Items by Matt Eichelberger

• Radley Balko pokes around Gov. Barbour's pardons

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 4
  Radley Balko's got a piece in Slate entitled "Haley Barbour's Bizarre Pardon Record."  I don't have the time to delve into it here, with it being the holiday season and the reopening of the King Edward, but I highly recommend the read, and I want your thoughts on it. ' [...]
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  Posted: December 17, 2009, 5:30pm EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Reeves Barbour does the impossible: 2 holes-in-one in the same round

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  Oxford publication The Local Voice has a story coming out soon detailing an incredible round of golf by Gov. Haley Barbour's son, Reeves.  The younger Barbour was playing in a tournament at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Manassas, VA, when he aced two holes in the same [...]
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  Posted: December 11, 2009, 11:45am EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Chip Pickering arrested for simple assault

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 3
  And, there it is:
  
  
  
  Also arrested was the soccer coach in this mess, Chris Hester:
  
  
  
  
  According to the Clarion-Ledger:
  
  Madison Municipal Judge Dale Danks issued arrest warrants for the two today, and both men turned [...]
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  Posted: December 09, 2009, 11:28am EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Chip Pickering responds to the assault allegation

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  WAPT has former Rep. Chip Pickering's response to the assault allegation involving a Madison soccer coach:
  
  In a statement released Monday, Pickering said the coach verbally abused and physically intimidated Pickering's 11-year-old son to the point where he was crying uncontrollably.
  
  "I approached the coach, who was" [...]
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  Posted: December 07, 2009, 4:59pm EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Chip Pickering's alleged assault victim wearing a neck brace at the time of the scuffle?

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  The Sun-Herald reached Chris Hester, the alleged victim of an assault by Chip Pickering. Here's what they add to this story:
  
  Coach Chris Hester says he was preparing to leave the field when Pickering started yelling at him. Hester coaches the team that played Pickering's son's team. Hester says' [...]
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  Posted: December 07, 2009, 11:53am EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Judge Pickering, for the love of all that is holy, have a talk with your son

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 8
  First, we have the whole revelation about former Congressman Chip Pickering's (R-MS) extramarital affair.  Last night, WLBT reported that Chip's being "that guy" at his son's soccer game:
  
  
  According to Madison Police, former Republican U.S. Representative Chip Pickering and Coach Chris Hester have signed affidavits against each [...]
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  Posted: December 07, 2009, 9:53am EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Dear Hardy Collaboration Architecture

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 11
  It is my understanding that you are responsible for the design of the new Federal Courthouse in Jackson.  That being said...
  
  
  
  
  Am I missing something?  Is there some symbolic meaning in this asymmetric, God-awful, eye-stinging building you have created in the heart of [...]
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  Posted: December 01, 2009, 4:59pm EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Thank you, Dexter, Jevan, Shay, the entire defense, and certainly not least of all, Les Miles.

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 6
  HOTTY TODDY! [...]
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  Posted: November 21, 2009, 6:31pm EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• I've added a blog to our blog list

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  Radley Balko's been a friend for awhile now, and I have no idea why I didn't add his blog, The Agitator, before now.  But there it is, over there on the right.  For those of you who don't know who Radley is, he's an investigative reporter for Reason [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 5:06pm EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• More and more people want to be lawyers, I guess

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  According to TaxProf Blog, there was a 19.8% increase in the number of people taking the October LSAT.  It will be interesting to see how the numbers move as the economy begins its recovery.
  
  h/t Radley Balko [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 5:03pm EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• An awfully, awfully belated congratulations on a wonderful career

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  Going back through the archives of this site and its predecessor, I ran across a comment to an early post of mine that deserves mention.  Somehow, I missed it back then, and I apologize profusely for that.
  
  Chip Reynolds, longtime state GOP operative, Clinton High School supporter and general [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 4:38pm EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Corey Maye's conviction is REVERSED!

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 3
  First off, CONGRATULATIONS BOB EVANS!!!!!!!!!!!  Bob Evans is a friend, a respected legislator, and one hell of a lawyer.  Second, congrats, Covington & Burling, who lent lawyers to the case.  Finally, thanks to Radley Balko and Reason Magazine.  They covered this matter from the get-go.  They even produced a [...]
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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 5:12pm EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Hey Gov.....

