Mississippi Business Journal » legal

Brown would make history if confirmed as judge

Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:08:02 +0000

JACKSON — President Barack Obama has nominated attorney Debra M. Brown to be a U.S. District judge for northern Mississippi. If confirmed, Brown would be the first African-American woman to serve as a federal district judge in the state, said a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). “I congratulate Debra Brown on her historic [...]

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Real estate company paying $1M for compromising wetlands

Associated Press — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:48:58 +0000

HANCOCK COUNTY — A Mississippi corporation has pleaded guilty to illegally filling wetlands near Bay St. Louis. Hancock County Land, LLC entered the plea yesterday and agreed to pay a $1-million fine and take remedial measures for two felony violations of the Clean Water Act., said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Assistant U.S. Attorney [...]

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Panel rejects appeal in global warming/Katrina lawsuit

Associated Press — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:49:14 +0000

MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST — A federal appeals panel has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by a group of Mississippi Gulf Coast residents and landowners who alleged that emissions by energy companies contributed to global warming, which intensified Hurricane Katrina, which, in turn, damaged their property. In the lawsuit, the landowners sought compensatory and [...]

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ACLU sends property association letter about free speech

MBJ Staff — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:46:30 +0000

DIAMONDHEAD — The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi has sent an open letter to the Diamondhead Property Owners Association (POA) on behalf of several residents of the City of Diamondhead who have complained that the POA’s rules, regulations and covenants do not permit them to display political yard signs or engage in door-to-door campaigning. [...]

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Investigator: Mayor double-billed, pocketed $461K

Associated Press — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:30:07 +0000

SOUTHAVEN — An investigator with the Mississippi auditor’s office has testified in court that Southaven Mayor Greg Davis submitted duplicate charges to the city and the Chamber of Commerce, and was reimbursed a total of $461,000. Davis’ attorney denied the claim. Karen Swain, an investigator with the state auditor’s office, said the city and the [...]

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Lab owner wants evidence tossed because of lack of coffee

Associated Press — Sun, 12 May 2013 20:44:29 +0000

WATER VALLEY — A laboratory owner charged with faking wastewater samples wants a judge to dismiss evidence taken from her computer because she claims she was stressed, “without coffee” and intimidated when she gave it to federal agents. Tennie White, owner of Mississippi Environmental Analytical Laboratories Inc., faces trial tomorrow on charges of faking wastewater [...]

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Alderman arrested on federal bribery charges

Associated Press — Fri, 10 May 2013 11:55:13 +0000

CANTON — A Canton alderman is facing bribery charges. Louis Smith was arraigned in federal court in Jackson yesterday, entering a not guity plea, The Clarion-Ledger reports. Smith was arrested Wednesday. Unofficial results show the 56-year-old, three-term alderman lost his Democratic primary re-election bid Tuesday in Canton. He faces one felony count of bribery, which [...]

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State Farm appeals Katrina-related whistleblower lawsuit ruling

Associated Press — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:21:09 +0000

GULFPORT — State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. has asked a judge to void a jury’s finding that the company defrauded the government involving a policyholder claim after Hurricane Katrina. Motions filed in U.S. District Court in Gulfport also seek a new trial The verdict came in April in a whistleblower lawsuit against the Illinois- [...]

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Ricin-laced letters case going to grand jury

Associated Press — Thu, 02 May 2013 21:48:41 +0000

OXFORD — A dust mask that tested positive for ricin also contained DNA from a Mississippi man suspected of sending poison-laced letters to President Obama and others, an FBI agent testified today. The testimony came during a preliminary hearing for James Everett Dutschke, 41, who was arrested Saturday at his home in Tupelo and charged [...]

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Suspect in ricin-laced letters to be in court for detention hearing

Associated Press — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:58:12 +0000

TUPELO — The first time James Everett Dutshcke’s name came up in court regarding ricin-laced letters sent to President Barack Obama and others, he wasn’t the man charged in the case. And it was a defense lawyer for the first man to fall under suspicion, not the government, pointing the finger at Dutschke. That was [...]

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