In what has to be one of the most bizarre stories of 2025 (of many, I know) is the Rankin County Road Rage incident.
The allegations include that an incident that began as a road rage episode on Grants Ferry Road ended with Walter Ainsworth shooting into the occupied vehicle of another.
The victim-driver stated she ducked down behind her door when the suspect fired a single shot into her vehicle. She stated she then sped off to the Reservoir Police Department where she then dialed 911.
Ainsworth was later arrested. Upon law enforcement obtaining search warrants, the following items were reportedly found;
a bulletproof vest,
two gas masks,
a pair of brass knuckles,
a baton,
handcuffs, and
a flamethrower.
A search of Ainsworth’s home also revealed,
a human skull and
a lower jawbone of a human skull.
Bond was denied!
As it turns out it is legal in most states to buy and possess human bones!
The BoneRoom has quite the assortment for sale now. They appear to be For Sale but NOT On $ale…!
It seems we pine for yesteryear when men were gentlemen. Well, guess what? They weren’t!!
Disputes were resolved with a fight to the death. Political rhetoric was uglier then than now and physical altercations were certainly more prevalent then than now between candidates.
Mississippi law provided then (and now),
“Every person who shall challenge another to a duel…or who shall accept any such challenge…or who shall be present at the time of any duel with deadly weapons, either as second, aid, or surgeon, …or give assistance to such duel, shall, on conviction thereof, be fined in a sum not less than $300.00 nor exceeding $1,000.00…, or be imprisoned not less than 6-months in the county jail, or both.”
Attorney, Corey Ferraez is being pursued by law enforcement and has a warrant for his arrest for Civil Contempt. This is circulating the blogosphere in Hattiesburg and the Jackson area.
This all stemmed from a wrongful death matter and the corresponding estate matter. See Weatherford, Stephen Ray “Fuzzy” 56CH1:22-pr-00021-SM
Ferraez was the attorney for the estate and settled the wrongful death claim for $450,000.00. These sums were to be held in trust until the Court approved the settlement, attorney fees, disbursement and liens were handled.
Delays for various reasons caused the matter to drag on. Eventually the Court set a hearing and required Ferraez to attend. He did not.
Thereafter, the Court entered a Show Cause Order requiring Ferraez to attend, explain why he should not be held in contempt and to tender all of the $450,000.00 into the registry of the Court.
Ferraez did not attend this hearing and did not pay any sums by the date of the hearing.
In a surprising turn of events however, he did file a response with the Court, indicated he had been ill, and eventually tendered about $215,000.00 of the $450,000.00, claiming the difference in the value was due to attorneys fees and liens (or loans) that the client took out against the settlement. This was surprising because the attorney filed a response with the Court despite not appearing.
It also came to light that he had previously written a $25,000.00 check to the client that bounced for insufficient funds.
Regardless of anything else, this does not end well for Mr. Ferraez.
He will have to answer to the Court for the handling of the proceeds, the Mississippi Bar about concerns of unethical conduct and very likely criminal ramifications…Mr. Ferraez should turn himself in as time is not on his side.
*In criminal courts a defendant enjoys a presumption of innocence. Civil Courts have a differing standard. Refusal to appear, answer, cooperate can and will be used against you.
All lawyers that handle “unearned fees” are required to have Trust accounts with banks. These Trust account records are relatively easy to obtain and determine when monies came in, when they went out, where they went and what is left, if anything…
Matthew Thompson is a family law/civil law attorney in Mississippi and acknowledges unethical and illegal conduct when it needs to be; whether it’s a Judge, a party or a lawyer.
We are ALL responsible for reporting suspect child abuse!
Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect
What is to be reported to the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services?
Any known or suspected child abuse, neglect or sexual abuse, Human Trafficking of minors, infants affected by substance abuse, and child fatalities.
Who is legally required to report child abuse and neglect?
“Any attorney, physician, dentist, intern, resident, nurse, psychologist, social worker, family protection worker, family protection specialist, child caregiver, minister, law enforcement officer, public or private school employee or any other person having reasonable cause to suspect that a child is a neglected child or an abused child, shall cause an oral report to be made immediately by telephone or otherwise and followed as soon thereafter as possible by a report in writing to the Department of Child Protection Services ….”
Everyone is legally required to report suspected child abuse.
Who is considered to be a child?
A person who has not reached their 18th birthday, or a youth 18 years or older IF currently in CPS Custody.
Reports of abuse and neglect of persons 18 years of age or over are to be referred to the MS Department of Human Services, Adult Protective Services, and law enforcement, if applicable.
Vulnerable Adult Abuse Hotline (844)-437-6282 or visit their website here.
