Mississippi

Court says voting ban for felons in Mississippi can be altered by lawmakers, not judges

Published

2 years ago

July 19, 2024

Court says voting ban for felons in Mississippi can be altered by lawmakers, not judges

(AP) – Mississippi legislators, not the courts, must decide whether to change the state’s practice of stripping voting rights from people convicted of certain felonies, including nonviolent crimes such as forgery and timber theft, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday.

The state’s original list of disenfranchising crimes springs from the Jim Crow era, and attorneys who sued to challenge the list say authors of the Mississippi Constitution removed voting rights for crimes they thought Black people were more likely to commit.

A majority of judges on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals wrote that the Supreme Court in 1974 reaffirmed constitutional law allowing states to disenfranchise felons.

“Do the hard work of persuading your fellow citizens that the law should change,” the majority wrote.

Nineteen judges of the appeals court heard arguments in January, months after vacating a ruling issued last August by a three-judge panel of the same court. The panel had said Mississippi’s ban on voting after certain crimes violates the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.

In the ruling Thursday, dissenting judges wrote that the majority stretched the previous Supreme Court ruling “beyond all recognition.” The dissenting judges wrote that Mississippi’s practice of disenfranchising people who have completed their sentences is cruel and unusual.

Tens of thousands of Mississippi residents are disenfranchised under a part of the state constitution that says those convicted of 10 specific felonies, including bribery, theft, arson and bigamy, lose the right to vote. Under a previous state attorney general, who was a Democrat, the list was expanded to 22 crimes, including timber larceny — felling and stealing trees from someone else’s property — and carjacking.

About 38% of Mississippi residents are Black, according to the Census Bureau. Nearly 50,000 people were disenfranchised under Mississippi’s felony voting ban between 1994 and 2017, and about 59% of them were Black, according to an expert who analyzed data for plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging the ban.

To have their voting rights restored, people convicted of any of the crimes must get a pardon from the governor, which rarely happens, or persuade lawmakers to pass individual bills just for them with two-thirds approval. Lawmakers in recent years have passed few of those bills. They passed 17 this year and none in 2023.

In March, a Mississippi Senate committee leader killed a proposal that would have allowed automatic restoration of voting rights five years after a person is convicted or released from prison for some nonviolent felonies. The bill passed the Republican-controlled House 99-9, but Senate Constitution Committee Chairwoman Angela Hill said she blocked it because “we already have some processes in place” to restore voting rights person by person.

In 1950, Mississippi dropped burglary from the list of disenfranchising crimes. Murder and rape were added in 1968. Two lawsuits in recent years have challenged Mississippi’s felony disenfranchisement.

Attorneys representing the state in one lawsuit argued that the changes in 1950 and 1968 “cured any discriminatory taint.” The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals court agreed in 2022, and the Supreme Court said in June 2023 that it would not reconsider the appeals court’s decision.

People who challenged Mississippi’s felony voting ban are “exploring next steps” after Thursday’s ruling, said Jon Youngwood, co-chairman of the litigation department at the Simpson Thacher & Bartlett law firm.

“We are heartened by the opinion of the six dissenting judges, which encapsulates the importance of this case,” Youngwood said in a statement. “As they write, voting is ‘the lifeblood of our democracy.’ Denying broad groups of our citizens, for life, the ability to have a role in determining who governs them diminishes our society and deprives individuals of the full rights of representative government.”

The 5th Circuit is one of the most conservative appeals courts. It is based in New Orleans and handles cases from Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

The 19 judges who heard the arguments in January include 17 on active, full-time status, and two on senior status with limited caseloads and responsibilities.

The majority opinion was written by Judge Edith Jones, who was nominated by Republican former President Ronald Reagan and is still on active status. The result was agreed to by the 11 other active judges appointed by GOP presidents. A nominee of Democratic President Joe Biden, Judge Irma Ramirez, voted with the majority to reject the earlier panel decision.

The dissent was written by Judge James Dennis, who was nominated by former President Bill Clinton and now is on senior status. He was joined by Senior Judge Carolyn Dineen King, nominated by former President Jimmy Carter, and five other Democratic nominees on active service with the court.

Dennis, King and Jones made up the three-member panel whose 2-1 decision was reversed.

