding" men supporting him along the way. We need an education campaign–both to get actually-good men to stand up and to get women to know that jerks are jerks, and to be empowered to demand better for themselves and their families.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T19:38:29-06:00

ID

95815

Comment

All, I'm not for torture of anyone, but, I will go on and say one more time, that she should have been armed, and not waited for the police to protect her. I hate that this happened, as much as I hate that Ms. Spencer was murdered. I pray that the next "victim" turns on her attacker and puts a bullet in HIS head. No jury would convict her.

Author

LawClerk

Date

2007-09-18T19:51:59-06:00

ID

95816

Comment

LawClerk, owning a damn gun is not the answer to every problem faced by society. In effect, you're blaming the victim for not having a gun under the sofa cushion that she could pull out and shoot Phillips before he could shoot her. Or, maybe her daughter could sit and have it cocked at him every single night. In fact, owning a gun makes many situations more deadly, especially in domestic situations. So why don't you try to get a bit more creative here? BTW, he was a law-abiding citizen, apparently.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-18T19:59:22-06:00

ID

95817

Comment

Most of the baddest guys of all are law-abiding citizens. I am highly trained at the art of shooting a gun. I choose to not own a gun. I have been placed where I was armed, harm coming toward me, and knew in my soul I could not take a life. So many people take that lightly these days. They say they can pull the trigger if it came to that. But for me, until you have been in that position.....it's only speculative.

Author

old&tired

Date

2007-09-18T20:10:56-06:00

ID

95818

Comment

I am just so outraged I can't stand it. Here is the difference between JPD and Hinds SO. Allegedly Hinds SO went to far breaking up a scuffle and charged my client and all involved. They also took 2 guns from people near the incident. SO probably had no right to take those guns. I think they ended up being returned. Still I would rather handguns get taken away in the middle of a domestic dispute wrongfully than them being left to kill. I can say this as a proud gun owner of a small collection able to take out many small island's governments.

Author

AGamm627

Date

2007-09-18T21:30:53-06:00

ID

95819

Comment

Also, to further screw up stereotypes Ray, I say this as a true liberal southern white male who worships the Bill of Rights and does indigent defense "You get the car battery, I'll get the needles, and we'll have a party on the SOB". There are times to go Old Testament on those that prove to be less than human Wow vengeance still part of the soul

Author

AGamm627

Date

2007-09-18T21:33:50-06:00

ID

95820

Comment

MS: Near the Top in Male on Female Murders

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-09-18T21:39:41-06:00

ID

95821

Comment

Maybe the Chick Ball women need to hold a town-hall meeting about domestic abuse and what needs to be done–including by law enforcement I'm there. And as to the gun thing... I'm all for learning to protect yourself, whether self-defense or guns or whatever, but sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. I doubt if Ms. Shavers would've had a gun that she'd have had it right next to her while brushing her daughter's hair.

Author

music chick

Date

2007-09-18T21:56:03-06:00

ID

95822

Comment

It's sad that it's turned into open season on women in this town.

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2007-09-19T05:49:18-06:00

ID

95823

Comment

Every situation is different, but at least women have a chance/i] when they have a gun and are properly trained. If a protection order is in place, it's not much good if the POS is going to attack anyway. A piece of paper won't protect you, nor can the police.

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2007-09-19T05:53:52-06:00

ID

95824

Comment

What is this city coming to? We can't depend on the Mayor, Chief of Police, DA, and now we can't even depend on the Police Department. This is ridiculous. You got people having broad discussions about owning guns to protect themselves because those elected or placed in position to offer us this protrection are failing us in a huge and consistent manner. This is shameful. You got councilman Crisler trying to keep businesses in the area, hell, we need to do something to keep residents in the area. Crime is ridiculous and if we don't have police to protect and serve, and we are left with the only option of doing the protecting ourselves, then we are headed back to the Wild Wild West for sure. And I don't know how many of you actually recognize this but its the domino effect of electing Frank Melton to the mayoral office. He has control of everything in Jackson. And as you all can see having this power is killing the moral of the residents, its destroying any chance we may have of progression. We have reached a point were racism is revived....domestic voilence is regular and normal. SO much so that now we don't even question things like..."is he/she okay?"....now we ask "when did he kill her?", "how did she die?", "did they catch her?", "how much is bond?" People this is ridiculous and it's going to get much much worse. I for one am just about fed up enough with the goings on in the city to just pack my family up and move away. I know that won't solve the problem for Mississippians as a whole. But apparently you've got to be a criminal to stay one step ahead of them and I for one am just not going to live that way. I'm not saying your a criminal to own a gun to protect you life. But the act of owning one and planning to use it to kill even in self defense, in my mind is leading to criminal mindstate. So, I say people do what you must. However, I am ashamed of our city. I am ashamed of George Bell. I am ashamed of Carla Hughes. I am ashamed of Melton and I am outraged at JPD. It's got to stop. We are dying Jackson. We are dying slowly, but surely.

