Mississippi has strict Open Meetings Laws which dictate that our public officials conduct business in a transparent matter. And citizens generally want a government that operates at a high level of transparency; however on May 10th, 2018, when four council members gathered in chambers under the direction of the Barker Administration, they met with a […]
The Honorable Keith Starrett has denied televangelist Kenneth Fairley’s request for a new sentencing hearing after the 5th Circuit threw out two convictions based on a technicality with the jury’s instructions during the trial phase. Starrett simply reduced the mandatory assessments from $300 for the three convictions to $100 for the remaining conspiracy charge. Fairley […]
Kenneth Fairley was sentenced December 19th, 2016 on three felony counts. One of those counts was conspiracy, and the other two counts were receiving stolen property. On appeal, the appellate court ruled that jury instructions were flawed as they pertained to the two charges of receiving stolen propery, and the sentences were vacated by Judge […]
APRIL FOOLS – In a press release from the Barker Administration, Mayor Barker has announced his decision to raise the State flag at all city buildings on a rotating schedule. Barker said in the release, I’ve decided to raise the flag at city buildings on Mondays and Thursdays. I believe in working together through these […]
APRIL FOOLS – In a special called meeting Saturday, March 30th, Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker proposed, and the Hattiesburg City Council approved in a 3 -2 vote, the relocation of Petal’s dilapidated skating rink owned by Forrest County Supervisor Burkett Ross. The relocation would be contingent on Hattiesburg voters ultimately approving a 1% increase in […]
Don’t be fooled on this first day of April by the anger of The House Rabbits Society. The president of the organization, Karen Hopper filed a lawsuit Friday against USM over a proposed 2018 halftime show involving “extreme violence against precious bunny rabbits”. The proposed USM halftime show would include a live eagle and ten live […]
Convicted former Chief Forrest County Deputy, Charles Bolton and his wife have filed suit against two FBI agents. The lawsuit alleges that Christopher Freeze and Jerome McDuffie slandered the Boltons and caused emotional distress when the two agents, “misrepresent(ed) as fact that Charles and Linda Bolton had stolen over $700,000 worth of food from the […]
A recently unsealed whistle blower civil action known as a “Qui Tam” has made allegations of a widespread scheme to defraud Medicare at seven “Critical Access Hospitals” (CAH) across the State of Mississippi, since 2005. The complaint, filed by former U.S. Attorney, J. Brad Pigott, on behalf of Plaintiff/Relator Walton Stephen “Steve” Vaughan and Plaintiff/Relator Mitchell […]
A February 2017 filing by the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Southern District of Mississippi, pertaining to asset forfeiture in connection with TRICARE prescription fraud, alleges that Mitchell “Chad” Barrett of Clinton, Wade Walters and Hope Thomley of Hattiesburg, and Thomas E. “Tommy” Spell, Jr. of Ridgeland were the key players in a Mississippi scheme […]
A video obtained by Hattiesburg Patriot News Media shows a bus driver employed at the Forrest County School District assaulting an unnamed student. Throughout the encounter, the driver appears to have the student in a choke hold. “He’s over here fighting a 5’3″ kid thinking he is bad” At one point the driver proclaims, “No […]