DUI TRIAL DATE DELAYED FOR CALEDONIA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH CANDIDATE See page 1B ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI CDISPATCH.COM 50 ¢ NEWSSTAND | 40 ¢ HOME DELIVERY FRIDAY | MAY 25, 2018 Ex-Columbus HS teacher Recovering the past found guilty of soliciting student for sex Defense: Victim never told suspect he was underage BY ISABELLE ALTMAN [email protected] A Lowndes Coun- ty jury found a for- mer Columbus High School chorus teach- er guilty of exploita- tion of a child Thurs- day. Michael Jackson, Jackson 35, was arrested in February 2014 on allegations he had solicited a male junior at the high school for sex in a series of text messages in November and December of 2013. The jury delib- erated for about 45 minutes before reaching a verdict at the end of a three-day trial, after which both attorneys said made them want to never give their children cell phones. Isabelle Altman/Dispatch Staff Jackson is scheduled to be sen- Local historian Rufus Ward, University of Mississippi archaeologist Tony Boudreaux and Ulysses Grant Memorial tenced Friday. He could face be- Library Executive Director John F. Marszalek announce a special project to identify the presence of Union graves tween five and 40 years in the Mis- at Friendship Cemetery on Thursday. Using archaeological equipment that detects buried objects, Ole Miss ar- sissippi Department of Corrections chaeologists hope to confirm whether up to 10 of the 51 Union soldiers who died in Columbus during the Civil War are still buried in the cemetery. and must register as a sex offender. The Dispatch does not identify victims of sex crimes. The victim was 17 at the time of the incident. Archaeological project hopes to confirm Union Over the course of the trial, at- torneys presented dozens of pages of screen shots of messages al- soldiers’ graves in Friendship Cemetery See TRIAL, 8A BY ISABELLE ALTMAN Local historian Rufus Ward, morial Library — all announced the [email protected] backed by the Garth-Billups Foun- project Thursday during a press con- dation in Columbus, has led the proj- ference at the cemetery. n Memorial Day in 1866, ect to have a group of archaeologists “Columbus’ role in Memori- barely a year after the end from the University of Mississippi al Day was being the place where Columbus resident of the Civil War, a group of O survey an unmarked section in the both Union graves and Confederate Columbus women decorated the graves were decorated with flow- arrested for possession Friendship Cemetery graves of Con- southwest corner of the cemetery to federate soldiers — along with the determine if there are any graves in ers in 1866,” Ward said. “And that of child pornography graves of several unknown Union the section, and if so, whose graves stirred the conscience of the entire they could be. nation. Articles appeared in news- DISPATCH STAFF REPORT soldiers. Now, more than 150 years later, a Ward, alongside University of papers from Missouri to Maine. The New York Tribune carried an article A Columbus res- handful of Mississippi historians are Mississippi archaeologist Tony Bou- praising the women of Columbus ident faces charges determined to learn if any of those dreaux and Mississippi State Univer- and Francis Finch, an attorney and for multiple counts Union soldiers are still in the ceme- sity’s John Marszalek — executive of child exploitation tery. director of the Ulysses S. Grant Me- See FRIENDSHIP CEMETERY, 8A from the state Attor- ney General’s Office. Cybercrime in- vestigators with the Tracey AG’s Office arrest- ed Jamie Tracey, 25, on Wednes- West Lowndes day, according to a press release. Elementary Paying dividends Tracey has been charged with two School fifth counts of child exploitation for pos- grader Kaley Cox West Lowndes students earn big and her teacher, session of child pornography. Victoria DeOr- returns in Stock Market Game Investigators, with help from nellis, celebrate Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, Cox’s first-place BY Slim Smith petition sponsored by the had been investigating suspicious win in a state- [email protected] Mississippi Council of wide compe- online activity when they found the Education. Almost 4,000 evidence, the press release said. tition during Call them the Wolf end-of-year students entered the See ARREST, 3A awards program Pups of Wall Street. competition statewide. at West Lown- Ten of the 28 West The students, in des Elementary Lowndes elementary and grades 4-8, are all en- NO PAPER MONDAY School. Cox won middle school students rolled in Victoria DeOr- the essay com- ■ The Dispatch will not publish a who participated in the nellis’ gifted class, and newspaper Monday in observance of petition that was part of the Stock Stock Market Game this while the students man- Memorial