The Mississippi Court of Appeals will convene on the campus of º£½ÇÉçÇø in Itta Bena on March 19 at 10 a.m. to hear a criminal appeal. A three-judge panel will convene in the Carver A. Randle Auditorium, located in the W.A. Butts Social Science Building.
Court on the Road is a teaching tool that gives students and the public opportunities to observe proceedings in cases on appeal. The Court convenes on college campuses and occasionally at other locations to hear oral arguments. The program offers a unique learning experience for students interested in law, government, journalism, and other fields. The general public may also attend to gain a better understanding of appellate court proceedings.
The Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in the consolidated appeals of siblings Dominique Weatherspoon v. State of Mississippi, cause number 2024-KA-0661-COA, and William Jackson III v. State of Mississippi, cause number 2024-KA-0663-COA.
On June 22, 2023, a Wilkinson County Circuit Court jury convicted Weatherspoon and Jackson of first-degree murder for the shooting death of an 11-year-old girl and aggravated assault for shooting a woman. The death and injury were the result of drive-by shootings at two different homes during the early morning hours of June 11, 2020. Both victims were asleep in their homes. Trial testimony showed that Jackson was recovering from having been shot at least 13 times at a sports bar in Woodville on Super Bowl Sunday 2020.
Circuit Judge Carmen Brooks Drake sentenced Weatherspoon and Jackson to life in prison plus 20 years. Weatherspoon also received two firearm enhancements totaling 10 years, and Jackson received a five-year firearm enhancement on the aggravated assault conviction.
The appellant’s brief filed on behalf of Weatherspoon and Jackson is available .
The appellee’s brief, filed by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, is available .
Attorneys for both sides will have 30 minutes to make their arguments and answer questions from the judges. Judges will speak with students after oral arguments and answer students’ questions, although they will not discuss the pending cases.
People wishing to watch oral arguments are asked to be seated 15 minutes before the proceeding begins.
Members of the news media, including student journalists, who wish to photograph or videotape the arguments must file a Camera Coverage Notice. Camera Coverage Notices should be directed to Clerk of the Court Jeremy Whitmire at jwhitmire@courts.ms.gov. The Camera Coverage Notice form is available .
Media photographers and videographers must be familiar with and follow the Rules for Electronic and Photographic Coverage of Judicial Proceedings. The camera coverage rules are available .
The oral arguments will not be broadcast on the Mississippi Judiciary website because the Court of Appeals is convening in a special session away from its camera-equipped courtroom.