August 15, 2025 • 27 mins
At the 2025 Mississippi State Bar Convention, former State Supreme Court Justice Dawn Beam interviewed over 20 people in 3 days to bring you a special 7-part series of her Hope Mississippi podcast.
In part one, Dawn hosts three compelling conversations that showcase how hope manifests in unexpected places.
Podcast producer Hillary Kane reveals the behind-the-scenes magic that brings these stories to listeners. Reminding us that everyone possesses unique gifts to contribute. Whether polishing audio or practicing law, our individual talents can amplify messages of hope when directed toward community challenges.
Dean Jim Rosenblatt shares his remarkable journey from southwest Mississippi farm boy to Army JAG Corps officer to Mississippi College School of Law leadership. His philosophy of lifelong mentorship, appearing at everything from bar exams to weddings, demonstrates how consistent encouragement creates lasting hope. Through programs like adoption clinics, law students transform families while still in school, proving that legal professionals can impact thousands rather than dozens.
Judge Vincent Davis's story is one of transformation through education. After losing his mother at a young age, teachers "adopted" him, with one persistent educator repeatedly telling him he should become a lawyer. That voice eventually led him to law school despite his initial lack of interest. His most profound moment as an assistant district attorney came when pursuing justice for a murder victim's family in a case others considered unwinnable, bringing hope through accountability when it seemed impossible.
Hope Mississippi's Mission: The sobering reality remains: one in four Mississippi children lives in poverty, and one in five experiences food insecurity. These statistics aren't just numbers—they're our collective challenge. Through these conversations, we discover that Mississippi's transformation occurs through individual commitments to mentor, encourage, and be present for others. The small acts of hope accumulate into the broader "miracles" we celebrate.
Join us for new episodes on the 1st and 15th of each month as we continue sharing stories of transformation from across Mississippi. Each story reminds us that when we contribute our unique gifts, Mississippi rises together.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
When you need some hope and inspiration to build
collaboration, Hope.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Mississippi is your salvation.
One in four kids live inpoverty.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
One in five are food deprived.
Build collaborations and buildhope with those who are
struggling.
Hope Mississippi.
Hello, and welcome back toanother edition of Hope
(00:41):
Mississippi.
I'm Dawn Beam hosting this andI could not be happier today
than to be at the MississippiBar and to welcome Hilary Kane.
Hello, Hilary.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Hello Ms Dawn.
It's so nice to be with youface-to-face, irl, in real life.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Hilary was very instrumental in helping me kick
off this podcast.
So, hillary, could you tell theaudience just a little bit
about yourself?
Speaker 2 (01:24):
this.
I'm just a facilitator and whenI found out what you're doing,
I just considered it an honorthat you would allow me to help
y'all forward your mission,which is very worthy, and the
statistics, even in your openingbumper music, are astounding
and shocking and I really admirewhat you are doing and your
organizations are doing.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Well, you're so kind you know.
I would remind the audiencethat Hope Mississippi is a part
of Hope Rising Mississippi,which is a nonprofit, that our
goal is to spread hope acrossMississippi to the darkest areas
.
One in four of our kids live inpoverty.
One in five are food deprived.
We can't ignore that statistic,and it takes all of us, as
(02:02):
Mississippians, working togetherto change those statistics.
And so this little podcast isjust our way of reminding folks
of the challenge but alsocelebrating the victories that
are going on in individual livesas well as across Mississippi.
Now, hillary, you are one ofthe most creative people I know.
(02:24):
What happens, folks is, I do apodcast and then I send it to
Hillary and she does her magic.
For those that are wonderingabout podcasts, because it's new
to many of us, can you justtell us what it takes to put
that podcast out into the world?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Sure.
So we get the audio feeds,ideally an individual feed for
each speaker so I can raise andlower and master the levels, and
then I basically make sure thatmouth noises coughing,
breathing, those types of thingsthat people really don't want.
No one wants to hear that.
I remove that, I tighten gapsand then I make sure the music
(03:06):
comes in and out at the rightplaces and I just basically
polish the amazing product thatI'm given.
And your podcast is very easyto edit.
Everyone is very polite.
You have incredible guests.
It's just like I said it's beenan honor to get to put my
fingerprints on this project.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
You know this is just a reminder to me that we all
have certain gifts.
