On October 3, 2019, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi approved a groundbreaking consent decree that will help to prevent Mississippi’s Madison County Sheriff’s Department (MCSD) from engaging in racially motivated policing practices.
The class-action lawsuit, Brown vs. Madison County, filed by Simpson Thacher, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Mississippi, aimed to challenge Madison County’s unconstitutional policing tactics. The approved decree implements several reforms to existing procedures and includes new policies that amend the pedestrian stops and checkpoints of the MCSD. Brown vs. Madison County is one of the first consent decrees in the state of Mississippi to address racialized policing.
Partner Jonathan Youngwood, who is leading the Simpson Thacher team, was recognized as an AmLaw Litigation Daily “Litigator of the Week” finalist for his work in this case (subscription may be required).
In addition, the Simpson Thacher team was honored with an “Impact Case Award” by Benchmark Litigation for its work securing this landmark consent decree. The Firm was also honored as “Pro Bono Firm of the Year,” in part due to its role securing the consent decree. For more information, please click here.
To read the ACLU’s press release, please click here.
The consent decree was covered by publications including The New York Times, WJTV, Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Bloomberg Law’s Big Law Business, Reason, Clarion Ledger, The Appeal, The Root and WLBT, as well as several other publications and broadcast outlets.
The Simpson Thacher team also includes Isaac Rethy, Janet Gochman, Bonnie Jarrett, Kavitha Sivashanker, Anthony Piccirillo, Jacob Waschak and Nihara Choudhri.