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SEC-KENTUCKY-MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi beats Kentucky 4-1 in SEC tournament

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) - Mike Mayers gave up just one unearned run over 6 1/3 innings to lead Mississippi past Kentucky 4-1 in the opening round of the Southeastern Conference tournament on Tuesday.

Mayers (5-5) scattered six hits and walked one while striking out four. Tanner Bailey threw a scoreless ninth inning to earn his fourth save of the season.

Ole Miss jumped ahead 1-0 in the first inning on Andrew Mistone's sacrifice fly that scored Austin Anderson. The Rebels broke the game open with two runs in the sixth after run-scoring singles by Auston Bousfield and Will Allen.

Kentucky had eight hits, but only one for extra bases. Jerad Grundy (6-6) took the loss, giving up four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Ole Miss (37-20) advances to face Arkansas in the second round on Wednesday. Kentucky (30-25) was eliminated under the tournament's new single-elimination format in the opening round.

MEGACHURCH-HARASSMENT LAWSUIT

Settlement reached in Miss. church sex lawsuit

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - An attorney says a settlement has been reached in a federal lawsuit that alleged the former pastor of a Jackson megachurch of sexually harassing an employee.

Jamila Slaughter sued Word of Faith International Christian Center and Bishop Kevin Wright in June 2011.

Slaughter's attorney, Carlos Moore, said the settlement was reached Tuesday after a hearing in U.S. District Court in Jackson.

Moore said terms of the deal are confidential.

An attorney for the church, Charles R. Wilbanks Jr., did not immediately respond to a message.

Word of Faith was founded in Detroit in 1978 and has more than 30 satellite churches, including the one where Slaughter and Wright worked in Jackson.

OKOLONA-ASSISTANT CHIEF

Okolona assistant chief found guilty on 3 counts

HOUSTON, Miss. (AP) - Okolona Assistant Police Chief Ramona Robertson has been convicted on three counts.

Judge Ernest Cunningham fined Robertson $600 after hearing testimony Monday in Chickasaw County surrounding her Dec. 7, 2012, arrest by the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

Robertson was found guilty of driving under the influence, speeding and failure to comply with law enforcement officers. The counts are misdemeanors. A fourth count was dismissed.

Highway Patrol officers testified Robertson was driving erratically, driving at one point at 77 mph in a 55 mph zone and emotionally unstable when they tried to conduct field sobriety tests.

Robertson says her actions were caused by the medication she took for a variety of medical conditions and the stress she had been enduring the week. She is currently on medical leave.

LAWYER'S OFFICE-SHOOTING

Dr. Arnold Smith trial postponed indefinitely

GREENWOOD, Miss. (AP) - A trial in the murder-for-hire case against a Greenwood oncologist has been postponed indefinitely.

The Greenwood Commonwealth reports that Circuit Judge Breland Hilburn issued the order because the court is waiting on Dr. Arnold Smith's evaluation at a state mental facility and another hearing to determine whether the 71-year-old physician is entitled to bond.

Smith is charged with murder as the alleged instigator of a plot that ended with the death of gunman Keaira Byrd and the serious wounding Derrick Lacy. Byrd allegedly had been hired to kill attorney Lee Abraham, who represented Smith's ex-wife in their divorce years ago. Abraham was not injured.

Smith has also been charged with two counts of conspiring to murder Abraham.

He has been held without bail since his arrest.

SEVERSTAL-MISSISSIPPI

Severstal makes management moves

COLUMBUS, Miss. (AP) - Severstal North America has appointed a new general manager for its rolled steel mill in Lowndes County.

Company officials say in a news release that Madhu Ranade will take over as vice president and general manager of the Columbus plant on June 10.

He replaces Wilbur Windland who retired after 40 years in the steel industry.

Ranade comes to Severstal Columbus from AccelorMittal.

Company officials say he brings with him years of experience in servicing automotive, pipe, and tubing industries.

SEXUAL BATTERY PLEA

Man sentence in child sex crime case

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) - A 39-year-old Pascagoula man has pleaded guilty to three counts of touching of a child for lustful purposes and one count of sexual battery involving three different victims, who were all younger than 14.

Jackson County District Attorney Tony Lawrence's office tells The Mississippi Press (http://bit.ly/10hEAMQ ) the crimes date back to December 2006 until July 2011.

Judge Dale Harkey sentenced Kendrick Jackson Monday to 15 years in prison on the three touching charges, the maximum penalty.

On the sexual battery charge, Jackson was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with 25 years to serve and 5 years on post-release supervision.

CANTON-VOTING IRREGULARITIES

DA looking into alleged voting irregularities

CANTON, Miss. (AP) - Complaints about alleged irregularities in Canton elections have prompted the Madison County district attorney's office to start collecting information in anticipation of an official investigation.

District Attorney Michael Guest tells The Clarion-Ledger seven people have contacted his office about alleged voting irregularities in the May 7 Democratic primary.

Guest says he wants to wait until the municipal election is completed before beginning an official inquiry to protect against any allegations that his office improperly influenced election outcomes.

Ray Rosamond, who lost by four votes for the Ward 1 alderman's seat, said he has talked with Guest's office about voting irregularities, such as nonresidents voting or the use of vacant lots as voter addresses.

Rosamond said he also is seeking remedy through the court to examine the absentee and affidavit ballots.

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