The City of Lexington, Mississippi, and the Lexington Police Department (LPD) received a letter from the Justice Department today, expressing serious concerns about their approach to jailing individuals for unpaid fines without considering their ability to pay.
In the letter, the department highlighted two key violations of the Constitution's prohibition on wealth-based detention. Firstly, the City and LPD were criticized for forcing arrested individuals to pay off their outstanding fines before being released from jail. Secondly, they were reprimanded for issuing warrants and arresting people solely based on unpaid fines.
The letter released today is a crucial component of the Justice Department's ongoing civil pattern or practice probe into the City of Lexington and LPD. Launched on Nov. 8, 2023, the investigation aims to uncover any systemic breaches of the Constitution and federal laws concerning the use of force; stops, searches, and arrests; biased policing; and the protection of free speech. While the investigation is still ongoing, the Justice Department felt it was imperative to highlight these violations promptly instead of waiting until the inquiry is complete.
DOJ Announces Investigation of the City of Lexington, Mississippi, and Lexington Police Department. The Justice Department announces that it has opened a civil pattern or practice investigation into the City of Lexington, Mississippi, and the Lexington Police Department (LPD). Lexington is a town of approximately 1,600 people, located about an hour outside of the state’s capitol in Jackson, Mississippi.
“It’s time to bring an end to a two-tiered system of justice in our country in which a person’s income determines whether they walk free or whether they go to jail,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
“Unjust enforcement of fines and fees is unlawful, and it traps people and their families in a vicious cycle of poverty and punishment. There is great urgency underlying the issues we have uncovered in Mississippi, and we stand ready to work with officials to end these harmful practices and ensure the civil and constitutional rights of Lexington residents are protected.”
“One third of Lexington’s residents live below the poverty line. The burden of unjust fines and fees undermines the goals of rehabilitation and erodes the community’s trust in the justice system,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “Each step we take towards fair and just policing rebuilds that trust. Lexington and LPD can take those steps now, while our investigation is ongoing.”
Earlier today, city and police leaders had a meeting with officials from the Justice Department to address their unlawful practices. This issue was brought to light during the ongoing investigation conducted by the department. The city of Lexington has made a commitment to collaborate with the Justice Department in order to ensure that the collection of fines and fees adheres to all legal requirements.
On April 20, 2023, the Justice Department released a Dear Colleague Letter on Fines and Fees. This letter emphasized the importance of courts determining an individual's ability to pay fines or fees before resorting to imprisonment. According to the Constitution, it is unlawful to imprison someone for unpaid fines or fees if they genuinely lack the financial means to pay.
For more information about the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, you can visit their website at www.justice.gov/crt. If you're specifically interested in their work on police reform, you can find relevant details at www.justice.gov/crt/file/922421/download.
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