Mississippi county balks at oversight for troubled jail

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS
Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi’s largest county says it will appeal a federal judge’s appointment of a public safety consultant to manage its jail where the judge found “ongoing unconstitutional conditions.” Those include short staffing levels that allowed some inmates to assault others. Hinds County is asking U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves to delay work by the receiver he appointed to oversee the Raymond Detention Center. The receiver is to be paid $16,000 a month. Attorneys for Hinds County say that will take money away from other public services such as roads, bridges and schools. Reeves is scheduled to hold a Nov. 28 hearing on the county’s request.