Could It Be . . . An Outbreak of Reason in the Magnolia State?

As we wait for voters in Jackson to choose their top two candidates for Mayor, and hopefully repudiate the Empire of Emotion (Imperius Irrationalus Infantus?) of the last four years, there is -- on a topic of interest in my World -- an outbreak of Reason in Attala County.

So check this out: the Star-Herald of Kosciusko, Mississippi reports that the Attala County Coroner, who as recently as Monday asked the Board of Supervisors to contract with Dr. Stephen Hayne to conduct autopsies in that county, has changed his mind.

From the Star-Herald story:

With no medical examiner or pathologist at the top of the state’s food chain, Attala County Coroner Sam Bell thought it was a good idea for the county to hiring Dr. Steve Hayne as the county’s pathologist. On Monday, he asked the Attala County Board of Supervisors to hire Hayne but has since changed his mind.

“It’s a lawsuit waiting to happen,” Bell said on Tuesday citing the fact that Hayne has been removed from the list of state approved pathologists.

For years, many counties had relied on Hayne to do autopsies. In August, Public Safety Commissioner Steve Simpson removed Hayne from a list of approved pathologists. Bell said he was contacted by Hayne less than a week ago and he was told that Hayne had been hired by 38 other counties.

* * * *

Hayne was removed from the designated list of pathologists after the New York-based Innocence Project had accused him of sloppy work and had filed a complaint with the state Board of Medical Licensure, calling on the board to strip him of his medical license. After examining the allegations, the Board of Medical Licensure sided with Hayne. Hayne is now suing Innocence Project officials for defamation.

Hayne also is being sued, along with Hattiesburg dentist Michael West, for their testimony about the 1992 rape and slaying of a 3-year-old girl that led to the death sentence for Kennedy Brewer. Brewer is suing the pair for $18 million. He was freed after spending 15 years in prison for a crime authorities now say DNA shows he did not commit. Another man has been charged with that crime.

Congratulations to Coroner Bell for his wise decision. It's past time for public officials in our State to make the smart decision before rights are violated, innocent people are imprisoned or executed, and family members are separated from their loved ones.

Thanks to Matt Eichelberger for the tip.