Who do I call to make a report?
A report may be made to the hotline, 1-800-222-8000, a statewide, toll-free 24-hour line answered seven days a week.
You may also make a report online through the MDCPS website. Reports of Human Trafficking can also be made to the National Hotline 1-888-373-7888.
If you need to make a report in another state, you can find contact information at Child Welfare Information Gateway by clicking here.
What will I be asked when I call in a report?
The Intake Specialist will ask questions to collect information related to the child’s identity and household members, a full address for the family, and details related to the alleged abuse. You may be asked questions pertaining to the following.
You may be asked to further describe the harm to the child.
Your contact information so that the assigned staff responding to the situation will be able to reach you.
Whether the abuser is a parent/caregiver
If a child has an injury, you will be asked the details about how, when, and where the injury occurred.
Any information regarding previous abuse
Any other persons who might be able to provide information related to the abuse.
The primary language spoken by the family and whether the family is of Native American heritage.
If there are any known dangers for CPS staff visiting the home.
The general functioning of family members and whether the children in the home have any specific special needs.
The child’s current location and whether the child is currently being cared for safely by caregivers or whether the child is in imminent threat of harm.
Information on relatives or others close to the family who can assist in the child’s safe care or help reduce the threat of future harm to the child.
What happens when I make a report electronically through the agency’s website?
On the online reporting document, you will be asked questions about the victims, caregivers, household members, others who know about the abuse/neglect, and your contact information.
There will be a place for you to describe the abuse. The more information provided the better.
If you use the online reporting on the CPS website, you will receive a confirmation number once you have reviewed and submitted your report. Keep this confirmation number if you ever need it to document your reporting.
Does a reporter have any immunity from liability?
Yes, if the report is made in good faith. Any attorney, physician, dentist, intern, resident, nurse, psychologist, social Worker, family protection Worker, family protection specialist, child caregiver, minister, law enforcement officer, school attendance officer, public school district employee, nonpublic school employee, licensed professional counselor or any other person participating in the making of a required report pursuant to MCA § 43-21-355, participating in the judicial proceeding resulting there from, shall be presumed to be acting in good faith. Any person or institution reporting in good faith shall be immune from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed.
Do people reporting suspected child abuse or neglect have to identify themselves?
NO. MDCPS does not require a reporter to identify themselves as a condition for reporting suspected child abuse, neglect, or exploitation. A reporter will be encouraged to leave contact information to allow the assigned staff to contact the reporter for any information which would help assess the report and work with the family. Insufficient information and the inability to contact the reporter could affect the agency’s ability to intervene for the safety of the child.
MCA. § 43-21-259 requires all records involving children and the contents thereof, including the identity of the reporter, to be kept confidential except as provided in § 43-21-261.
What will happen if you know of the abuse and don’t report it?
Upon being found guilty, the individual shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $5,000, imprisonment in jail not to exceed one year, or both (MCA 43-21-353(7)).
What happens after I make a report?
The information given will be assessed. Allegations of child abuse or neglect will be forwarded to the corresponding MDCPS staff for a response. A referral for child abuse prevention services may be utilized when preventive services could reduce the likelihood of future maltreatment.
Matthew Thompson and Chad King are child welfare attorneys in the State of Mississippi. They have represented natural parents, foster parents, grandparents, other relatives, fictive kin, children and the Agency (CPS) throughout their decades of practice. (NOT all at the same time).
An estimated 558,899 children (unique incidents) were victims of abuse and neglect in the U.S. in 2022, the most recent year for which there is national data. That’s 8 children out of every thousand. CDC & National Children’s Alliance.
1. Changes in “normal” or “routine” behavior. Abuse can lead to many changes in behavior. Abused children often appear scared, anxious, depressed, withdrawn or more aggressive.
2. Returning to earlier (reversion) behaviors. Abused children may display behaviors shown at earlier ages, such as thumbsucking, bedwetting, fear of the dark, or fear of strangers. For some children, even loss of acquired language or memory problems may be an issue.
3. Fear of going home. Abused children may express apprehension or anxiety about leaving school or about going places with the person who is abusing them or exhibit an unusual fear of a familiar person or place.
4. Changes in eating (wide swings of overeating or refusing to eat). The stress, fear, and anxiety caused by abuse can lead to changes in a child’s eating behavior, which may result in weight gain or weight loss.
5. Changes in sleeping (seen as trouble sleeping, insomnia). Abused children may have frequent nightmares or have difficulty falling asleep and as a result may appear tired or fatigued.
6. Changes in school performance and attendance. Abused children may have difficulty concentrating in school or have excessive absences, sometimes due to adults trying to hide the child’s injuries from authorities.
