The NAACP ends its challenge over Mississippi creating a new court in majority-Black capital city

JACKSON, Miss. -- The NAACP is ending its lawsuit that challenged a decision by the majority-white and Republican-run Mississippi Legislature to create a new state court in Jackson, the capital city that is majority-Black and governed by Democrats.

The civil rights group and local residents sued the state in 2023 to try to block creation of a court in the Capitol Complex Improvement District, an area that includes downtown and other parts of Jackson with state government buildings and affluent shopping areas. A plan to create the court coincided with the Legislature's decision to expand patrol territory for the state-run Capitol Police.

“Plaintiffs are heartened by reports that the CCID Court will be established with appropriate safeguards for Jackson’s residents, and have decided to drop their challenge to the manner of appointing officials to serve that court,” attorneys for the NAACP wrote in federal court papers filed Monday.

The filing gave no details about those safeguards. The Associated Press emailed questions Friday to two attorneys representing the plaintiffs.

U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate on Thursday accepted the NAACP's request and dismissed the lawsuit.

The NAACP originally argued that the new court would undermine democracy because Jackson voters or local elected officials would not choose the judge or prosecutors. State law says the court will have a judge appointed by the state Supreme Court chief justice and prosecutors appointed by the state attorney general. The current chief justice and attorney general are both white and conservative.

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves and legislators who created the new court say it is part of an effort to control crime in Jackson. The city has had at least 100 homicides for each of the past four years, in a population of about 150,000.

Wingate ruled late last year that he would allow officials to move forward with creating the court. The start-up has been on hold partly because the state initially lacked suitable space for the court to meet.

The Capitol Complex Improvement District Court will have the same power as municipal courts, which handle misdemeanor cases, traffic violations and initial appearances for some criminal charges. People convicted in most municipal courts face time in a local jail. Those convicted in the new court will be held in a state prison, near people convicted of more serious felony crimes.

Most municipal judges are appointed by city officials. Jackson has a Black mayor and majority-Black city council.