{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20160907005436/http://benniethompson.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=808:thompson-calls-for-investigation-by-justice-department-into-hinds-county-court-judge-conduct&catid=41&Itemid=148", "THOMPSON CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION BY JUSTICE DEPARTMENT INTO HINDS COUNTY COURT JUDGE CONDUCT", "2015-03-18", "2015", "2015-03", "Democrat", "House", "MS", "Bennie Thompson", "T000193", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02) through a letter to the United States Attorney General called for the United States Department of Justice to open a full investigation into the conduct of Hinds County (Mississippi) Circuit Court Judge Jeff Weill.  The public defender service was created to give indigent defendants a fighting chance against their accusers. Indigent defendants have a constitutional right to counsel by competent attorneys. Judge Weills decision to transfer these defendants cases to less-experienced private attorneys is a clear bias against the public defender service. Ultimately, by refusing to recuse himself from the cases handled by the Hinds County Public Defenders Office (HCPD), Judge Jeff Weill is violating the constitutional rights of many individuals who appear in his court. I hope that the Department of Justice will fully investigate the events occurring in Hinds County, and step in to assure that everyones rights, regardless of affluence, are being protected, said Thompson. Judge Weill has been enthralled in conflict with the HCPD regarding several issues including: transferring cases to private attorneys, refusing to provide the public defenders with arraignment dockets, and not recusing himself from cases involving attorneys who he has developed a bias against. Congressman Thompson is asking for a full investigation into whether Judge Weills conduct has violated the constitutionally guaranteed 6th Amendment right to provide counsel to indigent citizens.   \n\t\n\tLink to Congressman Thompsons letter.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20160907005436/http://benniethompson.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=808:thompson-calls-for-investigation-by-justice-department-into-hinds-county-court-judge-conduct&catid=41&Itemid=148"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.938153825700283, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}