DR. KATHRYN TAYLOR HAS BEEN NAMED THE INTERIM STATE EPIDEMIOLOGIST, EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST. THE U-S ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL WAS IN THE METRO TODAY, SPEAKING DIRECTLY WITH RESIDENTS ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF ALL AMERICANS... THE EVENT WAS HELD AT JACKSON STATE... ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL KRISTEN CLARKE MADE JACKSON HER SECOND STOP ON HER TWO DAY CIVIL RIGHTS TOUR. CLARKE SAID HER DEPARTMENT ALSO PLANS TO ADDRESS MORE HATE CRIMES HERE IN THE STATE <OUR WORK TO FIGHT HATE CRIMES AND HATE INCIDENTS IS A TOP PRIORITY...PRIMARILY USING THE MATHEW AND JAMES BYRD HATE CRIME PREVENTION ACT. RIGHT HERE IN MS LAST MONTH WE PROSECUTED A MAN NAMED AXEL CROSS WHO BURNED A CROSS.. IN AN ATTEMPT TO FORCE A BLACK FAMILY OUT OF THEIR HOME.> CLARKE ALSO SAID HER DIVISION IS INVESTIGATING WHETHER RANKIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES USED EXCESSIVE FORCE WHEN THEY ALLEGEDLY SHOT A MAN IN THE MOUTH DURING A DRUG RAID..