In an Agreed Order of Continuance dated November 22, 2016, Judge Lee Coleman ordered and adjudged Canyon Boykin's manslaughter trial that was originally set for November 28, 2016 to be continued until February 27, 2017 at 9:00 AM at the Lowndes County Courthouse, 505 2nd Ave. North, Columbus, MS 39701.

There should be more hearings on the change of venue between now and that February date as well.

Former police officer Canyon Boykin is standing trial for the police-involved shooting death of Ricky Ball in Columbus, MS. Ricky Ball was killed on the night of October 16, 2015 during what was claimed to be a routine traffic stop.

Boykin claimed that he killed Ricky Ball in self-defense, but a Lowndes County grand jury looked at the facts in the thorough investigation done by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and decided that Boykin's version of the story did not match the evidence and on September 7, 2016 indicted him on the charge of manslaughter.

​#IAmRickyBall #JusticeForRickyBall

This informative interview titled "CHANGE OF VENUE IN COLUMBUS POLICE SHOOTING CASE" is done by Mississippi Public Broadcasting's distinguished award winning journalist, Desare Frazier on MPB's Morning Edition for November 21, 2016. We offer Ms. Frazier our greatest gratitude for her diligence.

Many news outlets reported on the Change of Venue and other hearings held on November 18, 2016 for Canyon Boykin in relation to his manslaughter charges in the death of Ricky Ball. Only Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) and our blog and Facebook page brought you news of the Taser trigger event log for the Taser issued to Canyon Boykin when Ricky Ball was killed. Turns out Boykin's Taser actually was not fired until 10:49pm, not around 10:08pm (the reported time of the traffic stop which Boykin claims was quickly followed by him tasing Ricky Ball.) Here is what actually happened. Ricky Ball was shot and dying long before Canyon Boykin's Taser was ever fired.
See page 19 of the record below:

Also in this MPB Morning Edition segment you will be able to hear an extremely personal interview of, Elexus Ball, a very close relative of Ricky Ball.

In this interview you will hear facts that are not really being shared on our local news outlets about the night Ricky was murdered in a police-involved shooting in Columbus, MS. The Guardian is one of the international news outlets that is really covering the unspoken details in this case that prove Ricky Ball's death was not justified in any way. Elexus shares in her interview first hand knowledge about Canyon Boykin and his crew following Ricky around before shooting and killing him that October 2015 night. The facts in this interview along with Boykin's Taser trigger log on page 19 of this court order will show any reasonable person that Canyon Boykin has just been saying whatever he thinks will help him escape prison for killing Ricky Ball. To see more details about the facts addressed in the above interview, also read our blog post titled "Breaking News!! Boykin's Story Is False According To His Taser's Log" on this website.

There is no place for Boykin to hide from the truth. The facts are coming out more day by day.

Do you think Boykin's story is matching the evidence or not?

#IAmRickyBall #JusticeForRickyBall

A major piece of evidence has been filed in The Lowndes County Court in the murder case of Canyon Boykin which puts some serious doubt on his version of events about what happened the night Ricky Ball was killed.  According to an exhibit filed in court the Taser issued to Canyon Boykin was not actually fired until 10:49 PM the night Ricky was killed.  Go to page 19 of the document below to see for yourself.

The above document is actually a subpoena duces tecum also known as a subpoena for production of evidence issued to the City of Columbus Police Department by Judge Coleman ordering the police department to allow Boykin's attorneys to temporarily obtain the Taser issued to Boykin at the time Ricky Ball was killed.

Attached to this order is the trigger log documenting each time this Taser had been fired over an approximately two year period.  On page 19 of this document we have highlighted the 10/16/2015 entry for this Taser the night of Ricky Ball's murder. The trigger log entry for this Taser on that night clearly shows the Taser was not even fired until 10:49pm about 41 minutes after the reported time of the traffic stop that initiated this fatal night.

This means there is absolutely no way events unfolded the way Canyon Boykin is claiming they did that night.  In other words, Boykin's whole story is false!

We must remember, the traffic stop was reported to be around 10:08 PM and "shots fired" was radioed in about 10 seconds later according to the police department at the time.

In Boykin's version of events he claims he tased Ricky as Ricky was running away during the traffic stop. He claims he chased Ricky, shot him with a taser and Ricky somehow recovered and ran away before Boykin began shooting. In order for Boykin's story to be possible, all of this would have had to happen in the 10 seconds between the time the traffic stop was radioed in (around 10:08 PM) and the time shots fired was radioed in (10 seconds later according to the police chief at the time). 