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 3
  I noticed a mistake on page 17 of your budget recommendations:
   While all areas must find efficiencies, we cannot shortchange the state judicial system and its mission to help law enforcement entities put criminals behind bars.
  I know that judges run for office in this state by saying they're' [...]
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  Posted: November 16, 2009, 5:31pm EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Barbour: Merge the HBCUs; consolidate the W into State

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 5
  At his 2:15 p.m. press conference, Gov. Barbour announced his plan to save money in higher education.  He wants to 1) merge Alcorn and Valley into JSU, and 2) merge the W into MSU.  He says that under his plan none of the campuses would close.  But I've got' [...]
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  Posted: November 16, 2009, 4:47pm EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Judge Malcolm Harrison denies motion to recuse, but prospectively recuses in some cases

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  At the hearing mentioned below, Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Malcolm Harrison denied the motion to recuse filed by the defense in State v. Alicia Hanner.  The State offered no argument, but did make a record that they had provided the Court with a copy of the Jenkins case [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2009, 3:14pm EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Recusal issue to be heard this afternoon

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  While Bobby DeLaughter is being sentenced in Aberdeen, his replacement, Judge Malcolm Harrison, will be hearing argument on the recusal issue mentioned here a few weeks ago.  It's my understanding that the State will have no response to the defense motion to recuse.  It's also my understanding that Judge [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2009, 10:48am EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• You probably already knew this, but...

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 3
  the "In Your Voice" comments section below each online Clarion-Ledger story is often home to the most vile, ignorant, depressing, hate-spewing invective found anywhere on the web outside of www.nationalist.org.  And if the comments aren't dripping with the aforementioned filth, they're generally so lacking in grammar, spelling and punctuation as [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2009, 10:23am EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Wow. Just wow.

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  I don't see any way she's getting out of this one:
  
  Drunk driver calls police to report...that she's a drunk driver.' [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 6:16pm EST
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Thoughts on Judge Harrison and the recusal issue

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 1
  I'd typed this up in response to Andre's comment to a previous post, but thought it'd be better as an independent post:
  
  To begin with, I concur in the  praise of the appointment of Judge Harrison. I've always enjoyed working with Judge Harrison and his assistant county [...]
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  Posted: October 28, 2009, 4:10pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• A recusal nightmare brewing in Hinds County?

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 2
  With the announcement that Malcolm Harrison has been appointed to replace Bobby DeLaughter on the Hinds County Circuit bench, concerns are being raised that newly-minted Judge Harrison will be disqualified from presiding over many, if not most, of the criminal cases currently pending on the docket.  In his capacity as [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2009, 2:23pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Multiple credible sources both inside and outside of the Hinds County Courthouse are saying...

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 1
  that Gov. Haley Barbour has chosen Malcolm Harrison, County Attorney for Hinds County, to be the newest Hinds County Circuit Court Judge, replacing Bobby DeLaughter.  I anticipate an announcement very soon.  [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2009, 12:26pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Conference Week

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  Serious courthouse junkies across the state know that this week is a "conference week" for judges, court administrators, public defenders, court reporters, and prosecutors.  As a result, I'll be away from posting until this weekend at the earliest.
  
  Safe travels to everyone as they head to their respective conferences.[...]
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  Posted: October 20, 2009, 8:53am EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Jackson Chamber of Commerce endorses examination of the Two Lakes plan UPDATED

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  Yesterday, the Jackson Chamber of Commerce passed a resolution in support of a study of the Two Lakes plan. I'm trying to get a copy of the resolution uploaded now.
  
  ***UPDATE***
  
  
  I've got the PDF of the resolution up now.  Here's a link. [...]
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  Posted: October 16, 2009, 12:12pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Here's what I know

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 2
  I know that we live in a state facing momentous challenges.
  
  I know that we continually lack the educational and industrial infrastructure that could help us overcome our adversities.
  
  I know that, after spending well over 100 years in last place in every category that matters, we suffered [...]
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  Posted: October 16, 2009, 12:13am EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• "Taken alone, without any damage having occurred in Louisiana or elsewhere, Katrina's toll on the Mississippi Coast would constitute the greatest natural disaster in American history."

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 1
  Stan Tiner of the Sun-Herald has an editorial about President Obama's decision to skip the Mississippi Gulf Coast on his recent Katrina swing.  I'm a fan of President Obama, but I'll have to admit that it stings a little bit for him to go only to New Orleans when' [...]
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  Posted: October 15, 2009, 2:10pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Public Citizen suggests that Barbour, Pickering, and Vitter PAC officials would lie under oath

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 16
  Jackson Free Press investigative reporter has an article up this afternoon entitled "Dirty Laundry," in which he explores the Chip Pickering - Haley Barbour - David Vitter campaign contribution relay we've discussed here.  Lynch got in touch with Craig Holman of Public Citizen, who made a rather' [...]
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  Posted: October 14, 2009, 5:15pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• James Gill of the Times-Picayune on Chip Pickering; me the coming crisis in the GOP

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 4
  James Gill's piece in the Times-Picayune begins:
  
  Let me explain why U.S. Sen. David Vitter might hate to be publicly associated with Chip Pickering, who did not seek re-election as a Mississippi congressman last time around.
  Hold onto your hats, now. If it is possible to draw' [...]
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  Posted: October 14, 2009, 10:13am EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Gov. Barbour to call special session around Halloween...

