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Up-and-coming Canton attorney and politician Ed Blackmon and his friends left a 1978 New Year’s Eve party to go to the Red Lantern in South Jackson, then a popular nightclub for black professionals.

Not long after his group arrived, Jackson police swarmed the club from several directions, sending people scattering.

Blackmon, now 72 and a longtime influential member of the Mississippi House of Representatives, said he was attacked by police that night — they knocked out several of his front teeth with a baton — for no other reason but his skin color. It was one of two times in his life that police officers physically assaulted him.

“The one at the Red Lantern was the worst,” he said, adding that he dropped to his knees and locked his hands behind his head. “That is what we were taught because hands can heal, but your head might not be able to.”

Gil Ford Photography

Rep. Ed Blackmon, D-Canton

Blackmon spoke of the incident when asked about the recent events surrounding George Floyd, a black Minnesota man who was killed by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer who pressed his knee onto Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. Floyd’s killing, and other recent police killings of black Americans, has spurred protests across the nation, including in Mississippi.

“Not much has changed,” said Blackmon. “Nothing has changed.”

More than 40 years later, Blackmon and other African American members of the Mississippi Legislature say they are hopeful the cell phone video of Floyd’s death in broad daylight on a Minneapolis street will lead to not only changes in attitudes but changes in policy.

Mississippi Today asked several members of the state Legislature for their reaction to Floyd’s killing and the actions that his death spurred, as well as whether the state Legislature can and should do anything to address police brutality and inequity in the criminal justice system.

At a Thursday news conference held by the Legislative Black Caucus, Rep. John Faulkner, D-Holly Springs, read off a list of criminal justice reform bills that black members introduced in recent sessions that have died.

They included:

• Requiring body cameras for police officers.
• Requiring a special investigator and prosecutor for officer-involved shootings.
• Restoring the right to vote to felons once they have completed their sentence.

Blackmon added it also should be a fireable offense for an officer to turn off a body camera while on duty and that changes in law should be made to lessen the degree of immunity from civil lawsuits that law enforcement officers have.

In a statement, the caucus said: “Given the grave importance of relations between law enforcement officers and our communities, the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus will seek to engage the heads of the various law enforcement agencies and state government to discuss law enforcement training, qualified immunity and best practices going forward.”

Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today, Report For America

Rep. Robert Johnson III speaks to media concerning the coronavirus Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

Rep. Robert Johnson, D-Natchez, suggested raising the qualifications and pay for police officers as well as requiring more sensitivity training to ensure better personnel. Gov. Tate Reeves also has the authority through executive order to release inmates with nonviolent offenses, which would decrease the prison population, Johnson said. And “if (Reeves) is not willing to do it, we ought to be willing to do it by legislation,” he said.

Mississippi House of Representatives

Rep. Bryant Clark, D-Pickens

Like Johnson, Rep. Bryant Clark, D-Ebenezer, said the state should put more of an effort into releasing and rehabilitating nonviolent inmates, although that likely would not happen without the federal government getting involved, he said, because “Mississippi, we love stumbling into the future walking backwards.”

“Racism is America’s Achilles heel,” Clark said. “It’s that one issue that keeps reoccurring that we can’t seem to find the solution to.”

All legislators, both black and white, interviewed by Mississippi Today acknowledged the tragedy of the Floyd case. All supported the right to protest, but some expressed disappointment that in some instances laws were broken in the midst of the protests.

Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today/ Report for America

Rep. M. Kevin Horan speaks during a special session of the Legislature at the Capitol in Jackson Friday, August 24, 2018.

Rep. Kevin Horan, R-Grenada, spoke of how “terrible” the Floyd case was but “that does not excuse the conditions after the fact that are taking away from the seriousness of the original crime.”

When asked if it was fair to paint all the protesters by the actions of a few, he said: “Unfortunately from an optical standpoint it is hard to separate” for some Americans.

Rep. Nick Bain, R-Corinth

“That’s their constitutional right, and that’s something that should be honored as much as we honor gun rights, as much as we honor freedom of speech,” said Rep. Nick Bain, a Republican from Corinth. “… I’m all for people protesting. There is a line between protesting and rioting and that’s been evidenced in some of the stuff that we’ve seen.”

Sen. Chris McDaniel of Ellisville, a favorite of the Tea Party wing of the Republican Party, said Floyd’s murder was “a tragedy” and there is no excuse for it.