Author

Queen601

Date

2007-09-19T09:08:58-06:00

ID

95825

Comment

I haven't read the Ledge this morning on this particular incident...but I did watch the news last night. The news (WLBT, I think....I"ve just become a "local news watcher". I'm mostly a "local news reader" so I'm not good with the TV stations yet) said he FIRED the gun at least 5-10 times in the air on Monday night (according to witnesses...one of whom was grazed by a bullet). The police came, stayed five minutes, and then left the scene-leaving him with his gun. They then stated that the police returned and took ONE gun from the man after which he went inside, got another gun that he owned, and shot Ms. Shavers. (Can someone confirm this story?) It sounds like the JPD might be going down on this one. People in the neighborhood and family members were already talking about lawsuits on the news last night. P.S. Did no one notice that the manager of McDade's got horrible beaten by a former employee last night? I was there about ten minutes after it happened. One of the local news stations lead with a live report while I was two blocks away. When I went to the store right afterwards I asked the lady checking me out about it...she looked around and whispered "Yes, that happened." but didn't say anything else. I think they told employees not to speak about it.

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-09-19T10:01:12-06:00

ID

95826

Comment

Lori Gregory: Shouldn't your "handle" be Lori G.?

Author

ChrisCavanaugh

Date

2007-09-19T10:12:23-06:00

ID

95827

Comment

Happy? :)

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-09-19T10:20:24-06:00

ID

95828

Comment

Lori G.: Speaking traditionally, that's better...........

Author

ChrisCavanaugh

Date

2007-09-19T10:22:38-06:00

ID

95829

Comment

Speaking of JPD, the Crime Prevention Unit (you know, the one that Melton/Anderson did away with) used to do a great deal of domestic abuse prevention. Also, at one point, the JPD had social workers on call or something for domestic cases. Were the abusers required by the courts to go to anger management classes? Are we now doing anything similar? Can't believe they are making the JFP go through any type of delay in getting this information out and ASAP! Surely does lead one to believe they must have destroyed this beneficial program too! Dammit! Hopefully the JPD Quality of Life Officers are taking up this needed crusade. And we need one of the Legal Types to explain why threatening a neighbor's CHILD with a gun is not arrest-able immediately! If it had of been my child he would hope JPD took him away from me to save his sorry a$$!

Author

ChrisCavanaugh

Date

2007-09-19T10:33:39-06:00

ID

95830

Comment

P.S. Did no one notice that the manager of McDade's got horrible beaten by a former employee last night? I was there about ten minutes after it happened. He was actually stabbed. Good to know that he'll be OK.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2007-09-19T11:44:58-06:00

ID

95831

Comment

He was arrest-able. No gun law in the state allows him to "brandish" the gun down the street as he did. The police pretty clearly screwed up.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-19T12:10:09-06:00

ID

95832

Comment

Hey Donna, also, I would think that others in the community could probably sue JPD too, don't you think? I mean when they left him there with guns, he could have shot up the entire neighborhood. They put several lives in jeopardy not just the people in the house....am I right on that legal folks?

