JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – A coalition of Mississippi organizations called on the Hinds County Board of Supervisors to approve a $350,000 emergency equity adjustment for the Hinds County Public Defender’s Office. This comes ahead of the board’s expected consideration of the matter on March 2, 2026.
According to the coalition, cases cannot move forward through the courts with consistency when public defenders are resigning due to “unfair pay.” They said public defenders earn more than $50,000 less than their prosecutor counterparts.
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“I can appreciate and recognize that funds are strained, but I also know that public defense is a smart investment. Studies show that across the country, counties that invest in public defense save millions each year because early, effective representation avoids the costs of unnecessary jail time and keeps our citizens working instead of being detained,” said Gail Wright Lowery, Hinds County Public Defender.
Under Mississippi law, counties bear the responsibility for funding public defense…