If Boykin's story was possible of being true then his Taser would have logged that it was fired around 10:09 PM or 10:10 PM at the absolute latest, NOT 10:49 PM almost an hour after the traffic stop was called in!  If the grand jury saw these facts then we can understand why they believed Boykin should stand trial for Ricky's death. We agree with them.

This Taser log shows any reasonable person that Boykin definitely DID NOT tase Ricky before shooting at him. Eyewitnesses have said from the beginning that there was no exchange between Ricky and Boykin except Ricky running away and Boykin opening fire immediately after exiting his car.  This Taser log shows any reasonable person that Boykin definitely DID NOT tase Ricky before shooting at him.

Also, we now have more light being shed on the two incident reports that were given to the media one with a Taser being reported used and another making no mention of a Taser.  We can only hope that no one from the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, the Columbus Police Department or our city and county governments will continue to support Boykin's story because it is falling apart.  Hopefully they will choose not to fall with him.

We have expected Complete Truth and Absolute Justice for Ricky and his family from the beginning and the Truth is starting to come forward more each day and we expect Justice to follow close behind.

Please help us share this important news so this case can get the proper attention it deserves.  Do you believe this Taser trigger log report proves that Boykin's story is not true?  Feel free to comment on our blog and Facebook page.  Thank you all for your unwavering support.
#IAmRickyBall #JusticeForRickyBall 

We, the People of Lowndes County, MS, who support the Lowndes County grand jury's indictment of Canyon Boykin for unnecessarily taking the life of Ricky Ball have some grave concerns about the repeated outpouring of support shown to Canyon Boykin by our Sheriff, Mike Arledge, and his department.

​Canyon Boykin is no longer a police officer. He has been fired from the Columbus, MS police department for almost a year, and yet the Sheriff of our county and others in public office are still treating Boykin with the kind of consideration that should only be reserved for a real police officer.

In at least three different instances, our county sheriff has made inappropriate gestures of support for a person that his county's grand jury has said should stand trial for killing someone unlawfully. These are formal accusations by our county's grand jury not trivial ones.

We list the three inappropriate gestures of support as follows:

Inappropriate gesture of support #1

Sheriff Arledge allowed Boykin to be brought to court in a red pickup wearing no handcuffs and surrounded by people who were acting like Boykin's bodyguards. This is how you would expect a celebrity to arrive at a concert, not how a defendant arrives to the courthouse for his first appearance. On September 7, 2016 Boykin was indicted by the Lowndes County grand jury and a capias/warrant for his arrest was issued that same day. This shows that Boykin was supposed to be brought to jail and go through the same process just like everyone else before his court appearance. Boykin should have arrived to court in the back of a police cruiser in handcuffs or on an inmate bus in handcuffs like everyone else does who has been accused of a felony. This level of special treatment is unacceptable to the People of this county, Sheriff. Please end the inappropriate special treatment you are showing to Canyon Boykin in your official public capacity.

Inappropriate gesture of support #2

Sheriff Arledge should have never allowed any officer in the county he was elected to serve to be seen applauding and cheering for someone who had just been indicted for unlawfully killing a citizen of his county. This sent so many wrong messages to the public and in particular to Ricky Ball's family and friends. The Sheriff should have been present or at least made sure that no unprofessional conduct would be allowed from any officer in his county. We can expect Boykin's actual family to support him, but he is no longer a part of the police family. The applause basically told the Ball family that their son's life should have been ended and the ending of Ricky Ball's life is worth celebrating. Sheriff Arledge, you have to know this behavior by county officers was inappropriate. It should be apologized for and never be allowed to happen again.

Inappropriate gesture of support #3

The third inappropriate gesture of support for Canyon Boykin from Mike Arledge as the Sheriff of Lowndes County, MS came in the form of an affidavit Sheriff Arledge submitted to the Lowndes County Circuit Court in support of Canyon Boykin's change of venue motion. See the affidavit below:

Sheriff Arledge, We understand that Boykin has a relative that works for you at the county and you probably like Boykin and his family member personally; however you should show your fondness of Boykin in your personal capacity, not as the Sheriff of Lowndes County, MS. As the Sheriff of our county you ought to stand with the People of this county you are sworn to serve. The People of this county have said that they believe Boykin should stand trial for the felonious killing of Ricky Ball.

As our Sheriff, Mike Arledge, your actions should reflect the will of the People of our county, and not reflect an attempt to use your title and position to give more weight to Boykin's legal defence. Boykin has made this bed for himself by himself. Let him sleep in it alone. He his not a law enforcement official like you, Sheriff Arledge. He was fired from that post by the city council almost a year ago.