7. Lack of personal care or hygiene. Abused and neglected children may appear uncared for. They may present as consistently dirty and have severe body odor, or they may lack sufficient clothing for the weather.
8. Risk-taking behaviors. Young people who are being abused may engage in high-risk activities such as using drugs or alcohol or carrying a weapon.
9. Inappropriate sexual behaviors (mimicking what they’re seeing). Children who have been sexually abused may exhibit overly sexualized behavior or use explicit sexual language and may exhibit symptoms of a genital infection.
10. Unexplained injuries (injuries that don’t make sense). Children who have been physically abused may exhibit unexplained burns or bruises in the shape of objects. You may also hear unconvincing explanations of a child’s injuries.
Matthew Thompson and Chad King are child welfare attorneys in the State of Mississippi. They have represented natural parents, foster parents, grandparents, other relatives, fictive kin, children and the Agency (Child Protection Services) throughout their decades of practice. (NOT all at the same time).
This proposal sought to make it a crime in Mississippi “for a person to discharge genetic materials without the intent to fertilize an embryo”
The penalties were monetary fines…
Blackmon stated that his Bill was intended to bring attention towards, “…the vast majority of bills relating to contraception and/or abortion focus on the woman’s role when men are fifty percent of the equation. This bill highlights that fact and brings the man’s role into the conversation. People can get up in arms and call it absurd but I can’t say that bothers me.”
While this Bill went limp in committee in Mississippi it saw a second round of life as it was recently brought up in Ohio!
Anita Somani, Ohio State Representative, an OB/GYN, admits she knows how ludicrous her bill sounds. The “Conception Begins at Erection” Act seeks to make it a crime for a man to ejaculate without the intention of reproducing.
Somani reports “It’s gotten more attention than any other bill I’ve introduced since becoming a state representative.‘ Her rationale is to finally address “the inequity in reproductive bills, most of which have targeted women and their health care providers.”
The scuttlebutt on the street is that Somani’s Bill, akin to its Mississippi cousin, will be a failure to launch.
Matthew Thompson is a family law attorney in Mississippi and supports procreation!
“Abused child” means a child whose parent, …caused or allowed … sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, commercial sexual exploitation, emotional abuse, mental injury, non-accidental physical injury or other maltreatment to occur.
Legal Definitions – Miss. Code Ann. Sec. 43-21-105:
“Neglected child” means a child: (i) Whose parent… or any person responsible for his care…neglects or refuses, when able to provide necessary care or support, including education (as required by law), medical, surgical, or other care necessary for well-being.
However, a parent who withholds medical treatment from any child who in good faith is under treatment by spiritual means alone through prayer in accordance with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination by a duly accredited practitioner thereof shall not, for that reason alone, be considered to be neglectful…
(ii) Who is otherwise without proper care, custody, supervision or support; or
(iii) Who, for any reason, lacks the special care made necessary for him by reason of his mental condition, whether the mental condition is having mental illness or having an intellectual disability; or
(iv) Who, for any reason, lacks the care necessary for his health, morals or well-being.
The “when able” provision limits the application of neglect when the parent does not have the ability to provide necessities, think sever poverty issues. In that instance it is not willful neglect.
“Abused child” means a child whose parent…has caused or allowed sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, commercial sexual exploitation, emotional abuse, mental injury, non-accidental physical injury or other maltreatment.
However, physical discipline, including spanking, performed on a child by a parent, guardian or custodian in a reasonable manner shall not be deemed abuse under this section.
“Abused child” also means a child who is or has been trafficked within the meaning of the Mississippi Human Trafficking Act.
“Sexual abuse” means obscene or pornographic photographing, filming or depiction of children for commercial purposes, or the rape, molestation, incest, prostitution or other such forms of sexual exploitation of children.
“Any person responsible for care or support” means the person who is providing for the child at a given time. This term includes stepparents, foster parents, relatives, non-licensed babysitters or other similar persons responsible for a child and staff of residential care facilities and group homes.
“Commercial sexual exploitation” means any sexual act or crime of a sexual nature, which is committed against a child for financial or economic gain, to obtain a thing of value for quid pro quo exchange of property or for any other purpose.
Abuse and neglect are preventable and/or treatable circumstances if We all Look out for one another. If you see something, say something!
Matthew Thompson and Chad King are child welfare attorneys in the State of Mississippi. They have represented natural parents, foster parents, grandparents, other relatives, fictive kin, children and the Agency (CPS) throughout their decades of practice. (NOT all at the same time).
(601) 850-8000 - - BowTieLawyer.MS 