Court of Appeals to visit Rust College on October 22

Court of Appeals to visit Rust College on October 22

October 9, 2026

Local high school classes are invited to join Rust College students on Oct. 22 when the Mississippi Court of Appeals will convene on the campus of Rust College in Holly Springs to hear a criminal appeal.

A three-judge panel will convene at 11 a.m. in the Doxey Auditorium at 150 Rust Avenue. People wishing to watch oral arguments are asked to be seated by 10:45 a.m., 15 minutes before the proceeding is scheduled to begin. The oral arguments are expected to last about an hour, with lawyers on both sides having half an hour to speak.

Called Court on the Road, the campus visits have been a part of the Court of Appeals’ regular calendar since 2005. Educating students and the general public about the Judicial Branch of government is a priority for the Court of Appeals. Each fall and spring, the Court of Appeals schedules oral arguments on college campuses and occasionally at other locations as a teaching tool to give students and the public opportunities to watch proceedings in cases on appeal.

Judge Latrice A. Westbrooks of Lexington said, “The Court on the Road program offers the opportunity for transparency and education. Because there are no witnesses and no jury, it elevates the public’s understanding of Mississippi’s judicial system. It also encourages civic engagement and exposes the students to the Court in a way that is not adversarial.”

Court of Appeals judges will hear oral arguments in a criminal appeal from Oktibbeha County Circuit Court, the appeal of Marco Brown v. State of Mississippi, cause number 2025-KA0919. Brown was convicted in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court of first-degree murder in the April 12, 2023 death of Imia Williams. Testimony showed that Williams died from blunt force injuries and strangulation. Circuit Judge Michelle Easterling sentenced Brown to life in prison at the end of a trial on April 30, 2025.

The appellant’s brief filed on behalf of Brown is available at this link: https://courts.ms.gov/appellatecourts/docket/sendPDF.php?f=web0001.COA.2025-KA-919.126118.0.pdf&c=99879&a=N&s=2.

The appellee’s brief on behalf of the State of Mississippi is at this link: https://courts.ms.gov/appellatecourts/docket/sendPDF.php?f=web0001.COA.2025-KA-919.128876.0.pdf&c=99879&a=N&s=2.

Brown is represented by the Office of State Public Defender. The State of Mississippi is represented by the Attorney General’s Office.

Members of the news media, including student journalists, who wish to photograph or videotape the arguments must file a Camera Coverage Notice. Camera Coverage Notices should be directed to Clerk of the Court Jeremy Whitmire, e-mail jwhitmire@courts.ms.gov, and to Assistant Court Administrator Camille Evans, e-mail cevans@courts.ms.gov. The Camera Coverage Notice form is at this link: https://courts.ms.gov/news/forms/camnotice.pdf.

Media photographers and videographers must be familiar with and follow the Rules for Electronic and Photographic Coverage of Judicial Proceedings. The camera coverage rules are at https://courts.ms.gov/research/rules/msrulesofcourt/rules_electronicphotographic_coverage.pdf.

The oral arguments will not be broadcast via the Mississippi Judiciary website, since the Court of Appeals is convening in special session away from its camera-equipped courtroom.

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