If you want to support Boykin personally as a friend, we have no problem with that. However, if you want to use your elected office and title to show Boykin favoritism that other citizens in this county do not get under the same charges then we as qualified electors do have a problem with that and insists that you end such support immediately. We have no ill will towards you Sheriff Arledge, but we do insist that you do what's right. This is the good and proper thing to do in your official public capacity as Sheriff of our county, wouldn't you agree?

What do you think, Justice For Ricky Ball supporters and Facebook page family? Should Sheriff Arledge be backing Boykin even though the grand jury of his county believes Boykin should stand trial for a felony killing? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. Also feel free to comment on our Facebook post linked to this blog.

We do not want any bias from our government officials in favor of Canyon Boykin. We expect complete truth and absolute justice for Ricky Ball and his family. 

​#IAmRickyBall #JusticeForRickyBall

Ernesto Ball speaks with MPB's Mark Rigsby on a number of the wrongdoings related to the night and subsequent days after Ricky Ball, his first cousin, was murdered by former Columbus, MS police officer Canyon Boykin.  We all know the story Boykin provided in his federal lawsuit does not add up. Listen to Ernesto's interview below to find out why.  Feel free to leave a comment.  #IAmRickyBall #JusticeForRickyBall

The Family of Ricky Ball will be speaking on two different radio shows tomorrow about their thoughts on the indictment and secret arraignment of Canyon Boykin.

Nationally

The first interview will be on The Mildred Gaddis Show on NewsTalk AM1200 / 99.9FM WCHB out of Detroit, MI at 9:20 Central Time, 10:20 Eastern.

You can download the WCHB app on your phone or tablet or listen online at wchbnewsdetroit.com.

Locally

The second interview will be on The Karriem and Company Show on WTWG AM 1050 out of Columbus, MS at 12 noon Central Time, 1pm Eastern.

You can listen online on TuneIn or go to 1050AM on your radio dial locally.  This particular interview will also be streaming live on Rep. Karriem's Facebook page. Be sure to tune in!

We would love for everyone to tune in to both of these top-notch radio shows to hear from Ricky's Family and show your support!

Thank you,
#iamrickyball #justiceforrickyball

Saturday June 25, 2016 at 10am we will continue our demand for justice with a march and community awareness event in honor of Ricky Ball of Columbus, MS.

We also have more great news! After the ACLU presentation on safely interacting with police personnel, Our new District Attorney, Scott Colom, will be speaking about the next steps related to the Ricky Ball case's justice process at this event.  Be sure to come out and listen to what our new District Attorney shares about the next steps.

Are you a Spoken-Word Artist?  If so, contact Ernesto Ball (662) 497-4008 to be on the program to share your art in our Stop-The-Violence Cypher to be held after the march.  We are especially looking for female artists who wish to share a piece of their poetic art work.

We are still accepting food and supplies or donations for food and supplies for the refreshments that will be provided after the guest speakers and along with the Stop-The-Violence Cypher at this event. Again contact Ernesto Ball at the number above to help out with the refreshments and supplies. Thanks!

Lastly, be sure to go this event on our Facebook page and click "going" on this event so that we can have a good idea of how many people may be present.

You can use our Contact Us form on this site for more info or call Ernesto Ball at (662) 497-4008.

Thank you for your support!!!!  We will see you there!!!

#iamrickyball #justiceforrickyball

Tune into the interview of Journalist Matt Kessler as he speaks about his personal research on the tragic death of Ricky Ball with insightful host Mildred Gaddis of the Metro Detroit radio show, The Mildred Gaddis Show. Matt will be featured on the show Monday, February 15, 2016 at 11:05 AM Central Time for about 15 - 20 minutes. Listen live at WCHBNewsDetroit.com!

The Mildred Gaddis Show airs out of Detroit, MI on WCHB AM 1200/99.9 FM  Mon - Fri: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM EST. Mildred Gaddis, a 40-year radio veteran, is a local urban news talk show host on AM 1200 WCHB. Mildred is always on the forefront of truth for local, state and national news. Mildred invites listeners to give their insight on politics, the economy, education, social justice/civil rights, and well-being. Mildred gives the people of Detroit and streaming listeners nationwide a view on today’s current issues that no other news outlet can deliver. Listen to Mildred Gaddis and become a believer! 

