Problems with judiciary system plague city

Jerry Mitchell of The (Jackson) Clarion-Ledger reports that the Hinds County judicial system "at times resembles an elephant balancing on toothpicks. A yearlong investigation by The Clarion-Ledger has uncovered many long-term problems that have not been addressed." The county had fewer prosecutors and fewer indictments in 2004 than similar-sized cities. "Between 1998 and 2003, the percentage of dismissed cases increased from one in five to one in three. That includes dismissals, inactive and remanded to files. That means if a suspect is indicted today in Hinds County, he has a one in three chance of seeing his charges go away."