Jackson Free Press

U.S. District Court sentenced three former Jackson Police officers to prison Thursday for accepting bribes from an undercover FBI agent.

Here is the verbatim press release from U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis' office:

FORMER JACKSON POLICE OFFICERS SENTENCED FOR ACCEPTING BRIBES

Jackson, Miss. - Former Jackson Police Officers Monyette Quintel Jefferson, 27, Terence Dale Jenkins, 25, and Anthony Ricardo Payne, Jr., 26, were sentenced in U.S. District Court today for accepting bribes from an undercover FBI agent, U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen announced.

Monyette Quintel Jefferson was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution to the FBI in the amount of $20,500.00.

Terence Dale Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution to the FBI in the amount of $10,000.00.

Anthony Ricardo Payne, Jr. was sentenced to 9 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution to the FBI in the amount of $10,000.00

On June 10, 2010, Monyette Quintel Jefferson made an agreement with an undercover FBI agent, who he believed was a drug trafficker, to protect a shipment of 100 kilograms of cocaine that would be coming into Hawkins Field Airport in Jackson, Mississippi.

On June 25, 2010, the undercover FBI agent, posing as a drug trafficker, met with Jefferson and Anthony Ricardo Payne, Jr. at the Metro Center Mall in Jackson. Jefferson and Payne agreed to protect a shipment of cocaine that was coming into Jackson that day. They also agreed that Jefferson, Payne and another police officer would receive payment for protecting the shipment of cocaine coming into Jackson.

Jefferson arrived at Hawkins Field in his JPD patrol vehicle and met with the undercover FBI agent. At approximately 3:50 pm that same day, JPD Officer Terrence Dale Jenkins, driving a JPD patrol vehicle, met with the undercover FBI agent in the parking lot of Hawkins Field for the purpose of providing police protection for a drug transaction. The undercover FBI agent informed Jenkins that the total drug shipment involved approximately 100 kilograms of cocaine.

At approximately 3:55 p.m., another FBI agent, working in an undercover capacity, arrived and simulated the purchase of approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine from the first undercover FBI agent in the presence of Jenkins. After the exchange took place, the first undercover FBI agent paid Jenkins $5,000 for his assistance in protecting this drug transaction. Jenkins then provided further protection by following the second undercover FBI agent from Hawkins Field to Interstate 20 in Jackson.

At approximately 4:10 p.m., JPD Officer Anthony Ricardo Payne, Jr., driving a JPD patrol vehicle, met the first undercover FBI agent in the main parking lot of Hawkins Field for the purpose of providing police protection for another purported drug transaction. The undercover FBI agent informed Payne that the total drug shipment involved approximately 100 kilograms of …

Former city employee Francis Smith will officially announce his candidacy for mayor of Jackson Sat., March 2 at 1 p.m. at 5472 Watkins Drive, Suite A.

The Jackson Free Press interviewed Smith about his candidacy in February. The interview will be available soon in print and at JFP.ms.

A U.S. Navy veteran and pastor, Smith is joining a crowded field that already includes the incumbent mayor, two city councilmen, two local business men, an attorney and a former police officer.

The press release announcing the event called Smith "A man with vision to press Jackson upward by moving forward — without looking backward."

For more information concerning Smith's candidacy, call 601-209-5980 or visit francissmithformayor.com

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2013/feb/15/10303/

Thursday, Feb. 14, I attended Jackson State student Corinthian Sanders' city council candidacy announcement on the JSU campus.

Sanders, a 20-year-old Jackson native, received permission to host his announcement from school administrators several days earlier. The fact that a students needs permission to hold such an announcement is a troubling indicator of where our Constitutional rights stand here in the United States. Apparently, the leaders at our institutions of higher learning believe they have the right to grant or deny students their 1st Amendment rights to free speech and free assembly.

Just for review the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution read as follows: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Now, the 1st Amendment doesn't expressly prohibit university officials from creating policies that abridges the freedom of speech or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, but administrators at public universities are agents of the government. Do these agents have rights to abridge freedoms that even our own Congress doesn't?

