Ending Domestic and Sexual Abuse in Mississippi

Just had a great time doing an interview with Allie Ware of WTVA about Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We talked about the problem of violence in our communities and I got to show of the freshly painted “Jeans for Justice” at the Lee County Library. Look for the story tonight at 6PM WTVA News!

Read this article on the WLOX website by clicking here

Murder victim’s family speaks about her “controlling boyfriend”
By Rebecca Powers

GULFPORT, MS (WLOX) – It was chaos outside a coast casino early Monday morning as a murder suspect kept Gulfport police and federal marshals at bay by pointing a gun to his head.

The Hattiesburg murder suspect ended up in the Island View Casino parking lot 6 hours after Brittany Morgan was killed.

Those who knew her said she was a wonderful young woman in a bad relationship.

Those who knew and loved Brittany Morgan said the 20 year old spread a lot of joy with her beautiful smile.

Brian Dace, her cousin, said she was “A very spirited person, loved to have fun, very social person, no matter what or when or where you saw her, she always had a smile on her face.”

Dace got the terrible news just hours after Brittany’s murder. Police say they believe her boyfriend, 35-year-old Anthony Rico Gipson, beat and stabbed her to death.

According to Dace, “It wasn’t hard to see that he was a very controlling person.”

Brittany’s cousin never met Gipson, but said the boyfriend’s controlling nature became apparent during a phone call he had with Brittany one day.

Dace explains, “I remember him being in the background, being very aggressive, making her get off the phone and that sort of thing, so I knew that there was some kind of aggression in their relationship.”

But no one knows what led to the brutal attack. Hattiesburg police said Rico Gipson was their suspect immediately. So they called U.S. Marshals in Gulfport, after learning he has ties to the Coast. By 3 am, U.S. Marshal’s spotted the 6 foot 7 inch tall suspect with 2 friends in the parking lot of Gulfport’s Island View Casino. Marshals said when they yelled out his name, Gipson put a gun to his head.

Justin Vickers of the U.S. Marshal’s Service in Gulfport said, “It’s a great concern. The guy is wanted for murder and he’s holding a gun in his hand, so he’s obviously a danger to us as well as to himself. So it is very tense and stressful, so fortunately, this one resolved peacefully.”

The standoff lasted just 30 minutes. But the pain of this crime, for those who loved Brittany, will last a lifetime. Dace said one of the things he’ll miss most is her contagious laugh.

“It was unique, it was Brittany. It was Brittany, a very nice girl.”

Copyright 2011 WLOX. All rights reserved.

See more at http://www.youtube.com/user/breakthecycle1996

This year S.A.F.E., Inc. provided dating violence prevention materials for every public school student in Pontotoc County, Mississippi.

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Letting us know how you feel helps us prevent violence in our communitiesand provide better services for victims of violent crime.

For more information on teen dating violence click here.

S.A.F.E., Inc. Valentines

S.A.F.E., Inc, in partnership with the Ecru Police Department will be displaying the “Jeans for Justice” exhibit throughout the month of February . On Monday February 7th there will be a showing of two films about teen dating violence starting at 6PM on Monday February 7th. The display and films will be shown in the 4,800 square-foot police department building located just behind town hall.