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 1
  I've received word that Gov. Barbour will call a special session of the legislature later this month.  I'm not certain how much more I'm allowed to say at this point, but it's for a good purpose, it appears. [...]
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  Posted: October 14, 2009, 8:34am EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• An observation about my blogmate's post on the Pickering v. Pickering hearing last week

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  When word came down earlier this year that Leisha Pickering had switched lawyers, many people (most of them GOP folks looking for a way to defend Chip) engaged in speculation that Leisha must be a difficult client, or that she had some other fault that led to her having issues [...]
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  Posted: October 13, 2009, 12:44pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Back from vacation odds and ends...

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 1
  I'm back from vacation, and am trying to catch up on a few things.  Here's what's on my radar blog-wise:
  
  1.  Casey Ann mentioned a problem with the button used to write Jim and I a message.  I tested it, and it's not working for me either.  I'll try' [...]
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  Posted: October 13, 2009, 12:40pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• The Mississippi Supreme Court revises the Mississippi Electronic Courts Administrative Procedures

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 3
  Last month, the Mississippi Supreme Court saw fit to restrict electronic access to certain types of court files in the Mississippi Electronic Courts system, known as "MEC".  Prior to the change, only sealed files were hidden from public view.  Now, the Court has altered its restricted access definition to include [...]
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  Posted: October 12, 2009, 5:17pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Louisiana Democratic Party's Federal Elections Commission Complaint Against PACs for Vitter, Barbour, and Pickering

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 1
  I got my hands on the Complaint filed by the Louisiana Democratic Party (LDP) mentioned earlier this morning. The respondents named in the complaint are CHIP PAC, Chip Pickering, Danna Lane (CHIP PAC Treasurer), Haley's PAC, Austin Barbour (Treasurer for Haley's PAC and Haley's nephew), David Vitter for U.S. [...]
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  Posted: October 05, 2009, 1:18pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Louisiana Democratic Party files FEC complaint against Haley Barbour, Chip Pickering, and David Vitter

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  Jonathan Allen at Politico just broke this:
  
  The Louisiana Democratic Party plans to file a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission today, charging that Barbour’s PAC essentially filtered a $5,000 campaign donation from Pickering’s PAC to Louisiana Vitter’s 2010 re-election committee to make it look like the [...]
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  Posted: October 05, 2009, 11:04am EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• An inside look at the C Street "Family" that Chip Pickering was involved in...

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  Prior to the allegations surrounding former U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering's marital life, I'd never heard of "The Family," and I'll bet you had not either.  Jeff Sharlett wrote a book on the organization, but frankly I've heard it's less about this odd organization than a critical history of American Evangelicalism. ' [...]
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  Posted: October 05, 2009, 11:15pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Former Gulfport mayor and his wife reach a plea deal with Feds

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  WLOX is reporting that the Warrs have reached a plea agreement with the federal government in the criminal action pending against them for Katrina fraud.
  
  From WLOX:
  Former Gulfport Mayor Brent Warr and his wife Laura will be in federal court this morning. A source told WLOX News [...]
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  Posted: September 25, 2009, 11:14am EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Eric Ray and Rebecca Mansell tie for best prosecutor

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  Eric and Rebecca tied with 34 votes each.  There will be no runoff, so they're going to have to share the imaginary trophy this year. ' [...]
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  Posted: September 25, 2009, 11:43pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• At least my Choctaws got a mention on ESPN.com...

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  Pat Forde's consistently good "Forde-yard Dash" recognized my alma mater's football team this week:
  
  Putting Out An APB For …… A pair of former SEC coaches gone obscure, Hal Mumme (38) and Joe Lee Dunn (39). The Dash found the former offensive gimmick master at Kentucky and the [...]
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  Posted: September 25, 2009, 11:40pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Glenn Beck boils a frog...

