JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
Testimony continued Wednesday in the Larita Cooper-Stokes election fraud trial. Joyce Jackson, Cooper-Stokes opponent in the Jackson City Council Ward 3 election, is challenging the election results, hoping to send the voters back to the polls for another contest.
Jackson contends Stokes campaign workers, and poll workers violated state election laws.
Jackson took the stand and broke down into tears, halting testimony briefly. Jackson was responding to questions about racial slurs hurled towards her when she stopped by the polls to check on her workers. "I never thought in all my days I would have anyone especially a sister of mine to call me or say names like that," said Jackson, who is of African American, Native American and Caucasian heritage.
Testifying Wednesday were Jackson's sisters, Ruby McIntosh-Smith, and Marjorie Alexander, who worked at the polls election day. They testified they saw Stokes supporters campaigning within 150 feet of the Lanier precinct, and they heard them call Jackson a 'white lady', when she is actually of mixed race.
Larita Cooper-Stokes won the election by 156 votes. A victory by Jackson would mean a new election.
Defense attorneys are expected to start calling witnesses late Thursday morning.
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