Comments on: Jerry Mitchell on MPR about DeLaughter

By: Steve Eugster

Steve Eugster — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 01:20:10 +0000

Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance — Do not expect much from this proposed effort by the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance. (1) The Commission has hardly any staff. (2) All of the Commission’s work will be done in absolute secrecy unless the Commission unanimously votes otherwise. Of the seven members on the commission four are judges and one is a lawyer. (3) No action can be taken against a judge unless two/thirds of the Commissioners agree (that would mean that two of the judicial positions would have to vote for the action). (4) And, perhaps most important, Commission Rules prohibit earwigging (see Rule 5 H) during the proceedings. See http://www.Wikiscruggs.com.

By: jim

jim — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:11:24 +0000

You (Bud & Lotus) must be correct. The Memphis Commercial Appeal has not even given lip service. They are an hours drive to the North and full of UOM lawyers, journalists and alumni. Go figure?? And here such a large part of this story is unfolding right under their nose in Oxford, MS!!

By: Dragoman

Dragoman — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:23:54 +0000

Well, that would certainly explain Marsha Thompson’s well-crafted pieces to date, Kingfish. Nothing like a little in-house expertise.

By: iratetoday

iratetoday — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:16:59 +0000

They’re (WLBT and CLarion Ledger) well aware of the Shelton fiasco. Let’ s hope they report on it sooner than later.

By: kingfish

kingfish — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:13:29 +0000

by the way, the news director at WLBT has a J.D………

just sayin…………..

By: Dragoman

Dragoman — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:01:07 +0000

Roger that, Kingfish. Kraft’s fine reporting on legal matters for the Clarion-Ledger is much missed.

By: kingfish

kingfish — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:45:55 +0000

They did when they had Beverly Pettigrew Kraft, she is now at MSC and had a law degree.

By: lotus

lotus — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:00:49 +0000

Bud, that’s a really excellent point. It’s a whole new world out here, and even “foreign bureaus” ain’t what they used to be. “Journalism” will persist, but news-gathering certainly ain’t the staid local/national/international business we grew up with.

We do-it-yourself types can frontrun the old organizations pretty handily, especially when we’re working as whole communities.

By: Bud Fox

Bud Fox — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:55:30 +0000

Gannett is in a world of hurt. As long as the AP has got a reporter assigned don't expect Mitchell to venture outside of HindsCo until the Scruggs bribery trial begins in earnest. There are hundreds of eyeballs who are following this story online, reading case filings, transcripts, etc. Think about all the tips that Rossmiller, folo and Y'all are getting about stuff behind the scenes. Then you have the triangulation that is happening on the blogs between collaborators of all makes and models which has been invaluable. The C-L doesn't have the ponies any longer to go deep on a story this expansive nor one moving this rapidly.

By: jim

jim — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:33:39 +0000

Gannett certainly has the resources to throw them some legal help into the mix. This thing is likely to go on for some time.