Mississippi

American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi et al. v. Rankin County District Attorney’s Office | American Civil Liberties Union

Published

2 months ago

January 22, 2026

American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi et al. v. Rankin County District Attorney’s Office | American Civil Liberties Union

Over the years, the RCDAO has prosecuted and convicted many people based on evidence supplied by the Goon Squad—evidence that we now know may have been obtained through torture and other unlawful methods. One of those people was Ronald Shinstock, who is now serving a 40-year prison sentence after he was convicted based on the testimony of Brett McAlpin, the Goon Squad’s leader. Leading up to Mr. Shinstock’s arrest, Goon Squad deputies entered his home without a warrant, beat him, threatened him with sexual abuse, and told him he would be raped in prison. They also beat his friend so severely he was bleeding from his ears.

A Goon Squad member has reportedly stated that the RCDAO was aware of at least some of the squad’s misconduct before it was publicly exposed. Following that public exposure, the RCDAO announced an “extensive review” of cases potentially affected by that misconduct. Since then, however, the RCDAO has provided the public with no information about what it has done—or not done—in those cases. Mississippians still do not know which cases the RCDAO reviewed, how it decided whether to dismiss those cases, how many cases it dismissed, and how many cases it chose to keep on the books. Accordingly, in June 2025, ACLU-MS and CCR sent a public records request to the RCDAO seeking records about its response to the Goon Squad’s misconduct. The RCDAO effectively denied the request in its entirety, asserting that some records do not exist and that other records are exempt from disclosure as attorney work product and law enforcement “investigative reports.”

In response, the ACLU’s State Supreme Court Initiative, along with ACLU-MS and CCR, have brought suit against the RCDAO, arguing that its refusal to produce records violates the Mississippi Public Records Act. Our lawsuit addresses each of the RCDAO’s arguments for withholding records. First, as to its claim that certain records do not exist—including any records documenting its review of Goon Squad cases—we argue that the RCDAO has not produced the evidentiary support required by Mississippi law. Indeed, that claim is implausible given the RCDAO’s public statement that it has extensively reviewed affected cases. Second, we explain that the RCDAO cannot assert the work-product and “investigative report” exemptions without providing details about the purportedly exempt records and turning them over to the Court to review. We further argue that our records request does not implicate these exemptions. For example, the names and docket numbers of Goon Squad cases that the RCDAO reviewed and the RCDAO’s policies and procedures are neither attorney work product nor investigative reports.

Our lawsuit asks the Court to compel the RCDAO to produce the records to which the public is entitled. Transparency in the disclosure and review of cases tainted by the Goon Squad’s misconduct is essential to seeking accountability in Rankin County’s criminal legal system.

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Mississippi

Mississippi First Congressional District Primary 2026: Live Election Results, Buck vs. Johnson

Published

46 minutes ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Mississippi First Congressional District Primary 2026: Live Election Results, Buck vs. Johnson

Source: Election results are from The Associated Press.

By The New York Times election results team: Michael Andre, Neil Berg, Matthew Bloch, Lily Boyce, Irineo Cabreros, Nico Chilla, Nate Cohn, Annie Daniel, Saurabh Datar, Andrew Fischer, Martín González Gómez, Jasmine C. Lee, Alex Lemonides, Zach Levitt, Ilana Marcus, Alicia Parlapiano, Dan Simmons-Ritchie, Caroline Soler, Charlie Smart, Jonah Smith and Christine Zhang.

Additional contributions by Sarah Cahalan, Amanda Cordero, Patrick Hays, Jacob Meschke and Jessica White.

Edited by Wilson Andrews, Lindsey Rogers Cook, William P. Davis, Kenan Davis, Amy Hughes, Ben Koski and Allison McCartney.

Source: Election results are from The Associated Press.

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Mississippi

Mississippi Top Reads for week of March 15, 2026

Published

13 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Mississippi Top Reads for week of March 15, 2026

Staff Reports
| Special to the Mississippi Clarion Ledger

Sunday, March 15, 2026

1. (tie) “The Irish Goodbye,” Beth Ann Fennelly, Norton; and “Vigil,” George Saunders, Random House

2. “Theo of Golden,” Allen Levi, Atria Books

3. “The Widow,” John Grisham, Doubleday

4. “The Correspondent,” Virginia Evans, Random House

5. “When It’s Darkness on the Delta,” W. Ralph Eubanks, Beacon Press

6. “Eradication,” Jonathan Miles, Doubleday

7. “Neptune’s Fortune,” Julian Sancton, Random House

8. “The Dean,” Sparky Reardon, The Nautilus Publishing Company

9. “Kin,” Tayari Jones, Random House

10. “Brawler,” Lauren Groff, Riverhead

Children and young adults

1. “The Bear and the Hair and the Fair,” Em Lynas, Little Brown

2. “The Hybrid Prince,” Tui T. Sutherland, Scholastic Press

3. “One Mississippi,” Steve Azar,Sarah Frances Hardy (Illustrator), The Nautilus Publishing

4. “If You Make a Call on a Banana Phone,” Gideon Sterer, HarperCollins

5. (tie) “Fancy Nancy: Besties for Eternity,” Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser (Illustrator), HarperCollins; and “The Dark is For,” Jane Kohuth, Simon and Schuster

Adult events (Sunday, March 15–Saturday, March 21)

Amy McDowell in conversation with Jodi Skipper for “Whispers in the Pews,” 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Off Square Books, 129 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2262

Tayari Jones on Thacker Mountain Radio Hour for “Kin,” 6 p.m. Thursday, Off Square Books, 129 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2262

Children’s events (Sunday, March 15–Saturday, March 21)

No Cap Book Club (kids 10-13) will be reading “A Kid’s Book About…,” 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207

Storytime, “Clifford: Dream Big,” 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207

Chapter Captains Book Club (kids 6-9) will be reading “Princess in Black: Bathtime Battle,” 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207

Storytime, “What a Small Cat Needs,” 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207

Story Time, “Very Hungry Caterpillar” Day! 10 a.m. Saturday, Lemuria Books, 202 Banner Hall, 4465 I-55 North, Jackson, 601-366-7619

— Sales and/or Events Reported by Lemuria Books (Jackson); Lorelei Books (Vicksburg); Square Books (Oxford).

