The Aporia
Bates, S. (2026, October 16). DOJ reaches settlement with Mississippi police department it found routinely violated civil rights. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/news/world/united-states/doj-reaches-settlement-with-mississippi-police-department-it-found-routinely-violated-civil-rights/article_79b10d2a-3199-55fc-864a-b5abcbdbd37e.html
Bates, Sophie. “DOJ reaches settlement with Mississippi police department it found routinely violated civil rights.” Toronto Star, 16 Oct. 2026, https://www.thestar.com/news/world/united-states/doj-reaches-settlement-with-mississippi-police-department-it-found-routinely-violated-civil-rights/article_79b10d2a-3199-55fc-864a-b5abcbdbd37e.html.
Bates, Sophie. “DOJ reaches settlement with Mississippi police department it found routinely violated civil rights.” Toronto Star, October 16, 2026. https://www.thestar.com/news/world/united-states/doj-reaches-settlement-with-mississippi-police-department-it-found-routinely-violated-civil-rights/article_79b10d2a-3199-55fc-864a-b5abcbdbd37e.html.
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The U.S. Department of Justice announced on October 16, 2026, that it had reached a settlement with the Lexington Police Department in Mississippi, requiring reforms after finding systemic civil rights violations against Black citizens. The DOJ’s 2024 investigation revealed the police force routinely discriminated against Black residents, used excessive force, and retaliated against critics. Specifically, officers targeted Black individuals for arrests, made low-level offense charges to generate revenue, and detained people indefinitely if they could not afford fines. The city of Lexington is situated about 65 miles north of Jackson in a rural, poor area where the majority of residents are Black.