Deadly Pet Food Filler Open Secret in China
It seems that all that "free trade"—and loss of American jobs and trading economic strength in our communities for sweat shops—is starting to come home to roost by killing our …
The Abstinence-Only Delusion
The New York Times is calling for Congress to either drop ill-fated abstinence-only education funding, or expand it to include safe-sex messages, which studies are showing do actually help lower …
Bush Administration Should Come Clean
In the wake of the George Tenet explosion in Washington, The New York Times editorial board today calls for answers—honest ones—from the people who took the U.S. into a bad …
JFP to Discuss Melton Verdict on WLEZ Friday
Be sure to tune in at noon Friday to Radio JFP on WLEZ (103.7 FM) to hear Todd Stauffer, Brian Johnson and Donna Ladd discuss the Melton verdict and other …
Day 4: Dr. Ellen Melton in Front Row
Photo: Dr. Ellen Melton leaves the courtroom after closing arguments today with city employee Stephanie Parker-Weaver (left). Melton, the wife of the mayor, lives in Texas. Photo by Jaro Vacek. …
Day 3: Prosecution Rests; Final Arguments Thursday
Reporting by Brian Johnson
The prosecution decided not to bring a rebuttal witness, instead electing to submit another police report instead. (Details of police report to come.) The prosecution rested. The judge announced that …
Day 3: Stokes Testifies; Defense Rests
Reporting by Brian Johnson
The defense elected to call only one more witness this afternoon—Councilman Kenneth Stokes. Under direct questioning by Melton attorney Dale Danks, Stokes said he had lodged complaints about drugs in …
Day 3: Jury May Have Case by Noon Today
<i>Watch for updates.</i>
Word from the courthouse is that the judge may send the case to the jury by noon today. So far, defense attorneys have put no witnesses in front of the …
Day 3: Defense Down to 2 Witnesses, If That
Reporting by Brian Johnson
After examining their witness list, based on the judge's limitations on discussion of past drug activity on Ridgeway Street, defense attorneys' acceptable list of witnesses has dropped to only two …
Day 2: Welch Watching ‘Walking Tall' Before Attack
In the opening statements and first testimony in the Mississippi v. Melton et al. trial, prosecutor Stanley Alexander came out of the gate with a focus on the events of …
Day 1: JFP Blogs Figure Prominently in Voir Dire
On Monday, defense attorney Merrida Coxwell Jr. conducted voir dire for Melton. In his second question, he asked if any potential juror read or made comments on media blogs, specifically …
Journalist David Halberstam Killed in Car Wreck
This is tragic, tragic news. May this amazing journalist and writer rest in peace.
Open Thread for Melton Trial Here
Have at it.
Meantime, read the JFP's Melton blog/archive here. And read the Sept. 1, 2006, story by Adam Lynch that revealed the Ridgeway Street demolition and led to the trial this week. …
More Ledger Illiteracy
OK, folks, check out The Clarion-Ledger's editorial about Melton today—for the way it is written. Here are some money quotes:
Frank's Boy
At the center of the maelstrom around Mayor Frank Melton's actions the night of Aug. 26, 2006, sits a young man named Michael Taylor. Because Tayloralready accused of a felony …
BREAKING: Lawn Crew Owner Arrested Again
A spokesman for the Hinds County Sheriff's Department confirmed that Frederica Brunson, 23, also known as Jermaine Butler, was arrested today for possession of a stolen automobile and contempt of …
Clarion-Ledger Makes Absurd Error About ‘Drunk' Motion
In their belated story today about the motion filed accusing Melton being drunk the night of the Ridgeway rampage—which we reported about Friday—The Clarion-Ledger states that the motion "became public" …
Evangelicals Against Global Warming and Torture
"Good theology can drive out bad theology. Good theology can lead to solutions."
Right now, I'm listening to an amazing interview with National Association of Evangelicals Vice President Richard Cizik on "Speaking of Faith" about why his views on the issue of climate …
Hear Podcasts of JFP on WLEZ
Radio JFP, which airs every Friday at noon on WLEZ, 103.7 FM, is now being podcast on WLEZ's Web site. Click here to listen to last week's show, with discussions …
Alert the Media: Richard Barrett Digs Seale
The Clarion-Ledger continues to puzzle on their James Ford Seale coverage since they figured out that he was still alive. Yesterday, they ran a big story giving publicity to folks …
Alert: Lawsuit Abuse! Lawsuit Abuse!
