Posted inMississippi Goddam

Mississippi Goddam Chapter 6: Mississippi Justice

There have long been concerns about the quality of investigations into suspicious deaths of young Black men in the state, especially when police are involved.

Posted inMississippi Goddam

Mississippi Goddam Chapter 2: The Aftermath

On the morning of Billey Joe Johnson’s death, crime scene tape separates the Johnsons from their son’s body. Their shaky faith in the criminal justice system buckles as authorities fail to follow up on inconsistencies in the official story.

Posted inMississippi Goddam

Mississippi Goddam Chapter 1: The Promise

Billey Joe Johnson Jr. was a high school football star headed for the big time. Then, early one morning in 2008, the Black teenager died during a traffic stop with a White deputy. His family’s been searching for answers ever since.

Posted inLaw Enforcement

The Border Patrol’s Fearless 5%

Female agents are so rare in the U.S. Border Patrol that they have their own nickname: the Fearless 5%. It’s meant as a badge of honor, but the title is a bold admission of the agency’s inability to recruit or retain women.