Sen. Chris McDaniel, R – Ellisville

“We have a small number of bad apples in every profession, including law enforcement,” McDaniel said. He said people protesting is “a quintessential American act. It is a very important part of our country, but violence, looting and lawfulness cannot be allowed.”

House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, said: “I believe that the incident is shameful. It is appalling. There is no justification for it.”

Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said: “I am proud of the people who are peacefully protesting.” He called the incident leading to those protests “revolting.”

Hosemann said he has met with senators to discuss whether legislation should be considered this session or in the coming sessions to address issues surrounding the incident. He said those conversations would continue, but exactly what that legislation would be – if any – is not clear at this point.

Gil Ford Photography

Sen. Brice Wiggins, R-Pascagoula

There would be a strong likelihood that any legislation dealing with establishing guidelines for police officers would move through the Judiciary B committees, where Sen. Brice Wiggins, R-Pascagoula, is the chair in the Senate. Wiggins expressed outrage at the Floyd killing, but “we must all acknowledge… law enforcement put their lives on the line every day to protect us.”

In terms of legislation to try to stop instances of police misconduct, he said: “I am more than willing to sit down and talk about what, if any, legislation needs to come down.”

Bain, the Judiciary B chair in the House, shared a similar sentiment. The deadline to introduce legislation has already passed, which means lawmakers can’t bring forth any new bills to address issues without two-thirds consent of both chambers to suspend rules and take up new legislation. Lawmakers could still make amendments to general bills by the June 17 deadline, but the legislation would need to have a pertinent code section in it to make any changes.

“We’re past the ability to do anything really as a Legislature (in the current session),” Bain said. “But sure. I think that it’s incumbent upon us as lawmakers to always have discussions about current events, current policy issues.”

House of Representatives

Rep. Angela Cockerham, D-Magnolia

Rep. Angela Cockerham, I-Magnolia, said she feels for Floyd and his family.

“Sadly, what happened to Mr. Floyd in Minnesota can and does occur in America in other states far too often. What we are experiencing right now is a resounding cry across the country to be heard, to be viewed, and to be treated as human beings,” Cockerham said. “These aches must be addressed by the leadership across all fifty states, nationally, and all U.S. territories.”

Cockerham, chair of the House Judiciary A and Judiciary En Banc committees, said she hopes that the demonstrations occurring will lead to lasting change.

“As a lawmaker, I support community review boards that work closely with law enforcement and the judicial system,” Cockerham said. “Additionally, criminal justice reform measures that promote rehabilitation and allow individuals to re-enter society without stigma should always be a priority. This is a tipping point for our society, and now is not the time to be passive. We should all use our voice to bring about equality in our great nation.”

The post As Black Lives Matter protests continue, Mississippi lawmakers consider addressing criminal justice policy appeared first on Mississippi Today.

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Margaret Bowles via AP

Brandon’s Demario Davis has become one of the NFL’s most productive linebackers for the New Orleans Saints.

Yes, New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis answers, he was dismayed Wednesday when he heard Drew Brees’ statement that Brees would “never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States” for any reason.

Brees’ statement seemed a not-so-veiled disparagement of his fellow NFL players who, in protest of police brutality against black people, have taken a knee during the playing of the national anthem. Brees’ statement was widely criticized, coming amid international marches and protests of the police killings of George Floyd in Minnesota, Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia.

Rick Cleveland

“Drew and I have had a conversation about it,” Davis, a Brandon native, said in a telephone interview Wednesday morning. “I’ll keep what was said between us.”

But, having said that, Davis immediately praised Brees, the future Pro Football Hall of Famer, for the quarterback’s public apology Wednesday morning. In an Instagram post, Brees said his Tuesday remarks “were insensitive and totally missed the mark on what we are facing right now as a country.”

“I believe Drew’s apology is a model of the turn-around that needs to happen in this country right now,” Davis said. “For Drew to say that he missed the mark, that his remarks were insensitive, and that he’s going to start listening and learning from the black community and learning what he can do to help – that’s what needs to happen in America right now. That’s a model for all of America. That’s what we need. That’s true leadership. That’s taking ownership.”

Andy Kanengiser/MC

Drew Brees, speaking at Mississippi College in 2019.

Brees and Davis are two of the unquestioned leaders, on and off the field, of one of the NFL’s best teams. When Brees was injured and missed games during the 2019 season, Davis stepped into the quarterback’s role of leading the Saints’ pregame sideline chants meant to fire up the team. Both are also leaders in their communities.