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Mississippi

Who finished No. 1 in Mississippi high school basketball Super 25 girls rankings?

Published

1 day ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Who finished No. 1 in Mississippi high school basketball Super 25 girls rankings?

The Mississippi girls high school basketball 2025-26 season has ended.

The MHSAA championships concluded March 7 at Mississippi Coliseum, while the MAIS overall tournament ended two weeks ago. Starkville finished as the No. 1 team in the final Clarion Ledger Mississippi high school girls basketball Super 25 rankings.

Two teams enter the Super 25 final rankings as Louisville joins from MHSAA 4A and East Rankin Academy in MAIS 4A.

Mississippi high school girls basketball Super 25 rankings

1. Starkville (31-3)

MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 1. Final game: Starkville 39, Harrison Central 22 in MHSAA 7A championship.

2. Laurel (31-2)

MHSAA Class 5A. Previous ranking: 3. Final game: Laurel 52, Holmes County Central 26 in MHSAA 5A championship.

3. Biloxi (30-2)

MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 2. Final game: Starkville 41, Biloxi 34 in MHSAA 7A semifinals.

4. Tishomingo County (28-2)

MHSAA Class 4A. Previous ranking: 4. Final game: Tishomingo County 64, Louisville 49 in MHSAA 4A championship.

5. Olive Branch (23-7)

MHSAA Class 6A. Previous ranking: 8. Final game: Olive Branch 58, Neshoba Central 57 in MHSAA 6A championship.

6. Harrison Central (26-7)

MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 7. Final game: Starkville 39, Harrison Central 22 in MHSAA 7A championship.

7. Neshoba Central (26-7)

MHSAA Class 6A. Previous ranking: 5. Final game: Olive Branch 58, Neshoba Central 57 in MHSAA 6A championship.

8. Madison Central (25-7)

MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 6. Final game: Harrison Central 56, Madison Central 40 in MHSAA 7A semifinals.

9. Booneville (24-4)

MHSAA Class 3A. Previous ranking: 9. Final game: Booneville 54, Belmont 31 in MHSAA 3A championship.

10. Canton (26-5)

MHSAA Class 6A. Previous ranking: 10. Final game: Olive Branch 47, Canton 41 in MHSAA 6A quarterfinals.

11. Ingomar (33-2)

MHSAA Class 1A. Previous ranking: 12. Final game: Ingomar 65, Okolona 48 in MHSAA 1A championship.

12. Northwest Rankin (24-8)

MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 13. Final game: Harrison Central 45, Northwest Rankin 42 in MHSAA 7A quarterfinals.

13. Madison-Ridgeland Academy (36-5)

MAIS Class 4A. Previous ranking: 14. Final game: MRA 37, Simpson Academy 25 in MAIS Overall championship.

14. Pontotoc (23-9)

MHSAA Class 5A. Previous ranking: 16. Final game: Laurel 63, Pontotoc 38 in MHSAA 5A semifinals.

15. Brandon (23-8)

MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 17. Final game: Biloxi 55, Brandon 39 in MHSAA 7A quarterfinals.

16. Louisville (22-8)

MHSAA Class 6A. Previous ranking: Not ranked. Final game: Tishomingo County 64, Louisville 49 in MHSAA 4A championship.

17. Morton (27-3)

MHSAA Class 4A. Previous ranking: 11. Final game: Tishomingo County 65, Morton 40 in MHSAA 4A semifinals.

18. Choctaw Central (24-6)

MHSAA Class 4A. Previous ranking: 15. Final game: Morton 48, Choctaw Central 36 in MHSAA 4A quarterfinals.

19. Holmes County Central (22-12)

MHSAA Class 5A. Previous ranking: 23. Final game: Laurel 52, Holmes County Central 26 in MHSAA 5A championship.

20. Brookhaven (25-6)

MHSAA Class 5A. Previous ranking: 18. Final game: Holmes County Central 61, Brookhaven 55 in MHSAA 5A semifinals.

21. Belmont (24-7)

MHSAA Class 3A. Previous ranking: 19. Final game: Booneville 54, Belmont 31 in MHSAA 3A championship.

22. Simpson Academy (31-6)

MAIS Class 4A. Previous ranking: 21. Final game: MRA 37, Simpson Academy 25 in MAIS Overall championship.

23. West Harrison (24-5)

MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 22. Final game: Brandon 54, West Harrison 45 in MHSAA 7A first round.

24. East Union (30-2)

MHSAA Class 2A. Previous ranking: 24. Final game: East Union 57, New Site 38 in MHSAA 2A championship.

25. East Rankin Academy (31-7)

MAIS Class 4A. Previous ranking: Not ranked. Final game: MRA 57, East Rankin Academy 43 in MAIS Overall semifinals.

Michael Chavez covers high school sports, among others, for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X, formerly Twitter @MikeSChavez.

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