Mildred Gaddis' bio and awards on the show's Facebook page states:  Time Magazine calls the AM 1200/99.9 FM WCHB host of Inside Detroit, Mildred Gaddis, one of the most astute political minds in southeast Michigan. A regular panelist on CNN’s LOU DOBBS show, she is a 36+ year radio veteran. “Her sometimes no-nonsense, but warm and inspiring style has made her a force to be reckoned with and admired by politicians and residents through Metro Detroit. She rarely has to track people down to be on her show, they call her,” says the Detroit Free Press! The Detroit Free Press has also described Mildred Gaddis as "one of ten (10) African Americans to watch in Detroit!"

Matt Kessler is an excellent journalist who personally researched the tragic death of Ricky Ball. Based on his research, Matt authored two articles, "Why did Mississippi police release two versions of fatal shooting report?" and "White police officer alleges racial bias after being fired for shooting black man" both published by The Guardian US. The Guardian with over 5 million readers is a recent Pulitzer Prize winner and a global leader in news.  

Thanks to The Guardian and its coverage of the news and events in Columbus, MS surrounding the police-involved shooting death of Ricky Ball, national and international interests and support following Ricky Ball's death have increased more rapidly spanning coverage across the U.S. from Detroit to Atlanta, other U.S. cities and countries around the world.   

We thank everyone for your continued support of the Ricky Ball Family and Justice for Ricky Ball. Thank you Mildred Gaddis and The Mildred Gaddis Show, Matt Kessler and The Guardian for your work in the expansion of the national and international coverage of the Ricky Ball tragedy.

Everyone remember to LISTEN LIVE to Matt Kessler on The Mildred Gaddis Show Monday, February 15th at 11:05 AM on WCHB AM 1200/99.9 FM and WCHBNewsDetroit.com. ​Like and share The Mildred Gaddis Show's Facebook page and leave a message on the page to show Mrs. Gaddis that we truly appreciate her work.

#iamrickyball #justiceforrickyball

Read the complete original article from The Guardian by clicking here: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/feb/09/mississippi-fatal-police-shooting-ricky-ball

The Family of Ricky Ball is asking all of the people who have eyewitness information about the night Ricky Ball was killed to call the District Attorney's Office in Columbus, MS as soon as possible...the sooner the better.  Please be the voice that has been taken away from Ricky Ball.

Below is the information for the District Attorney's Office:
District Attorney Scott W. Colom
220 5th Street North
Columbus, MS 39701
Phone: 662-329-5911
Fax: 662-327-1854
Email: [email protected]

Ricky Ball can not tell a grand jury or the District Attorney what happened to him that night.  The people who ended his life that night made sure Ricky would not ever talk again.  We need you to speak for Ricky Ball if you saw any of the events that resulted in Ricky no longer being with us, his daughter and his family.

THE INVESTIGATION IS WHAT MAKES ANY CASE SOLID.  Right now, the District Attorney only knows one side of what happened to Ricky Ball and that is the side of Canyon Boykin and the people who made sure Ricky Ball would not live to tell his side of how his life ended.  This is why eyewitness testimony is going to be the KEY factor in making sure that the people who killed Ricky Ball face justice and go to prison for a very long time.  

If you have information, you have to call or go by and talk with District Attorney Colom.  We know that many witnesses are afraid to come forward with information because you may think that you will be harassed by police if they know you are working to send their buddies to the long prison sentence they deserve.  We want to guarantee to you that the District Attorney has made it known that you as a witnesses WILL NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH BE HARASSED by anyone trying to interfere with the Ricky Ball death investigation.  It is a FELONY for anyone to interfere with a District Attorney's investigation.  If you even think someone is bothering you after you talk to the District Attorney about what you know; all you have to do is tell Mr. Colom that you are being bothered and he will prosecute that person to the fullest extent of the Law.  The District Attorney has made it crystal clear that he will not tolerate anyone interfering with his investigation.  You will have the protection of the District Attorney's Powers and state law enforcement once you give your name and witness testimony to District Attorney Colom.  There is nothing for you to fear when you talk to the District Attorney in order to help the Ball Family receive the justice they deserve.

We want to stress to you again the importance of your eyewitness testimony.  A complete and thorough investigation is the most important part of any case.  Eyewitness testimony is the most important part of any investigation.  Because Ricky Ball has been killed and can not speak for himself, your eyewitness testimony is extremely, WE Repeat EXTREMELY, important to getting Justice For Ricky Ball.

Please contact District Attorney Colom today at 662-329-5911, and tell him what you saw the night Ricky Ball was killed.  If you want someone from the Justice for Ricky Ball team to go to the District Attorney's Office with you, leave us your info on our "Contact" page on this website and we will help you in every way possible.  We thank you very much for your courage and support!  #iamrickyball #justiceforrickyball