Mississippi Murder Case Dismissed As Man Faced ‘Unprecedented’ Seventh Trial

TOPLINE

In a case that focused national attention on inequities in the criminal justice system faced by Black defendants, the Mississippi Attorney General’s office decided Friday not to retry a man in a quadruple murder case for an “unprecedented” seventh time and a judge dismissed the case, according to multiple media reports.

KEY FACTS

crucial quote

“Given the facts and circumstances of this case, and based on the totality of circumstances, it is in the interest of justice that the state will not seek an unprecedented seventh trial of Mr. Flowers,” Fitch said in the motion. “The state of Mississippi moves to dismiss the indictment.”

key background

Unequal treatment of Black defendants in the U.S criminal justice system is a key focus of activists who have rocked the nation with sometimes violent protests since the televised death of George Floyd under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer on Memorial Day. Henderson Hill, one of Flowers’ attorneys, said the dismissal, along with the Supreme Court decision in Flowers’ appeal last year, “vindicates one innocent Black American, a gentleman of immense character,” according to the Washington Post. He said it was part of a movement for “racial equity to replace white supremacy as our justice system’s organizing principle.” According to APM, which produced the “In The Dark” podcast, Evans, the district attorney, prosecuted Flowers for most of the 27 years he has served as the region’s chief attorney and though every one of the convictions he’d obtained in the case was reversed, he had never wavered in his resolve that he’d sent the right man to death row.

further reading

Charges dropped against man who was prosecuted six times for murder (Washington Post)

Mississippi AG drops case against Curtis Flowers, a Black man who was tried 6 times for same crime (Associated Press)