I'm not picking on Jackson State here. When I attended Ole Miss, and I assume it is still the case, there were designated "free speech zones" where students could assemble and speak as freely as they pleased. The reasoning for these designations, the university said, was to prevent free speech where it might infringe on the educational process taking place in classrooms around campus.

Again, I must have overlooked the part of the 1st Amendment that states: "unless there's a good reason to abridge such rights, such as public education taking place nearby." Besides, isn't free speech a vital part of the educational process?

Unfortunately for Corinthian Sanders, the questionable treatment of his 1st Amendment rights didn't stop with needing permission.

Sanders had a podium and speakers set up in front of Ayers Hall when I arrived about noon Thursday. Shortly after, he began playing music through the speakers. The music continued for about 30 minutes, after which another City Council candidate, mayoral candidate Chokwe Lumumba and Sander's aunt spoke briefly.

Sanders took the podium about 12:45 for his announcement. Moments after he began to speak to the crowd of 15 to 20 people, three campus police officers stopped him. Campus patrolman Troy Nix, decked out in uniform and Dolce Gabbana sunglasses, pulled Sanders to the side, in the middle of his speech, and asked if he had permission to hold his announcement there.

Not only did Sanders have to get permission to express the most basic of human rights protected by our Constitution, he had to prove that he had that permission to a police officer, because the police officer was apparently unable to confirm the permission himself. Though campus police had more than 40 minutes to check on the status …

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2013/feb/04/10128/

The U.S. Men’s Natoinal Team begins the final round of World Cup Qualifying Wednesday at 3 p.m. against Honduras in the city of San Pedro Sula. Here’s what to watch for in 2013 as The Yanks try to earn a spot in Brazil in 2014.

If/When Landon Donovan will join the team. The 30-year-old forward has been the face of U.S. soccer since being named “Best Young Player” at the 2002 World Cup. Donovan told the media he needed a break in October 2012, due to physical and mental exhaustion.

I've never been a fan of Donovan's on-the-field attitude. In recent years, he's clearly not been enjoying the game the way he should. USMNT needs him to get his head straight, though, because there's no American who can match his combination of speed, vision, passing efficiency, timing and shot and set-piece accuracy.

He won’t play in Honduras Wednesday. Just when the U.S.’s all-time assists and goals leader will join the team is even more pressing considering the team faces rival Mexico in Mexico City on March 26, where the U.S. won for the first time Aug. 15, 2012.

Subquestion: Can he be the leader the U.S. needs him to be if/when he returns to the pitch?

Will outside backs emerge? Injuries to Steve Cherundolo and Fabian Johnson have left the U.S. team with little international experience at outside back, and head coach Jurgen Klinsmann is searching for answers. Outside backs Tony Beltran and Justin Morrow, and center back Matt Besler made their U.S. soccer debuts against Canada Jan. 29, all in starting roles. They played well, allowing Canada just one shot on target in the 0-0 match.

Whoever Klinsmann puts on the back line against Honduras will face a better team with a lot more on the line, though. Goalkeeper Tim Howard may have a heavy shot load to take on Wednesday.

Will Jozy Altidore take the next step? The 23-year-old striker has scored 13 goals in 51 appearances for the U.S. since 2007. His 2010 World Cup performances were riddled with missed chances and squandered opportunities, though.

Altidore has 15 goals in 19 Dutch Eredivisie league appearances for AZ Alkmaar this season, despite facing racist taunts from opposing fans. If he can carry that composure over into international competition, the U.S. could have the star striker it so desperately needs.

How good is Dempsey? After finishing tied for fourth in the English Premier League last season with 17 goals while playing for Fulham, Dempsey has just five goals in 19 league matches for Tottenham Hotspur this season.

With two double-digit goal scorers on the team, Tottenham doesn’t rely on Dempsey to score as much as Fulham did. There is one thing for certain, though. For the U.S. to go very far in next year’s World Cup, or to even qualify this year, Dempsey will have to create chances on goal, and capitalize when he does.

Can The Yanks find …