Court confirms federal takeover of a Mississippi jail but limits power over budget

Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — An appeals court says a federal receiver can proceed with a takeover of a Mississippi jail where a judge found unconstitutional conditions and “a stunning array of assaults, as well as deaths.” A panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves acted properly in 2022 when he appointed a public safety consultant to act as a receiver for the Raymond Detention Center in Hinds County. But the appellate court also ruled that Reeves gave the consultant “overly broad” powers to determine the jail budget. Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones has expressed a commitment to fixing the problems.