Black Box: Chapter Two

Mississippi began receiving millions of dollars in opioid settlement funds in 2022. While the State Legislature and the Attorney General spent years leaving a large chunk of the funds untouched in a bank account, cities and counties across Mississippi were given a portion of the money to spend however they saw fit. In South Mississippi, a county sheriff heard about the funds, and quietly asked his local leaders for money to support his law enforcement efforts. But these purchases weren't run by the South Mississippi families who've suffered most from the addiction crisis — Mississippi Today had to tell them that after the money had gone out the door. If you like this series, become a member today. Help power the deep reporting our state deserves. https://donate.mississippitoday.org/