Search About Newsletters Donate

Jackson, Mississippi

The Marshall Project - Jackson aims to expose abuses in the local criminal justice system, and some instances around the state, through investigative, data and community engagement journalism.

The news team will serve local audiences, including people directly affected by the criminal justice system, who are often neglected or mischaracterized in media coverage. You can read about the newsroom and contact us at jackson@themarshallproject.org.


Rory Doyle
Jackson
Terror, Murder and Jim Crow Laws: Inside Mississippi’s Racial Voter Intimidation History
Black Mississippians’ right to vote has constantly been under threat. A recent bill that would have restored voting rights to thousands died in committee.
A black-and-white photo shows a group of Black men and women waiting in line under a sign that says “circuit clerk”.
A color photograph of a group of Black people marching while holding signs that read “Black Voters Matter.”
Jackson April 4
How Mississippi’s Jim Crow Laws Still Haunt Black Voters Today
After the U.S. Civil War, white supremacists used felony disenfranchisement to suppress the Black vote. Even now, restoring rights has hit a roadblock.
By
An illustration of a Black man standing on one side of a scale, reaching up toward a ballot box on the other end of the scale.
Jackson March 25
Who Can and Can’t Vote in Mississippi: A Guide to the State’s Lifetime Voting Ban
This guide offers details about the state’s disenfranchisement laws and how you may still be able to vote from jail, even with a conviction.
By
An illustration shows a Black man wearing a red jail jumpsuit and handcuffs standing next to a Black woman lawyer in a black skirt suit. Other defendants in jumpsuits sit around them, beside translucent outlines of lawyers.
Jackson February 22
This Mississippi Court Appoints Lawyers for Just 1 in 5 Defendants Before Indictment
Mississippi is known as one of the worst states for public defense. In one lower court, most defendants went without any lawyer before indictment.
By
Jackson January 24
Arrested in Mississippi’s Hinds County? What You Need to Know.
A guide to jail, the courts, your rights and legal resources in Jackson and beyond.
By
Were you or someone you know charged with a felony in Hinds County? We made a printable resource guide so you know what to expect. [📄 View it here](https://www.themarshallproject.org/2024/01/18/arrested-hinds-county-mississippi-jackson-courts).
Jackson January 24
What Happens in Mississippi’s Hinds County Felony Court, 48 Hours After Arrest
We explain terms like bond, initial appearance, grand jury and indictment, and why the first 48 hours are critical to your freedom.
By
A collage illustration shows black and white photos of three Black female circuit court judges, one Black male circuit court judge and one Black male district attorney. Faded images of Jackson, Mississippi, are on the edges of the illustration. Bright, curvy orange lines weave between the images.
Jackson January 19
The 5 Most Powerful People in Mississippi’s Hinds County Justice System
Four judges and the top prosecutor decide the fate of thousands in Hinds County courts each year. Here are their backstories.
By
A layered collage illustration shows Monroe County sheriff’s investigator Spencer Woods in black and white. Behind him is an image of the Monroe County Detention Facility with a written guilty plea for the charge of child abuse, with “took drugs” in parentheses. On the left of the image is a baby ultrasound on an orange background. Underneath the ultrasound is an excerpt of court documents from the State of Mississippi.
Feature November 16
They Were Prosecuted for Using Drugs While Pregnant. But It May Not Have Been a Crime
Dozens of women in Mississippi have been charged with child abuse crimes that, based on existing state law, they may not have committed.
By Anna Wolfe, Mississippi Today
Jackson October 19, 2023
Justice Says Mississippi Court Rule to Give Poor Defendants Lawyers Isn’t Working
And there isn’t much the court can do to enforce it, the Supreme Court justice said in a hearing focused on the state’s public defense woes.
By
From left, headshots of Paul D'Ambrosio, a White man with glasses; Daja E. Henry, a Black woman; and Caleb Bedillion, a White man with a beard.
Jackson September 28, 2023
The Marshall Project Announces Mississippi Local News Team
Two journalists will produce enterprise and investigative journalism for audiences across Mississippi, including those affected by its criminal justice system.
By The Marshall Project
About
People
Jobs
Sitemap
Funders