Bodies found behind jail in Jackson, Mississippi?

[herzlos]

I'm surprised there's no post on this yet, but it seems that some 215 bodies have been found in a mass grave behind a jail in Mississippi:

www.complex.com/life/a/brad-callas/215-bodies-buried-missippi-jail-investigation

Some of those identified are missing persons, 1 was allegedly hit by a police car, and inmates of the jail were allegedly used to dig the graves.
This all happened before the current superintendant so they'll "make sure it doesn't happen again", whilst others are pushing for an investigation.
I've also seen claims that relatives have been attending the site with pictures of loved ones to try and identify them, and that they may be charged to get the bodies recovered in order to have a proper funeral.

What the hell is going on?

[easye]

I have literally heard nothing about this Nationally. Must not be jumping beyond the local level.

[herzlos]

Which baffles me because it sounds like the sort of thing the media would have jumped on. Or at least the media that doesn't blindly defend the cops.

[Disciple of Fate]

It seems to be gaining some national attention. Pretty bizarre that something which should appear as a major potential scandal, is relegated to some articles here and there.

www.npr.org/2024/01/12/1224449631/mississippi-jail-graves-investigation

It might be less sketchy than it appears, but there are some very big questions marks about the conduct of local authorities.

[herzlos]

On the face of it it's not that sketchy, if it's an unmarked grave for people who couldn't be identified. But you'd think they'd at least make it a proper cemetery, and it doesn't explain how they seem to have spent no effort identifying some of the bodies - some of them were reported missing people who'd presumably have a photo provided, and a least one had been buried with their wallet in their pocket which contained ID, home address etc. It'd have taken virtually no effort to try and contact the next of kin.

So I'm suspicious as to why they didn't bother. It's probably that they just didn't care enough, but it looks terrible. Especially when the guy who had his ID in his pocket was struck and killed an off-duty cop in his car, though the investigation concluded it was an accident. Whatever happened, it just screams of a cover up.

[Haighus]

Burying unidentified bodies in a mass unmarked grave sounds pretty sketchy to me, especially in the modern era, let alone the rest of the info. Should at least be marked in a proper cemetary with an ID number in case the corpse needs to be exhumed for further investigation.

It comes across like a cover up for a serial killer(s) more than anything. It may well not be, but very sketchy indeed.