Dec 17, 2024 Story by: Editor
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has ended its legal battle against Mississippi lawmakers over the establishment of a state-run court with appointed judges in Jackson.
For over a year, the NAACP and Jackson residents had contested House Bill 1020, which was introduced by the Republican-controlled legislature to expand the state’s influence in the capital city. However, last week, the NAACP decided to withdraw its lawsuit, signaling a significant shift in its stance.
“Plaintiffs are heartened by reports that the CCID Court will be established with appropriate safeguards for Jackson’s residents, and have decided to drop their challenge to the manner of appointing officials to serve that court,” attorneys representing the NAACP stated in their motion for voluntary dismissal.
NAACP representatives did not elaborate on the reasons behind this change of heart. While no updates regarding the court in Jackson’s Capital Complex Improvement District (CCID) have been announced, the plaintiffs indicated that their main concerns appear to have been resolved.
The defendants in the case did not oppose the motion to dismiss, and U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate approved the dismissal without prejudice, leaving the door open for the lawsuit to be refiled in the future.
The controversy surrounding House Bill 1020 erupted in 2023 when lawmakers passed the legislation to create the new court and expand the jurisdiction of the state-run Capitol Police in Jackson. Critics viewed the move as an attempt by white legislators to assert control over Jackson, a city where approximately 82% of residents are Black.
A primary point of contention was the court’s reliance on appointed judges rather than elected ones, which critics argued undermined the ability of Jackson’s residents to select their judicial leaders. This led to accusations of racism against the lawmakers.
“This thinly-veiled state takeover is intended to strip power, voice, and resources away from Hinds County’s predominantly-Black electorate, singling out the majority Black Hinds County for adverse treatment imposed on no other voters in the State of Mississippi,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division shortly after the legislation was enacted.
Republican lawmakers defended the measure, citing Jackson’s high crime rates and the city’s overburdened police force and court system. They argued that House Bill 1020 was a necessary step to address these issues.
“Jackson is experiencing an unprecedented epidemic of crime. The capital city is approximately 6% of Mississippi’s population yet, in 2020, accounted for more than 50% of the homicides in our state,” said Gov. Tate Reeves upon signing the bill into law. “We have a crippling problem with violent crime in our capital city. We’re working to address it. And when we do, we’re met with overwhelming false cries of racism and mainstream media who falsely call our actions ‘Jim Crow.’”
Initially, Gov. Reeves and Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Randolph were named as defendants in the lawsuit but were later removed. Despite ongoing legal challenges, Judge Wingate ruled last year that the state could proceed with establishing the court.
The court, once operational, will handle misdemeanors and certain criminal cases. Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Randolph will appoint one judge, and Attorney General Lynn Fitch will assign prosecutors. Individuals arrested by Capitol Police will be detained at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility in Pearl.
As of now, no judge or prosecutors have been announced, and the official start date for the court’s operations remains undetermined. Source: Super Talk