Author

Queen601

Date

2007-09-19T12:14:16-06:00

ID

95833

Comment

Folks, I just saw this post and response on a CL forum about Melton's half-baked car scheme. I'm posting it here because it harks back to my comments last night about the attitudes toward women around here (and illustrates, dramatically, the ignorance of people about how our system works): Obviously, this and previous Mayoral Administrations, Police, DA, etc have, for too long let vehicle fines sit on the back burner. More evidence that our society is not holding people responsible for thier actions. In the small Delta town where I live, the same thing happens from time to time. Response: Maxfly, what is with your obsession with Faye Peterson? The district attorney has nothing to do with misdemeanors such as domestic violence and certainly does not prosecute parking tickets. Your juvenile comments regarding her physical appearance in past posts on this board certainly expose your character, or lack of it, rather than hers. Beyond the sheer ignorance of blaming a female D.A. for not doing things that aren't her job–as in collecting misdemeanor fines, of all things!–this shows how many people–and I discovered recently in a dramatic way that it's not only men who do it–attack strong woman based on lies and insults about their appearance. This is relevant here. If we are going to build a safer culture for women, we've got to go after people with these attitudes and help educate them.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-19T15:00:18-06:00

ID

95834

Comment

P.S. Did no one notice that the manager of McDade's got horrible beaten by a former employee last night? I started a thread about that in the Crime Forum yesterday.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-09-19T21:28:56-06:00

ID

95835

Comment

They should have arrested him for firing a gun in the city limits, if he did do that the first time they came to the house. That is an arrestable offense. I don't know if anyone could sue the police for not taking the guns and arresting him. In some states you can not sue the police for "failure to protect". I could not find anything in the Mississppi Code but did find it in the California Code for example. "846- Neither a public entity nor a public employee is liable for injury caused by the failure to make an arrest or by the failure to retain an arrested person in custody." Anyone know if it's the same here?

Author

BubbaT

Date

2007-09-19T23:14:12-06:00

ID

95836

Comment

Folks, the domestic-violence forums are happening. The Flowood Library called us and are taking the lead in organizing a series of forums in different libraries around the metro that we're going to sponsor and participate in. They will be held in November. More details when they're finalized. Let us know if you want to help in some way. We'll need people to get flyers out for sure, and probably other duties. E-mail ronni (at) jacksonfreepress (dot) com if you want to join the Chick Ball brigade and help this vital community conversation happen.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-09-20T09:51:29-06:00

ID

95837

Comment

I'll do whatever I can, as a proud member of the Chick Ball brigade!

Author

music chick

Date

2007-09-20T10:01:52-06:00

ID

95838

Comment

Me, too! I'm all for it. Librariers seem a good place for educating the public. This issue is so important. I'm in.

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-09-20T10:21:37-06:00

ID

95839

Comment

Count me in too Donna. I dont know much about the Chick Ball thing...but I'm down!

Author

Queen601

Date

2007-09-20T12:11:24-06:00

ID

95840

Comment

I'm in too. That's my library :) So glad they are doing this!

Author

emilyb

Date

2007-09-20T12:29:05-06:00

ID

95841

Comment

Count me in, too.

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2007-09-20T12:37:14-06:00

ID

95842

Comment

I'll help. I sent Ronni an email.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-09-20T12:42:02-06:00

ID

95843

Comment

Count me in. I'm emailing Ronni now

Author

BuyJxn

Date

2007-09-20T22:18:56-06:00

ID

95844

Comment

Here we go again... I'll apologize now, my formatting skills are still a little 1994.

Author

Tanner

Date

2007-09-21T08:33:04-06:00

ID

95845

Comment

Let me help you, Tanner: Here we go again...

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-09-21T12:42:15-06:00

ID

95846

Comment

I'm still waiting for a good account of what happened during the initial Brandishing incident--this week's JFP is the most coherent yet, but story twists and turns with every retelling. Hell, the "facts" changed in the middle of the WAPT packages run last week. There should be a very public investigation as to why the firearms were not taken into evidence (not confiscated) for the host of initial charges that this scumbag should've faced from the first police visit. But also, the witnesses should be asked who volunteered to sign a witness affidavit before the police left the first time. Donna, you jumped on me for urging rational calm before advocating system changes? I'll take that charge any day. You were advocating marching on police HQ based on preliminary reports--that is the height of irresponsibility! You act here as a respected member of the Fourth Estate and should be held to a higher standard. The "Royal 'We'" was used because this _Society_ has a big problem with jumping to conclusions, urging changes before thinking through the complete ramifications, and jumping on individual tragedies in order to make political hay. I think that was a perfectly fine use of "we". When "we" make policy without doing real research and while relying on emotional responses, "we" get bad policy, i.e. the "Patriot" act, the so-called "assault weapons" ban, or the Iraq invasion. -Chad

Author

Chad Moorer

Date

2007-09-30T22:58:53-06:00