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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
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There was much—or little—activity in the courtroom on Friday and Saturday, depending on how you look at it. But we’ve either been in the courtroom, and thus no connection, or scrambling to get our bigger package ready to go to press. We will be posting details on our observations on here, hopefully by mid-day Monday, so keep an eye out.

Meanwhile in a nutshell: The prosecution has rested. No surprise witnesses or conspirators testifying against Killen. Jim Hood got slapped by the judge for lack of prep. Mrs. Carolyn Goodman gave a very touching testimony Friday and then Mrs. Chaney on Saturday. The trial could go to the jury Monday. For more details, see the blog roll to the left of our Neshoba blog index page. Bardwell, Bromfield and John Sugg all have interesting info.

Previous Comments

Good job. Surprised no one is commenting on this. Anyway, I’m back fron 2 weeks absence from the office. Hopefully, Killen will get what’s due him on earth and in hell.


Likewise, I wouldn’t be at all surprised, if there wasn’t a silent majority pulling for Killen’s acquittal, in hopes of saying “see there, he was found not guilty, so the matter should be closed.” Whether he’s found guilty or not will not close the book, forgive the damage and pain, compensate for the numerous unindicted deaths of black or white american, or render silent the cowardly history of the klan killing innocent people, ill-equipped to fight back, in the name of white supremacy. Hopefully, a guilty verdict, or the prosecution itself, will show the world and Mississippi that some powerful, decent and fair-minded Mississippians will not allow the nefarious and virulent sins of the past to go forever unpunished.


Speaking of blogs, anyone checked out the Clarion Ledger’s blog? Un-fricking-believable. Klan wannabees and nobody appears to be moderating this crap. But then, maybe it’s better to let the general public see what we still have under the surface. How can you deal with something that you don’t know about? http://208.137.136.144/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=533&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=210 Don’t read this stuff if you have a weak stomach.


C.W., it’s indeed hard to stomach. Don’t know whether to laugh that they’re so stupid, or cry that they’re so lacking and unhappy as to become Hitler-like! They appear already to be Klansman – using substituted or false names for the hoods. Freaks do come out at night!

Founding Editor Donna Ladd is a writer, journalist and editor from Philadelphia, Miss., a graduate of Mississippi State University and later the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, where she was an alumni award recipient in 2021. She writes about racism/whiteness, poverty, gender, violence, journalism and the criminal justice system. She contributes long-form features and essays to The Guardian when she has time, and was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Jackson Free Press. She co-founded the statewide nonprofit Mississippi Free Press with Kimberly Griffin in March 2020, and the Mississippi Business Journal named her one of the state's top CEOs in 2024. Read more at donnaladd.com, follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @donnerkay and email her at donna@mississippifreepress.org.