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A few months ago we announced that we were starting an investigation into what appears to be a conspiracy working to stop Mayor Zach Patterson or any progress being made within the black community by the Enterprise-Journal and a few influential business owners. Today we have our smoking gun.

 Leatrice Stern’s emotional state changes every four to eight paragraphs, from laughter to anger to sadness to joyfulness. But she never seems to stop talking while she tells her story. A story of nearly 100 years. Stern, 95, is a longtime McComb resident, living off of Wall Street, who made history as the first African American woman Girl Scout Leader in the state of Mississippi.

On May 13, 2009, a day after her birthday, she shared her story with the Mississippi Tribune.

Two day trial; “Did not call meeting” selectman said

 After another attempt to delay the proceedings by defense attorney Dennis Horn, the trial Patterson versus the McComb selectmen finally started in front of a larger than normal audience. Judge Michael Taylor heard the Complaint for Declaratory Relief, Injunctive Relief, Mandamus (filed on November 3, 2009 by McComb Mayor Zach Patterson) during a two day hearing, on Tuesday, March 2 and Wednesday, March 3. Patterson’s lawsuit against all of the selectmen of the McComb Board of Mayor and Selectmen centered around the illegality of the August 26, 2009 Special Call meeting of the board.

All six of the selectmen: Wade Lamb, Danny Esch, Robert Maddox, Ernest Charles Nobles, Melvin Joe Johnson and Robert Earl Smith were called as witnesses along with some city employees and the mayor. Other witnesses were City Administrator Quordiniah Lockley, City Clerk Jeanette Butler, Deputy City Clerk and Executive Assistant to the Mayor and City Administrator Sherry Spears, and Accounts Payable Deputy City Clerk Stephanie Forrest.

It was the potential defense witness who was not there that Horn said was the reason he was requesting another delay in the trial. Horn told Judge Taylor that McComb city attorney Wayne Dowdy was out of town involved in another court proceeding. However, the request to delay the trial was denied.

 Judge Michael Taylor instructed everyone to remove any electronic device they had and delayed the beginning of the trial, Patterson vs. the City of McComb Selectmen, so that everyone could take their cell phones and other electronic devices out of the building on Tuesday, March 2. The trial, which was scheduled to begin at 10am, did not start until 10:25am to allow the courtroom audience and participants the opportunity to comply with Taylor’s order. He said the devices were interfering with the sound system in the courtroom, causing static interference, because of the larger than normal crowd in attendance.

During the two day proceedings the audience would break its silence with a groan or with laughter when they heard something surprising, unbelievable or funny. Two area residents spoke about the trial: Katie Jenkins, a Ruth resident, followed every minute of the trial, along with her husband. “How can selectmen have such memory losses and still run the City of McComb?”