Brees and his wife, Brittany, have given and raised millions for New Orleans and Louisiana causes. Davis has been active not only in Louisiana and in Mississippi but across the country for several different causes. Davis has given his time and money to causes such as immigrant rights at the Mexico-U.S. border, the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, as well as his own crusade against police brutality. In Jackson, Davis has raised money for St. Dominic Memorial Hospital, where his mother worked, with the sell of his “Man of God” bandannas.

Davis has said, many times, that as long as he has the platform of a popular pro football star on one of the NFL’s most popular teams, he plans to use it to work to make the world a better, kinder place. “I don’t care how much the world hates, I will always choose love,” he wrote on his Instagram account two years ago.

Davis, 31, spoke Wednesday from his home in Nashville. He also has a home in Brandon and splits his off-season time between Brandon, Nashville and New Orleans. He and his wife are the parents of three young children.

Davis spoke passionately in support of what he called “the worldwide protest of racism and the systematic suppression of black people.”

“The time is now,” Davis said. “We can’t get this wrong this time. This has gone on for 400 years in America. It’s time to stand up for black lives and putting an end to racism, which is woven into the fabric of our country and our state. It’s going to take all of us, no matter our color, our politics or anything else, doing our part, person by person, bit by bit. We need to fix what is wrong in Mississippi and around the country. We have to take a look deep down inside of ourselves. Every one of us.”

Davis went on: “I love my state. I am proud to represent Mississippi. Racism has affected and impacted Mississippi as much or more than it has any other place. It’s going to take all of us, doing our best, to fix it.”

The post Demario Davis speaks passionately about nation’s ills, accepts Brees’ apology appeared first on Mississippi Today.

CLARKSDALE — As people across the country protest to end police brutality and discriminatory policing practices against unarmed black people, a Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center nurse wrote a lengthy Facebook post calling protesters “thugs” and wishing violence and death upon them.

Lawrence Self

A now-deleted Facebook post from Monie Brown, a registered nurse in Clarksdale.

“What the hell is wrong with you people? People haven’t had a second thought about George Floyd and it is very clear because of all the rioting, looting, arson, destruction of property, beat downs and murder,” wrote Monie Brown, who is listed as a registered nurse according to Board of Nursing records.

In the post, Brown lashed out at rioters and protesters who are protesting the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed by a police officer in Minnesota who kept his knee buried into his neck for more than eight minutes. In her post, Brown called the protesters “wild animals” and encouraged them to kill their own family members, burn their houses down and think about their actions.

“It is time we take this country back from you animals so be very careful about what your next step is because it can lead to 6 feet under! (President Donald) Trump is fixing to put your asses in jail or a grave. I hope it is the latter of the 2.”

In multiple posts, people in the Clarksdale community expressed outrage on social media, asking for others to report Brown’s actions and send emails and complaints to the Mississippi Board of Nursing and the local hospital where she works. Brown deactivated her Facebook page. Attempts to reach Brown were unsuccessful.

The Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center wrote a Facebook post on Thursday afternoon.

“Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center is committed to equality for all members of our community and strives to create an inclusive environment for employees to work and patients to receive care,” the statement said. “We serve the healthcare needs of patients and families of different backgrounds. All individuals in our facilities are to be treated with dignity and respect and we do not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex.”

Mississippi Today reached out to the hospital directly, but has not received a response.

Coahoma County Supervisor Derrell Washington told Mississippi Today in a phone call that the Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center CEO Joel Southern confirmed to him that Brown was fired Thursday.

Brown’s words are not the first to stir controversy in the state, as multiple public officials have been chastised for speaking out about Floyd’s murder and ensuing protests. Earlier this week, Madison County prosecutor Pamela Hancock suggested on Facebook that “the deadly strain” of coronavirus should spread among rioters who are protesting inequity in the criminal justice system.

Last week, Petal Mayor Hal Marx posted on social, “If you can say you can’t breathe, you’re breathing,” and said Floyd likely died of an overdose or heart attack, multiple news outlet reported. Protesters are still demanding his resignation, the Hattiesburg American reported.

This week community organizers across the state in Clarksdale, Meridian, Jackson and Gulfport, among other towns and cities, are scheduling rallies and protests against police brutality, racism and discrimination as a way to honor the Black Lives Matter movement and the countless number of black people who has lost their lives to those very issues.

The post ‘Your life does not matter:’ Mississippi nurse writes Facebook post wishing death, jail time on protesters appeared first on Mississippi Today.

Families who have been in the dark about coronavirus spread in their loved one’s nursing homes now have limited insight into facility outbreaks.