Source link

Mississippi

NCAA appeals to Mississippi Supreme Court, seeking to bar Trinidad Chambliss from playing in 2026

Published

4 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

NCAA appeals to Mississippi Supreme Court, seeking to bar Trinidad Chambliss from playing in 2026

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The NCAA has filed an appeal in the eligibility case of Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.

In the appeal, filed Thursday with the Mississippi Supreme Court, the NCAA argues that Chambliss has “exhausted his eligibility” to play Division I football because he has already played four seasons in a five-year period, the maximum allowed under NCAA rules.

A Mississippi judge last month granted Chambliss a preliminary injunction against college athletics’ governing body, giving him an extra year of eligibility that would allow him to play in 2026. The NCAA had previously denied Chambliss’ request for a waiver.

Chambliss began his college career at Ferris State in 2021, redshirted his first season and did not play in 2022 because of medical issues. He played two more seasons at the Division II school in Michigan, leading the Bulldogs to a national championship before transferring to Ole Miss before the start of last season.

The 23-year-old Chambliss led the Rebels to the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Source link

Mississippi

Vicksburg soccer star Amari Johnson signs with East Mississippi CC

Published

16 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Vicksburg soccer star Amari Johnson signs with East Mississippi CC

“I’m proud of myself for the work I’ve put in. A lot of people say they want to do stuff but they don’t work on it, so I’m proud that I stuck to stuff like practicing at home. Even when I didn’t want to go to practice I went,” Johnson said. “This year since I was a captain I had to show my leadership skills and step up, especially with our shortage of players. Not every year is the best but you’ve got to make the best of what you’ve got and I’m proud that I’ve been able to adapt to the changes.”

Johnson joined a growing pipeline of Warren County players who are headed to East Mississippi. She’s the fourth player from the county to sign there in the past two years. Johnson said another Vicksburg native is to credit for that.

Ryan Theriot, a former St. Aloysius star, is an assistant coach at East Mississippi. He’s mined his hometown for talent, including recruiting Johnson.

“The assistant coach, Ryan (Theriot), is from Vicksburg so he saw me. He emailed me asking if I was interested in playing soccer, so I said yes, if I get the opportunity I would be happy to,” Johnson said. “It’s very surreal, because honestly I did not think I would be playing soccer at this level. It’s hard to get looked at for soccer, especially in Vicksburg. Sometimes Vicksburg gets overlooked.”

During her high school career Johnson has played nearly every position on the field at one time or another, including keeper. She wasn’t sure where she’d play at East Mississippi, and doesn’t really care as long as she’s in the lineup.

“One time I had to play striker, and the next midfield. One time I had to go to defense. It was stressful. But then I’m kind of happy because when I get to college we’ll have other people to play all these positions. It was good for me to be versatile,” Johnson said. “If I have to change positions to play I definitely will, because I do want to start by the end of my freshman year.”

More than anything, she just wants to play and continue to leave her mark.

“I’m really excited to play at this next level so I can tell my kids I played soccer in college,” Johnson said. “I just want to thank my teammates from soccer, softball and volleyball, my coaches, and my mom and grandmom. I love all of y’all very much.”

Source link

Mississippi

Mississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for March 7, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Mississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for March 7, 2026

The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 7, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from March 7 drawing

08-11-15-23-24

Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 3 numbers from March 7 drawing

Midday: 9-6-4, FB: 4

Evening: 4-5-1, FB: 0

Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 4 numbers from March 7 drawing

Midday: 4-3-0-7, FB: 4

Evening: 2-2-0-8, FB: 0

Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from March 7 drawing

Midday: 06

Evening: 09

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Story continues below gallery.

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.

Prizes between $600 and $99,999, may be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters or by mail. Mississippi Lottery Winner Claim form, proper identification (ID) and the original ticket must be provided for all claims of $600 or more. If mailing, send required documentation to:

Mississippi Lottery Corporation

P.O. Box 321462

Flowood, MS

39232

If your prize is $100,000 or more, the claim must be made in person at the Mississippi Lottery headquarters. Please bring identification, such as a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security card to verify your identity. Winners of large prizes may also have the option of setting up electronic funds transfer (EFT) for direct deposits into a bank account.

Mississippi Lottery Headquarters

1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100

Flowood, MS

39232

Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.

When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?

Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Source link