ESTABLISHED 1879 | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI CDISPATCH.COM 50 ¢ NEWSSTAND | 40 ¢ HOME DELIVERY THURSDAY | MARCH 22, 2018 Chief: Letting CPD officer go was ‘bad judgment call’ Police chief admits, denounces ‘unwritten rule’ of professional courtesy among law enforcement on traffic stops Starkville Police BY ZACK PLAIR AND ISABELLE ALTMAN civilians for similar of- Chief Frank Nich- [email protected]; [email protected] INsidE fenses. ■ OUR VIEW: Nichols ols speaks at “A lot of times it’s gets chance to correct a press confer- Starkville Police Chief a professional cour- ence Wednesday Frank Nichols on Wednesday ‘unwritten rule of law tesy,” Nichols said. enforcement.’ Page 6A in reference to a called his department’s deci- “That’s something March 9 traffic sion to let off a Columbus police that’s not just unique ONLINE stop where his officer pulled over for drunk ■ VIDEO: View SPD officers let off a driving without a ticket “a bad to Starkville. ...I think it’s practiced within dash and body cam foot- Columbus police judgment call.” age at cdispatch.com officer without a the law enforcement In a candid press conference citation despite Alexander profession. But, you at police headquarters, Nichols his showing also acknowledged an “unwritten rule” in know, I think you’ve got to get more respon- signs of being which law enforcement officers are less likely sible with that. In today’s time, if an officer intoxicated. to ticket or arrest other law enforcement than See TRAFFIC STOP, 8A Isabelle Altman/Dispatch Staff Arnold’s first attempted Pioneers in their field kidnapping charges move to grand jury Suspect a former romantic partner of the child’s mother BY ALEX HOLLOWAY [email protected] A grand jury will hear the case for at least one of the charges against John B. Arnold Jr. after a preliminary hearing in Starkville Munici- pal Court. Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff Oktibbeha Coun- Arnold Aundrea Self, far left, moderates the Women’s Empowerment Panel at Airbus Helicopters in Columbus Wednes- ty Justice Court day afternoon. The panel members were, seated from left, Judge Dorothy Colom, Airbus Chief of Staff Michelle Strenger, Mississippi State University professor Lakeisha Williams and Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill. Judge Marty Haug, after a hearing that lasted nearly two hours, found there was enough probable cause for a Feb. 16 attempted kidnapping Local women discuss their charge against Arnold for the case to move to a grand jury. Arnold, who was always flanked by at least four police officers challenge-laden paths to success during his hearing, is also facing another charge of attempted kid- BY SLIM SMITH District Chancery Court Judge for than 1,500 workers at Northern napping and several charges of [email protected] 24 years, was part of a panel dis- Telecom in Texas. contempt of court. cussion held in honor of Women’s At 2 a.m. one morning, Strenger udge Dorothy Colom began a During the hearing, a woman History Month at the helicopter answered an urgent call from Dis- program Wednesday at Airbus manufacturing plant in the Lown- ney World. Its voicemail system, See ARNOLD, 5A Helicopters with a folk tale J des County Industrial Park. which included all of the theme about an old wise woman. Each month, Airbus present a park’s recorded messages, had The woman, who was blind, had program for its employees dealing crashed. a reputation for wisdom that spread with current topics. far beyond her little village. One “The first thing he said was, Wednesday’s panel also includ- ‘Sweetheart, can you put an engi- day a group of skeptics approached ed Airbus Chief of Staff Michelle Shots fired the old blind woman, seeking to neer on the phone?’ When I told Strenger, Mississippi State Univer- him I could help him, he hung up,” discredit her. sity Professor Lakeisha Williams “I have in my hand a bird,” the she said. “He called back a few min- and Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill, utes later and said, ‘I need to talk to in possible wise woman was told. “Is it dead or a former Navy pilot. an engineer ASAP.’ I remember he alive?” Each of the women are pioneers called me ‘Missy’ that time. I told The old blind woman pondered in a sense, moving into roles that him, ‘You can call me anything you domestic case the question for a while, then re- were then the almost exclusive sponded: “I cannot say whether the want, but if you’ll give me the op- DISPATCH STAFF REPORT domain of men. From their own bird is dead or alive, but what I can experience, the women noted portunity, I’m going to help you.’” tell you is the question of whether qualities that helped them in their What she told him next didn’t The Lowndes County Sheriff’s the bird is dead or alive is in your help. Office is investigating a shooting in- journeys. hands.” “I told him, ‘What I want you to cident Wednesday evening in Cale- “The same can be said about do is take the hard-drive out, find a donia that may be a part of a domes- what we as women can achieve,” Michelle Strenger: Overcoming Ziploc bag and put it in the freezer.’ tic violence case. Colom said. “To a large degree, perceptions I can’t tell you how many expletives Deputies reported to a home on what we can do is in our hands.” In her first job, Strenger was the came out of his mouth at that point, Pearrow Drive in Columbus where Colom, who has served as 14th only female in a building with more residents said they witnessed a See PIONEERS, 8A Dodge Durango pull into the drive- See SHOOTING, 8A WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC 1 What does GPS stand for? MEETINGS Today April 2: 2 What is the north end of Chicago’s ■ John T. Edge: The W’s Homecoming Michigan Avenue also known as? Lowndes County opens with the free Nell Peel Wolfe 3 What TV show’s marketing cam- supervisors, 9 Lecture Series with Southern Foodways paign features the stars making the a.m., County “loser” L-sign on their foreheads? Alliance director John T. Edge at 6 p.m. Courthouse 4 What color smoke announces the in Nissan Auditorium, Parkinson Hall. April 3: City Laney Kars election for a new pope? The author of “The Potlikker Papers” will 5 What American artist is known for Council, 5 Second grade, Caledonia sign books after the lecture. p.m., Municipal his paintings of flag and targets? ■ Music showcase: The W’s Depart- Complex High Low Answers, 8B ment of Music presents a Student Show- April 17: City 64 43 case at 8 p.m. in Poindexter Hall. Free. Council, 5 Mostly sunny p.m., Municipal Full forecast on Complex page 2A. Today through Saturday ■ Ragtime and Jazz Music Festival: April 19: INSIDE The Charles Templeton Ragtime and Columbus Light Jazz Music Festival includes perfor- and Water, noon, CLW office Business 4A Dear Abby 7B mances and talks at Mississippi State’s Classifieds8B Obituaries 5A Mitchell Memorial Library and McComas Comics 7B Opinions 6A Hall. Register, get tickets at library.ms- Randle Burris works at Steel 139TH YEAR, NO. 10 Crossword 6B state.edu/festival or 662-325-6634. Dynamics. DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471 2A THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SAY WHAT? DID YOU HEAR? “This will be a dog fight, no pun intended.” Mississippi State softball coach Vann Stuedeman, Facebook’s Zuckerberg apologizes following her team’s 7-0 victory against Central Arkansas and looking ahead to its series against for ‘major breach of trust’ Thursday Georgia this weekend in Starkville. Story, 1B. CEO outlines steps to protect user data in light of a privacy scandal involving a HOUSAND ORDS Trump-connected data-mining firm A T W THE ASSOCIatED PRESS bridge’s clients included Donald Trump’s gener- NEW YORK — Break- al-election campaign. ing five days of silence, Facebook shares have Facebook CEO Mark Zuck- dropped some 8 percent, erberg apologized for a “ma- lopping about $46 billion jor breach of trust,” admit- off the company’s market ted mistakes and outlined value, since the revelations steps to protect user data in were first published. light of a privacy scandal in- In the CNN interview, volving a Trump-connected Zuckerberg offered equiv- data-mining firm. ocal and carefully hedged “I am really sorry that answers to two other ques- happened,” Zuckerberg tions. He said, for instance, said of the scandal involv- that he would be “happy” ing data mining firm Cam- to testify before Congress, bridge Analytica. Facebook but only if it was “the right has a “responsibility” to thing to do.” He went on protect its users’ data, he to note that many other said in a Wednesday in- Facebook officials might terview on CNN. If it fails, be more appropriate wit- he said, “we don’t deserve nesses depending on what to have the opportunity to Congress wanted to know. serve people.” Similarly, the Facebook His mea culpa on cable chief seemed at one point television came a few hours to favor regulation for Face- after he acknowledged his book and other internet gi- company’s mistakes in a ants — at least the “right” Facebook post, but without kind of rules, he said, such saying he was sorry. as ones that require online Zuckerberg and Face- political ads to disclose who book’s No. 2 executive, paid for them. In almost Sheryl Sandberg, had been the next breath, however, quiet since news broke Fri- Zuckerberg steered clear of Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff day that Cambridge may endorsing a bill that would Donnie Harris of Columbus stands with part of his catch at the John C.