The state health department released a list of 116 facilities that have current outbreaks – considered one case among residents and staff – late Wednesday, after a judge ruled last week that the agency had to disclose the names.

In total, MSDH is reporting 1,718 resident cases, 1,003 employee cases and 310 resident deaths in long-term care facilities with active outbreaks. Of the 116 facilities with active outbreaks, 27 facilities – about a quarter – have only had one case among staff or residents, despite the disease’s quick-spread in residential facilities.

State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs said on Wednesday that facilities with proper infection control can either keep the virus out or keep it to minimal spread once it does come in, adding that a good rule of thumb in facilities is to assume everyone has it and protect staff and residents accordingly.

“We’ve seen places that had one employee (test positive) and had really great protocols for infection prevention and that was it – it just stopped,” he said. “That’s the kind of thinking we’re going to have to have going forward – we cant test our way out of it, though its an important tool – but combined with proper infection prevention we can do a good job.”

The list comes in the backdrop of drastic case growth over the last two weeks in Mississippi. New cases started to slow mid-May but have quickly reversed, worrying state officials particularly when it comes to not overburdening the health care system – the goal of flattening the curve.

Active outbreaks maxed at 137 on Sunday, when the state tested all 211 facilities across the state. The number declining to 116 by Wednesday, as listed on the new facility list, means the state is considering some facilities recovered. On Wednesday, however, the state estimated 126 active outbreaks on their daily long-term care outbreak list by county – the source of the discrepancy is unclear. The case data is self-reported from facilities and is only as accurate as they report.

It’s still difficult to assess recoveries because cases are listed cumulatively for any facility or county with an outbreak, not differentiating between which cases within the facility might have recovered. Comparing the county list and new facility list, MSDH considered at least 275 residents – 14 percent of all long-term cases over time – recovered.

Ninety-five facilities are nursing homes, though nine developmental disability centers and six assisted living communities – centers for aging adults but who live more independently than nursing homes – also have active outbreaks. One personal care home and one “other” are also listed.

Hinds, Jones and Lauderdale counties are most represented on the list, each with seven facilities comprising 598 cases, almost a quarter of all cases among active outbreaks in the state. Central Mississippi, where five counties are still under shelter-in-place orders until Monday, has driven new cases recently and seen health care strain due to coronavirus spread and normal hospital use, according to Dobbs.

In Hinds, most long-term care cases are among residents, but in Jones and Lauderdale, cases are split fairly equally among staff and residents, echoing Dobbs’ point Wednesday to reporters that though there are still “significant” outbreaks in long-term care, they’re driven by staff and community spread, which can lead to hospital strain he says is happening in Jackson and the Pine Belt.

“We’re seeing more and more outbreaks associated with shrimp boils and parties,” Dobbs said, pointing to a “reverse scenario where people are bringing it into work because they’re catching it in the community.”

In Mississippi, facility outbreaks are not necessarily correlated with high community cases – suggesting that it could be facility protocol that’s contributing to the spread as well, like Dobbs mentioned.  Of the 20 counties with the most COVID-19 cases per capita, only seven also have the most long-term care cases.

Facility outbreaks are also not driven by older age of a county’s population or high number of nursing homes. Only half of the counties with the most facilities also have the most long-term care cases, and even fewer – just four counties with the most long-term care cases – also have the highest proportions of those over the age of 75.

Still though, long-term care facilities are not driving the overall new case spikes seen across Mississippi over the last two weeks, nor are specific community outbreaks, says Dobbs. General community transmission – folks spreading the virus at small or large gatherings by not socially distancing – seems to be the main source of cases, Dobbs says.

That community spread lead to 12 days of steady new case growth late May to early June – average new cases growing by nearly 20 percent in less than two weeks and surpassing unprecedented daily averages in the 300-new-case range for more than a week now. Over the same time, weekly case totals continued to peak for nine days, maxing out at 2,294 weekly cases on June 1 – the most ever reported.

Over that time, an average of 4,500 daily viral tests were conducted, increasing total diagnostic tests by over 50 percent in two weeks, due largely in part to universal long-term care testing that just wrapped up. In total more than 62,000 Mississippians were tested over the last two weeks, not including antibody tests.

During the last two weeks of steady case growth, long-term care cases grew by 27 percent, while overall case growth grew by 34 percent.

Though older folks and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk of complications and still comprise most deaths and hospitalizations – those over the age of 60 accounting for 87 percent of deaths and 61 percent of hospitalizations – these trends are moving younger, a sign that community transmission is growing among asymptomatic people returning to normal activity.