I hear stories like this one and I get furious at the people who refuse to understand that the most important use of lawsuits is to financially deter crap like …
Wonkette Disses Mississippi's ‘Racist' Easter Egg
So, why is our Easter Egg racist you might ask? Well, head over to the JFP's StateDesk site for the rest of the story (and talk about it over there …
Men Who Hate Women on the Web
Joan Walsh of Salon has a fascinating story about how women are often treated online, using the ugly attacks on Kathy Sierra as an example. She writes:
CAUTION: More Pet Food Recalled
Del Monte is now on the list of recalled pet food. The long list now includes Pounce Cat Treats, Meaty Morsels and Jerky Dog Treats.
Crossroads Festival Winners Announced
Monday update: We're pleased to announce that "Oh, Mr. Faulkner, Do You Write?" won the Audience Choice Award this year.
The JFP Interview with Joey Lauren Adams
Filmmaker Joey Lauren Adams, 39, is a fan of drinking Budweiser and driving along flat Arkansas highways looking at cypress trees, not necessarily at the same time. The first time …
D.A. Questions Judge Allowing Officer to Walk
The Clarion is reporting today that District Attorney Faye Peterson is outraged that Judge Bobby DeLaughter has allowed a police officer charged with vehicular manslaughter to go free with no …
JUST IN: Wilson Pleads Guilty to Murder in Teen Death
More details as they develop ...
Toice Wilson today pled guilty to murder in Hinds County Circuit Court after the prosecution refused his request yesterday to plead guilty to manslaughter in the beating death of Tawana …
Daily Newspaper Revenue, Readership Declining
No surprise here, but daily newspapers are in trouble. Gannett, which owns The Clarion-Ledger, is showing a dramatic drop in revenue and readership, for instance. The New York Times reports …
Cover
Fighting Back In Klan Nation
When Mary Geraldine Briggs heard a horn blaring outside her small house, under shady oak trees on Highway 84 in Roxie, Miss., she would go get the shotgun and head …
Ledger: Melton ‘Should Have Learned'
Oh, and they end the thing with this:
In another demonstration of why their newspaper is so awful, The Clarion-Ledger edit-boyz today declared that, now that Judge Webster has thrown out the probation warrants against Melton, that the …
Melton Claims ‘Corruption at the Highest Level'
Today, Mayor Frank Melton, who is still in Texas, repeated a refrain to WLBT that he's used in the past:
Melton's Lawn Crew, Unveiled
The Jackson Free Press has learned that the head of a lawn service, financially seeded by Mayor Frank Melton, was arrested for armed robbery and rape in recent years. However, …
Judge Green: Court Should Sanction Danks
Today, Judge Green filed a motion with the Mississippi Supreme Court asking the court to sanction Melton's defense attorneys (PDF, 114 KB) for accusing her of a crime "without just …
Judge Webster: No Jail for Melton
Judge Joe Webster just dimissed probation violation charges against Mayor Frank Melton. The order reads in part:
Melton Missed Swimming Pools, Dog, Kids
Melton said this in The Clarion-Ledger today about his time in jail:
See Breaking Melton News in NoiseBlog
To view breaking stories about the arrest of Frank Melton, please see the JFP's breaking-news NoiseBlog. Those Melton entries will be archived here at a later day, so please booklink …
Unsealed Docs Unveil Melton's 'House Arrest
A transcript from a Nov. 15, 2006, meeting (PDF, 1.3mb) between Judge Tomie Green and Frank Melton, along with three of his attorneys, in her chambers reveals that the judge …
BREAKING: Melton Wants 'Extraordinary Relief'
The intrigue increases as the city watches to see if our mayor will be arrested for violating his probation. Attorneys for Mayor Frank Melton have filed an "emergency application for …
Oh, the Sun, the Sun
Every couple months, I click into the Northside Sun's Web site to look at what their prize-winning columnists are talking about. It's always a mistake—or, better yet, a little humor …
Growing the Arts in the New Jackson - Feb. 27
On the cusp of a new era for the arts in Jackson, the Greater Jackson Arts Council, with support from the Jackson Free Press, is hosting a free community forum …
AG Gonzales to Old Klansmen: ‘We Are Still on Your Trail'
The U.S. Department of Justice held a press conference this morning in Washington to announce the formation of a cold-cases division to pursue old civil-rights murders, such as the case …