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 2
  Yeah, that's exactly what he did.  Watch this fool in action. [...]
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  Posted: September 24, 2009, 10:14am EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Congressional Quarterly runs with the Pickering-Barbour-Vitter story

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 1
  Good reporting work done here by Jonathan Allen.  Here's a quote that sums it up:
  
  Pickering's otherwise dormant CHIP PAC made its first donation of the year to Haley's PAC on Aug. 15 -- four days after the governor gave to Vitter's 2010 re-election campaign -- [...]
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  Posted: September 22, 2009, 3:05pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• I really thought some folks would be smart enough to stay away from this...

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 1
  Y'all may remember this post, in which I wrote about a rumored Jackson fundraiser for Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) thrown by former Rep. Chip Pickering (R-MS). Well, since the post, I've had the fundraiser confirmed by more than a few actual attendees.
  
  Why was the fundraiser such a [...]
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  Posted: September 22, 2009, 10:49am EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Philip Thomas over at MS Litigation Review is hot on the heels of the Peters immunity deal

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 1
  Bravo to Philip Thomas, who is working to get the details of Ed Peters' immunity deal in the DeLaughter case. He tried a FOIA request, but:
  According to the DOJ, I am not entitled to the information because Peters did not consent and there was no showing that the' [...]
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  Posted: September 17, 2009, 11:01am EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Pickering v. Pickering removed from the Mississippi Electronic Courts online system

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 4
  Mississippi Electronic Courts, or "MEC", is currently in a pilot period, as I have blogged about before. During this pilot project, only Madison County Chancery is online. That's handy, as one of the most talked about cases in Mississippi is currently pending there: the divorce case of Pickering v. [...]
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  Posted: September 16, 2009, 4:29pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Radley Balko pens another excellent column for Reason Magazine

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 6
  Radley Balko, known primarily around these parts for his work on the Dr. Steven Hayne front, has put together a good read on something that I find particularly troubling in our society today: the growing need to find someone criminally responsible for any tragedy.
  
  In his latest article, Balko [...]
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  Posted: September 14, 2009, 3:08pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Who's the best prosecutor in the Jackson area? You decide...

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 10
  In an effort not to leave prosecutors out of the "fun" created by a poll pitting lawyers and their egos against one another, I've decided to create a poll asking you to choose the best prosecutor in Jackson. Criteria are of course subjective.
  
  Note: If I left someone off,' [...]
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  Posted: September 11, 2009, 12:45pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Tort Reform: Does Gov. Barbour really want to bring this up again?

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 8
  Some of you may be aware of Gov. Barbour's latest attempt to scare the populous into thinking trial lawyers are baby-eating devils. If not, here's a synopsis: The Mississippi Supreme Court recently held that pre-suit notice is required under the Tort Claims Act, but that the time period for that [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2009, 10:32am EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• New poll up at Jackson Jambalaya

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 8
  Kingfish over at Jackson Jambalaya has a poll up on his front page for "Best Criminal Defense Lawyer in Jackson." I'm honored to be included in the poll, especially since most of my clients seem to think that a public defender is somehow not really a lawyer.' [...]
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  Posted: September 09, 2009, 11:52am EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Clarion-Ledger story on Delta manhunt

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 0
  The Clarion-Ledger ran a Holbrook Mohr article yesterday on the incident involving John Whitten, a tank, and a burglary suspect in Tallahatchie County. In the article, Whitten claims that he's being targeted because his father defended Emmitt Till's murderers back in 1955. Mohr follows that up, though, exactly as I [...]
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  Posted: September 09, 2009, 11:42am EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Excuse me, did you say a TANK?!?!?!?!!?!?

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 2
  The Jackson Free Press did some great investigative reporting in the Delta over the past few weeks concerning what must have been an eerie scene. I'm stunned over this one:
  
  "I heard (Tallahatchie County Prosecutor John) Whitten telling the guy in the Jeep with him that he was'" [...]
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  Posted: September 03, 2009, 11:05am EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Reason Magazine runs with Hayne DPS blog post

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 4
  Radley Balko, a consistent and thoughtful voice on the Dr. Steven Hayne issue, picked up this blog's post on Dr. Hayne's 2006 "Chief State Pathologist" contract with Mississippi's Department of Public Safety. Here's his article. [...]
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  Posted: September 01, 2009, 3:53pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger

• Apparently innocent man executed in Texas 5 years ago

  —Ipse Blogit

  Number of comments: 14
  I don't really have anything more to add to what Rep. John Mayo said in his blog:
  
  A Texas man was not only executed for a crime he did not commit but for an incident in which there was no crime at all. And, had the prosecutor, crime' [...]
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  Posted: August 28, 2009, 2:19pm EDT
  by Matt Eichelberger