Long-term care residents are still driving deaths, even while only accounting for 12 percent of all cases and 10 percent of new cases over the last two weeks.

As Dobbs mentioned Wednesday, new cases are diversifying by age. Younger people have driven new cases over the last two weeks – 18 to 29-year-olds now accounting for majority cases, and their case-load growing by 57 percent in just two weeks.

The post After court order, Mississippi releases list of nursing homes with active coronavirus outbreaks appeared first on Mississippi Today.

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Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today

Mississippi House speaker Philip Gunn speaks during Gov. Tate Reeves press conference at the State of Mississippi Woolfolk Building in Jackson, Miss., Thursday, May 7, 2020.

The board that governs Mississippi’s public employees retirement system could revisit and reverse its ruling that retired educators and state and local government retirees can serve in the Legislature while continuing to draw their pensions.

The Public Employees Retirement System Board had requested an IRS ruling on whether its decision could negatively impact the federal tax exempt status of the system, which could be detrimental for the system and its members.

The board had voted in 2019 to change its regulation to allow the public retirees to serve in the Legislature and draw their pension as they do in other states, such as Florida. But in making the change, board members said they needed approval of the IRS.

In a letter sent to the PERS Board in early May, officials at the IRS said: “In this particular instance we have determined that we cannot issue a ruling based on the factual nature of the matter involved.”

When contacted, the IRS refused to provide any additional details. And PERS officials only referenced the letter and indicated the issue would be discussed by its governing board as early as its next regular meeting on June 23.

Members of the House leadership believe the IRS ruling – or lack of ruling – means that the PERS Board will have to reverse its ruling allowing public retirees to serve in the Legislature and draw their pension or risk losing the tax exempt status.

“My understanding of the issue is the absence of the IRS endorsement changes everything,” said House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton. “It puts the tax exempt status of the plan in jeopardy.”

House Pro Tem Jason White, R-West agreed. He said if a request is made and the request is not granted: “Isn’t it the same as saying you can’t do that?”

The House leadership has opposed the change in regulation to allow public retirees to serve and draw their pension from the very beginning. Gunn argued the PERS change conflicted with existing state law.

For years, PERS’ regulations prevented public employees from serving in the Legislature and drawing their pension. But in late 2018, former Attorney General Jim Hood issued an opinion – based on a question from an elective official – saying that public employees could serve in the Legislature and draw their pension as long as they received only a portion of their legislative pay. Public employee retirees already can work part time for other governmental agencies. Hood ruled that they also should be allowed to serve in the Legislature.

In the 2019 election, four public retirees – all Republicans – were elected to the House with the expectation that they could draw their pension while receiving partial legislative pay. But the House leadership – despite the PERS change in regulation – refused to reduce the pay of the four members, meaning they were ineligible to receive retirement pay.

Two of the four members – Ramona Blackledge, former Jones County tax assessor/collector, and Billy Andrews, former Lamar County judge – already have stepped down from the legislative seats. The other two, Jerry Darnell of DeSoto County and Dale Goodin of Richton, both retired educators, are still serving and forgoing their monthly retirement benefits.

“It will eventually be resolved,” Goodin said. “You can’t continue to take people’s rights away.” Goodin and others have argued not allowing retired public employees to serve and draw their pension takes away a right from them that others, such as retirees from the private sector, have.

When PERS board members changed the regulation, they did so with the understanding that they might have to rescind the change if not approved by the IRS.

Retired public employees in other states are allowed to serve in their legislatures without their system being penalized by the IRS. The four elected officials told Mississippi Today this year that they do not understand why Mississippi is different.

For instance, Florida law says specifically “any retired state employee who is presently drawing retirement benefits under any state retirement system may, as any other citizen, serve in the Legislature without affecting in any way his or her retirement status or the receipt of retirement funds while a member of the Legislature.”

PERS Executive Director Ray Higgins said earlier the IRS might allow public employee retirees to serve in the legislature in other states without losing their pension and not allow it in Mississippi because “each state has different laws, regulations, and retirement plan designs.”

Most employees of state and local governments, public schools K-12 and university employees, participate in Mississippi’s retirement system, contributing 9 percent of their salary for retirement benefits.

According to PERS data, the average benefit is more than $23,100 annually for the more than 100,000 people drawing benefits. In total, more than 300,000 are in the public employees retirement system either drawing benefits, having paid into the system or currently paying into the system.

The post Public retirees likely to lose ability to serve in Legislature without losing retirement benefits appeared first on Mississippi Today.