Gang bill faces criticism from Black Caucus, other organizations

At least a half dozen experts emphasized Wednesday at a Legislative Black Caucus at the Capitol their opposition to a gang bill working its way through the Mississippi Legislature.

Presenters from the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Families as Allies, the National Association for Advancement of Colored People, and the office of the State Public Defender took the mic one after the other to discuss what they see as shortfalls in Senate Bill 2868.

Among those shortfalls at the top of their list of concerns were fear that gang members could be prosecuted even if they commit no crime besides recruiting new members for their gangs and the potential for racial profiling. Added to that was a potential cost to the state from enhanced sentences of more than $1 billion.

The Senate passed the bill 35-14 last week, sending it to the House for further action.

Read more: https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2018/02/14/gang-bill-faces-criticism-black-caucus-other-organizations/338166002/