Former MHP trooper avoids prison time in MSU track athlete’s death
A former Mississippi Highway Patrol officer charged in the death of a Mississippi State University student has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and will not face prison time, The Commercial Dispatch reported Monday. Kyle Lee was indicted for culpable negligence manslaughter in February for the death of 22-year-old Kaelin Kersh. Kersh, who was a MSU track and field athlete, was killed in a car wreck on May 7, 2017, when the Ford Explorer Lee was driving hit the Toyota Corolla in which she was a passenger on Highway 182. Sixteenth Circuit Judge Jim Kitchens on Friday sentenced Lee to 10 years in Mississippi Department of Corrections, all suspended, with five years probation. Assistant District Attorney Marc Amos, who prosecuted the case, said Lee will not be able to hold a position in law enforcement ever again, and he must pay restitution in the form of $1,000 to the Kaelin Kersh Foundation at MSU.
Lee was also the officer who arrested Sen. Terry C. Burton, R-Newton, in December for a DUI. Burton was found not guilty without a trial after Lee’s indictment, as prosecutors could no longer use the officer’s testimony as evidence.
MSHD reports Hep A increase
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is reporting sharply higher numbers of hepatitis A cases in Mississippi among certain high-risk populations. The rise in hepatitis A follows a similar trend nationally and in neighboring states. Between April and July this year 23 cases had been reported in the state.
Groups especially at risk are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated against hepatitis A. These include people who use recreational drugs, who are currently in jail or were recently in jail, men who have sex with men, and those with unstable housing or who are homeless. Vaccination can be obtained through a healthcare provider or pharmacist. If you are uninsured or underinsured, vaccinations are available from any county health department.
Gipson presents the Commissioner’s Cup at Neshoba County Fair
Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson presented the Commissioner’s Cup for the Morris Therrell Invitational at the 2019 Neshoba County Fair.
“It was my pleasure to be a part of this long-standing tradition at the Neshoba County Fair, and I applaud all the competitors from today’s race,” said Commissioner Gipson.
During the week, the Neshoba County Fair Station hosts several harness races leading up to the Morris Therrell Invitational. Today’s final race featured the top six horses and their contenders. Immediately following, Commissioner Gipson presented this year’s winner with the Commissioner’s Cup. The 2019 harness racehorse champion is Western Memory, owned by Terrence Fortune of Walnut Grove, and driven by Geremy Bobbitt.
- From Staff Reports
