Case continues for Mickens and Lowndes Democratic Committee
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – We may know by Monday how many candidates will be in the Democratic Primary for the Ward 2 seat on the Columbus City Council.
Senior Status Judge Jeff Weill spent March 13 listening to arguments from lawyers representing incumbent Councilman Joseph Mickens and the Lowndes County Democratic Executive Committee.
Mickens is challenging the residency of Laisha O’Neal and Roderick Smith, his opponents in the Ward 2 Democratic primary.
He first filed a challenge with the party’s Executive Committee, which ruled that both candidates were qualified to run in that ward.
Mickens then filed a petition with the State Supreme Court.
The court assigned Weill, a retired Circuit Court judge, to hear the case.
O’Neal, Smith, Mickens, and Kabir Karriem, the Chair of the Lowndes County Democratic Party, all testified in the hearing.
Weill is taking the matter under advisement and plans to render a decision by Monday, March 17.
