Connect with us

Mississippi

DOJ responds to Hinds DA motion to dismiss in Mississippi bribery case

Published

on

DOJ responds to Hinds DA motion to dismiss in Mississippi bribery case



Federal response includes 25 exhibits after Owens’ motion set off a court fight over access to evidence.

play

Federal prosecutors responded to Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens motion to dismiss the federal bribery charges against him, filing their opposition under seal along with 25 exhibits that are not currently available to the public.

In the Monday, Feb. 23, filing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said it submitted its response in paper form only, along with a disc containing 25 exhibits. Federal prosecutors are opposing Owens’ claim that FBI investigators engaged in outrageous government conduct and unlawfully entrapped him.

The prosecutors’ filing was placed under seal by the clerk’s office due to a prior court order outlining how sensitive materials tied to the Owens’ motion should be handled. The court established a process in which filings are first submitted under restricted access, then reviewed for proposed redactions before any public release.

Advertisement

It is playing out like an ongoing tug-of-war between transparency and secrecy in one of Mississippi’s largest public corruption cases in recent years.

Owens effectively lit the fuse on that fight in January when he attached more than 40 exhibits to his motion to dismiss, including undercover recordings, FBI memoranda, text messages and confidential source reports. The exhibits were publicly available in court records for a short period before federal prosecutors filed an emergency motion asking the court to seal them. They argued the exhibits contained protected discovery and sensitive investigative information.

The Clarion Ledger reviewed and obtained the exhibits while they were publicly available in court records before the court restricted access.

Advertisement

U.S. District Judge Daniel Jordan outlined the sealing process during a Feb. 11 status conference, as attorneys continued sorting through thousands of pages of records and hours of undercover audio and video tied to the case.

If Owens’ motion to dismiss is granted, it could end the prosecution before it ever reaches a jury. A status conference on the case is set for April 1, where attorneys are expected to discuss jury selection and possible use of juror questionnaires.

Federal prosecutors allege Owens, former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and former Jackson City Councilman Aaron Banks accepted cash payments, campaign contributions and other benefits from undercover FBI agents posing as developers seeking support for a downtown convention center hotel project.

All three men were indicted in November 2024 and have pleaded not guilty to a combined total of 17 federal felony counts.

Advertisement

Two other defendants — former Jackson City Councilwoman Angelique Lee and Sherik Marve Smith, an associate of Owens — have pleaded guilty. A trial is set for July 13, 2026.

Charlie Drape is the Jackson beat reporter. Contact him at cdrape@gannett.com.



Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Mississippi

UPDATE: I-10 crash between 18-wheeler, passenger vehicle cleared after causing injuries

Published

on

UPDATE: I-10 crash between 18-wheeler, passenger vehicle cleared after causing injuries


PASCAGOULA, Miss. (WLOX) — A crash between an 18-wheeler and a passenger vehicle on I-10 Sunday morning has been cleared as of 12:30 p.m., according to Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP).

The crash caused congestion in eastbound lanes near the Gautier-Vancleave Road Exit 61.

Eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 near the Gautier-Vancleave Road exit are backed up following a crash between an 18-wheeler and a passenger vehicle Saturday morning, according to the Mississippi Highway Patrol. (MDOT)

The crash happened at approximately 5 a.m., according to MHP Trooper Landon Orozco.

The crash happened at approximately 5 a.m., according to Mississippi Highway Patrol Trooper...
The crash happened at approximately 5 a.m., according to Mississippi Highway Patrol Trooper Landon Orozco.(Landon Orozco)
Eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 near the Gautier-Vancleave Road exit are backed up following...
Eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 near the Gautier-Vancleave Road exit are backed up following a crash between an 18-wheeler and a passenger vehicle Sunday morning.(Landon Orozco)

Injuries were reported, but the severity is not yet known.

MHP is on scene investigating the incident, and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is also headed to investigate the crash.

Advertisement

See a spelling or grammar error in this story? Report it to our team HERE.

Copyright 2026 WLOX. All rights reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading

Mississippi

What can you expect at Neshoba County Fair political speaking?

Published

on

What can you expect at Neshoba County Fair political speaking?


play

Advertisement
  • Mississippi’s Neshoba County Fair will feature speeches from 16 politicians and elected officials.
  • The event is a key venue for candidates to address voters ahead of upcoming statewide elections.
  • Speakers include Gov. Tate Reeves, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, and candidates for governor and lieutenant governor.
  • The fair has historically hosted prominent political figures, including Ronald Reagan and Michael Dukakis.

Mississippi’s preeminent political speaking event returns to Philadelphia in late June, bringing together the candidates who hope to occupy the state’s highest offices come next year.

The Neshoba County Fair, Mississippi’s biggest house party, is a time-honored public speaking venue dating back decades that has received presidential and gubernatorial candidates. Those less interested in political stump speeches can watch horse racing and attend concerts during the weeklong celebration.

The fair has long served as a conduit for politicians, mostly conservative Republicans, to get their message to a friendly audience in person and the state at large. Freshly elected officeholders typically use the Neshoba podium to excite constituents with promises of what’s to come. Less than two years away from a critical statewide election, candidates will be stirring up support in some races that are likely to become very crowded very soon.

