Mississippi city sued over jailing of poor who miss court payments

[Yahoo! News]

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The group said the Gulf Coast city known for its casinos and white-sand beaches locks up hundreds of indigent debtors each year for days or weeks at a time without access to a court hearing or lawyer, a violation of their constitutional rights. "People are being jailed because they're poor," said ACLU attorney Nusrat Choudhury. Biloxi spokesman Vincent Creel said the city "treats all defendants fairly under the law" and that its courts have ordered community service for people who could not pay their fines.

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