Day. Normal operations will spring captured regional aged hundreds of thou- resume Tuesday. Market Game. Courtesy photo or state prizes in a com- See STOCK MARKET, 8A WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC 1 What vegetable is the main ingredi- fest from 1-6 p.m. on Univer- MEETINGS Saturday sity Drive at the Parthenon June 4: Lown- ent in borscht? ■ Special Needs-Special 2 What state is home to Crater of Dia- will be held monthly through des County Spirit Run/Walk: This monds, the only diamond mine in the October. Visit facebook.com/ Supervisors, 9 run/walk at the Columbus United States open to the public? Starkvilles-Sunday-Funday. a.m., County Riverwalk provides family 3 What publishing mogul reserved Courthouse a final resting place next to Marilyn support, community educa- June 5: City Coen Meisnholden Monroe? tion, activities, advocacy and Friday, June 1 4 What British landmark has been ■ Loaves & Fishes Festival Council, 5:30 Second grade, Caledonia referral services to children said to be haunted by Sir Walter of Flavors: Loaves & Fishes p.m., Municipal and adults with develop- Raleigh, Guy Fawkes, Anne Boleyn and Community Soup Kitchen Complex mental disabilities and their a bear? presents its fifth annual gala June 18: High 85 Low 67 families. Entry is $10, or $25 5 Who wrote the three-hankie memoir from 6-9 p.m. at Lion Hills Lowndes County Cloudy, chance of t-storms “Marley & Me”? for a family or group. For more Full forecast on Center, with silent auction, Supervisors, 9 Answers, 8B information, contact Robin page 2A. live music, food and beverag- a.m., County Tate, 662-436-4212; Rice es. Tickets are $40 at Military Courthouse Glover, 662-549-7306; or Hardware, 1002 13th St. N., June 18: CVB, 4 Norma Jones, 662-352-3184. INSIDE the Rosenzweig Arts Center, p.m., CVB office Classifieds7B Obituaries 4A 501 Main St. and Helping June 19: City Comics 5B Opinions 6A Sunday Hands. For more information, Jami Laws, pictured with Council, 5:30 Crossword 8B Religion 6B ■ Sunday Funday: This call 662-549-8607. Register her dog, Charlie, is a mara- p.m., Municipal 139TH YEAR, NO. 65 Dear Abby 5B Starkville mini arts and music at runsignup.com. thon runner. Complex DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SAY WHAT? DID YOU HEAR? “There are no strong climate signals saying it’s going to be extremely active, like last year, or extremely weak.” Harvey Weinstein arrives Gerry Bell, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center lead hurricane forecaster. Government forecasters predicted 10-16 tropical to surrender in sex assault probe Friday storms for this year’s Atlantic hurricane season. Story, 7A. Producer was expected to be charged with at least with criminal sexual act A THOUSAND WORDS BY COLLEEN LONG The officials spoke The Associated Press Thursday to the AP on con- dition of anonymity because NEW YORK — Harvey they weren’t authorized to Weinstein turned himself discuss the investigation. in to police Friday morn- Weinstein was expected ing to face the first crim- to be charged with at least inal charges to be filed one criminal sexual act, a against him after months crime that carries up to 25 of sexual abuse allegations years in prison, the officials from scores of women that said. destroyed his career and Weinstein’s attorney, set off a national reckon- Benjamin Brafman, de- ing known as the #MeToo clined to comment when movement. Weinstein, 66, stepped first contacted about the from a black SUV and charges late Friday, but walked slowly into a Man- previously said in court hattan police station before paperwork that the allega- a crowd of news cameras. tions that Weinstein forced He didn’t answer respond himself on women were to shouts of his name. “entirely without merit” and The exact charges that he never knowingly against Weinstein still had broke the law. not been made public early Evans confirmed to The Friday. Two law enforce- New Yorker that she was ment officials told The As- pressing charges. sociated Press the case will “At a certain point, you include allegations by Lucia have to think about the Evans, an aspiring actress greater good of humanity, who has said the Holly- of womankind,” she told wood mogul forced her to the magazine. perform oral sex on him in Evans told The New his office. She was among Yorker in a story published the first women to speak in October that Weinstein out about the producer. forced her to perform oral One official said it’s like- sex during a daytime meet- Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff ly the case also will include ing at his New York office Willie Horn lifts a cinder block to fit it into a row during construction for the new Waukaway Springs Bottling at least one other victim in 2004, the summer before Company building on College Street Tuesday.