Justice Department Sues Over New Mississippi Law That Creates Special Judicial District for White Neighborhood in Crime-Ridden Jackson: Black Leaders Say Law Is ‘Modern-Day Jim Crow’
Jackson’s murder rate in 2022 was roughly 92 for every 100,000 people — the highest in the nation, far surpassing the likes of Baltimore and St. Louis.
Attorney General Garland’s Department of Justice has launched a court challenge to a new Mississippi law that cracks down on rampant crime at the state capitol of Jackson, saying the law discriminates against the city’s overwhelmingly Black majority. Black lawmakers have labeled the law a “modern-day Jim Crow,” while white lawmakers say it’s essential for public safety.
The law in question, H.B. 1020, creates a special judicial district in a neighborhood of Jackson that is whiter and more affluent than other areas. Judges in the district will be appointed by the white chief justice of the state supreme court instead of elected by the majority Black voters. Jackson is more than 80 percent Black.
A login link has been sent to
Enter your email to read this article.
Get 2 free articles when you subscribe.
