WATSON SAYS MEDIA UNFAIR

Rep. Percy Watson, D-Hattiesburg, said the media unfairly portrayed him as
opposing civil justice legislation - popularly known as tort reform -
during last year's 83-day special legislative session.

"Again people will say, 'Watson is opposed to tort reform, he's vehemently
opposed to tort reform.' Wasn't true," Watson told about 50 people at the
Monday morning Legislative Update series sponsored by the Area Development
Partnership.

Additionally, Watson said media reports that Speaker of the House Tim Ford
opposed the legislation were also inaccurate.

"The media wants to put Tim Ford in the category of being anti-tort reform
and maybe before the special session he may have been anti-tort reform or
supported minimal changes in the civil justice session," Watson said. "But
in the special session that was not true."

Watson, who chairs the House Judiciary A committee, said he supported some
changes in the system, but not all.

"We did not need to totally revamp the entire civil justice system," Watson
said.

Ultimately the session resulted in balanced legislation, he said.

Ford is stepping down, but Watson said that while he is not interested in
the post he would not completely rule himself out.

Additionally, Watson said creating drug courts in Mississippi will likely
occur but their fate will ultimately be determined in conferences and that
the Legislature supports their creation.

The rising cost of incarceration drives the decision as well as other factors.

Watson said: "Why should we take a person who makes a mistake that may have
a drug problem, incarcerate that individual for a long period of time, that
individual will become less useful to society."

Hattiesburg resident Helen Short said the public perception is that Watson
opposed tort reform. "I think he kind of set it straight," Short said. "The
media focuses on the negative. You've seen that with all this talk about
the war. It's an easy thing to focus on rather than finding out the truth."

Getting an accurate picture of the goings-on in the Legislature is often
difficult for voters, said B.J. Martin.

"It's very hard to know what's going on in a body like that," Martin said.
"But I have a lot of respect for him and what he's done."