Who will be speaking at the Neshoba County Fair?

The fair is more than a week long, but political speaking takes up less than three hours of the event’s proceedings. Sixteen politicians and elected officials will address the audience on Wednesday, June 24, and Thursday, June 25.

Speakers will include a mix of local and statewide representatives, many of whom are vying for reelection or new positions next year. November’s elections will see the first opportunity this decade for Mississippi voters to elevate a new candidate to the governor’s office, along with every other statewide position and the state Legislature.

Advertisement

Speakers at Neshoba will include:

  • State Sen. Lane Taylor, R-Philadelphia
  • Michael Chiaradio, Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives District 3
  • Ty Pinkins, Independent candidate for U.S. Senate
  • Scott Colom, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate
  • David McRae, State Treasurer
  • Lynn Fitch, Attorney General
  • Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann
  • State Rep. Scott Bounds, R-Philadelphia
  • De’Keither Stamps, Public Service Commissioner for the Central Dsitrict
  • Willie Simmons, Transportation Commissioner for the Central District
  • Jenifer Branning, Supreme Court Justice
  • Kenny Griffis, Supreme Court Justice
  • Andy Gipson, Agriculture Commissioner and candidate for Governor
  • Michael Watson, Secretary of State and candidate for lieutenant governor
  • Jason White, Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives
  • Gov. Tate Reeves

What will candidates talk about at Neshoba?

Whatever they discuss, political speakers have no more than 10 minutes to get their point across to the audience at the fairgrounds. None of the people speaking have publicly announced the content of their speech, but past speeches and upcoming elections can give some insight into the talking points Mississippians can expect.

More than half of the lineup will see an election this year or next year, so their speeches will likely serve to promote themselves and their campaign.

Chiaradio, Pinkins and Colom are all challenging incumbent Republicans on the federal level in November; neither of the current officeholders will speak at Neshoba. Listeners will hear about the policies that each candidate would implement in their positions, accompanied by potential criticisms of the incumbents.

Half a dozen speakers were offered a spot in the lineup because they represent Neshoba County, like Philadelphia-based Sen. Lane Taylor and Rep. Scott Bounds. Taylor recently completed his first full legislative session after taking office in late April 2025. Bounds is the president of the Neshoba County Fair Association.

Advertisement

Perhaps the most high-stakes speeches will come in the second half of both days when statewide politicians will take the stage. Six of the eight highest-ranking officials representing Mississippians are on the schedule.

They will likely be split into two groups: those promoting what they’ve accomplished so far, and those laying plans for the future.

In the first camp is Treasurer David McRae, Attorney General Lynn Fitch, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and Gov. Tate Reeves. None of them have announced what they may run for in 2027, although longstanding speculation indicates that both Hosemann and Fitch are weighing gubernatorial runs.

Reeves is term-limited and has not indicated which position, if any, he will pursue when his time in the governor’s mansion comes to an end. Many former governors have pursued federal office or found a home in Washington lobbying firms.

Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson and Secretary of State Michael Watson will probably take a different approach. Both have declared their campaigns for higher office, Gipson for governor and Watson for lieutenant governor, meaning that Neshoba is a golden opportunity for each to proselytize.

Advertisement

Who has spoken at Neshoba in the past?

Several notable figures have addressed the Neshoba crowds in the fair’s history, although it hasn’t seen a presidential candidate since Democratic Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis in 1988. Shortly before Dukakis, in 1980, Ronald Reagan stopped in the Magnolia State to rally support for his presidential bid.

Donald Trump Jr., the then-candidate’s eldest son, spoke at Neshoba in 2016 on behalf of his father. Since then, the focus has largely been on local and statewide races in Mississippi. Neshoba is considered a rite of passage and proving ground for any gubernatorial hopeful.

How can I go to the Neshoba County Fair?

The Neshoba County Fair will take place between June 19-26. It will feature an art show, daily concerts and horse racing, among many other activities.

A day pass to the fair costs $30, while a season pass costs $60. Children who are 9 years old or younger will be allowed in for free.

Advertisement

Bea Anhuci is the state government reporter for the Clarion Ledger. She has covered Mississippi politics since the start of 2026. Email her at banhuci@usatodayco.com.



Source link

Continue Reading

Mississippi

Mississippi-based organization offering shower and laundry services to Saline Co. residents

Published

on

Mississippi-based organization offering shower and laundry services to Saline Co. residents


Granny’s Alliance based out of Gulfport, Mississippi, is offering free shower and laundry services to Saline County residents

Salina Post

Granny’s Alliance, based out of Gulfport, Mississippi, is offering free shower and laundry services this week for residents affected by the June 8 storm.

Services are available at Grand Avenue United Methodist Church, 304 W. Grand St. in Salina, and will be open from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Friday, June 19.

Staff members will be on hand to help ensure the facilities remain clean and available for residents using the service.

Advertisement

Please bring your own soap, towels, detergent, and other shower or laundry supplies if you have them.

Free supplies will be available for those who do not have what they need.

Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending