Miss. court clears way for sheriff’s election

The Sun Herald, 12/9/8

A Mississippi Supreme Court mandate has cleared the way for Gov. Haley Barbour to set the date for electing a new Coahoma County sheriff.

The mandate, which is the court’s formal notification to put a Nov. 13 ruling into effect, means a special election for sheriff will be held between incumbent Sheriff Andrew Thompson Jr. and Friars Point Police Chief Charles Jones.

With the November ruling, the court upheld a lower circuit court decision which had voided Thompson’s narrow victory in the Aug. 7, 2007, primary election.