Mississippi Edition

After over two decades behind bars, Curtis Flowers has his case dropped.

Then, the CDC issues an eviction moratorium, protecting renters through the end of 2020. We examine how the action affects tenants and landlords in Mississippi.

Plus, bus drivers in a Mississippi school district are being denied routes over a conflict involving working hours and compensation.  

Segment 1:

When Curtis Flowers posted bail and left prison in December, his future remained uncertain. He had been tried for capital murder six times, convicted four times, and each of those four convictions - the most recent by the U.S. Supreme Court - were reversed due to prosecutorial misconduct by District Attorney Doug Evans. Soon after, Evans withdrew from the case and the office of Attorney General Fitch was appointed in his place.

Now, Flowers' future is a little clearer. Last week Fitch's office announced it is dropping the case, meaning for the first time in 23 years Curtis Flowers won't be subject to charges he has long-denied. Robert McDuff of the Mississippi Center for Justice joined the Flowers defense team after Supreme Court reversed the conviction and death sentence in Flowers’ sixth trial. He shares more about the long history of the case in part one of a conversation with MPB's Desare Frazier.

Segment 2:

Mississippians who can't afford to pay rent because of coronavirus-related job loss are protected from evictions under a new moratorium by the CDC. A federal moratorium previously offered extensive protections for renters, but that expired at the start of this month. To qualify for the new moratorium, renters must prove in court that they are out of work because of the coronavirus, and are pursuing government assistance. Jarvis Dortch, Executive Director of the ACLU of Mississippi, tells our Kobee Vance the move by the CDC helps, but it doesn't erase all barriers for poor residents. 

Segment 3:

The coronavirus pandemic is presenting unprecedented challenges to public schools. Between socially distanced classrooms and virtual learning, school districts are making changes to accommodated the variety of ways children are learning in the world of COVID-19. For Columbus City Schools, some changes have resulted in a clash between administration and the district's bus drivers. In a story first reported by the Commercial Dispatch, drivers for Columbus City Schools walked out last week over a dispute regarding hours and wages. Renarda Dent is one of those drivers.