You're a lawyer and you do someamazing things and trademarks
and copyrights and that area ofthe law but you also, that
creative side of you, helpsother folks realize their dreams
of doing podcasts Well thankyou.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
I think that you may be able to attest to this, but
there are so many lawyers thatare just drama kids all grown up
.
There are a lot of reallycreative people in the law.
I'm so proud of Dawn right nowbecause she's checking her
levels on the mixing board.
She's really become quite thepro.
She barely needs me workingmyself out of a job.
(04:06):
It's just a labor of love,really, and I enjoy every
episode and I listen to it manytimes and I also use a little
bit of the AI magic for themastering and it just levels it
out and makes it more enjoyablefor the listener.
So there's no super loud, loudsand really low, lows that they
can't hear.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, I so appreciate your help with communication,
because that's really the key.
When we all understand thechallenges that we face, then we
can be a part of the solution.
Right?
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Absolutely, and Mississippi has made incredible
leaps and bounds in education.
Isn't that exciting?
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Yes, it's called Mississippi Miracle, and we have
certainly made tremendousprogress.
It's great to not only not beon the bottom but be leading the
way in our country in education, but we can do that in so many
other areas.
We want to hear great storiesof how lawyers and judges are
bringing hope all acrossMississippi.
Lawyers and judges are bringinghope all across Mississippi.
(05:04):
We want folks to tell us theirstory, either how they've seen
hope in the courtroom or howthey've overcome obstacles in
their own life and have foundhope, how their community is
working together to spread hope.
Here at the Bar, we havelawyers from small towns as well
as our larger cities, and so wewant to know what's working
(05:26):
across our state.
Also, we want to acknowledgethat there are challenges in
Mississippi, and we want to talkabout how we can bring hope all
across Mississippi.
We're looking forward to yourjoining us for these special
episodes as we bring it to youfrom the Mississippi Bar in
Sandestin, florida.
(05:47):
Thank you so much, hilary.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Thank you for having me.
It's my absolute honor andpleasure, hope.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Mississippi is your salvation.
Hello, this is Dawn Beam,coming to you from the
Mississippi Bar Convention and Ihave the honor of sitting with
Dean Jim Rosenblatt.
Give the audience a hello forus.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
Hello, justice Beam, good to see you.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Well, it's great to see you and you know, anytime I
see you, I know I'm in the rightplace.
Dean Rosenblatt goes all overthe state encouraging lawyers
that have graduated fromMississippi College and you know
, when I think of hope, I'mreminded of professors and
(06:37):
teachers that have invested inus.
Could you just give us a littlebit of background of what you
have done in your life, and Iknow it's been amazing.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
First of all, I know there's a biblical passage that
relates to hope.
They say of all those, though,love is better, but I think hope
is right up there with love.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Absolutely.
I couldn't agree more.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Well, I was raised on a farm in southwest Mississippi
and went to a county highschool and then off to
Vanderbilt for undergrad andCornell to law school.
And while I was in law school Iwent through the ROTC program
and so I was commissioned aftertwo years and entered active
duty, stayed in the Army JAGCorps for 30 years and retired
on a Friday and started as adean of our law school on the
(07:18):
following Monday.
I was a dean for 11 years and aprofessor for the last 10.
So I enjoy very much workingwith law students and aspiring
lawyers.
It's inspiring to be aroundthem.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
I couldn't agree more the excitement of being around
lawyers making a differenceevery day in folks' life.
Let's talk a little bit justabout the law and the
opportunity that individualsmaybe, if they're thinking about
going to law school, theopportunity they have to make a
difference not only in the livesof individuals but to make a
(07:51):
difference in our state.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Well, just to use an example, there are a number of
former teachers who come to thelaw school and a teacher will
typically say I know I had animpact on the lives of 26
students, but now I can have animpact on the life of 26,000
people by virtue of my legalwork, and a lot of them were
motivated by the desire to havean impact not only on their
(08:13):
local community but evenstatewide, and so we have a lot
of our graduates who are inpolitics or judges and doing
things that do have an impact onpeople's everyday lives.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
I'm reminded of the parable of the talents, and also
the parable of how Jesus tookthe little boy with a few fish
and loaves and fed the 5,000.
And the reality is that I knowyou're a believer, and so we
know that when we give, when weserve to make a difference in
(08:45):
the world, whether that be alawyer or a professor or
whatever that it is.
God's math is incredible, isn'tit?
Speaker 4 (08:52):
It really is, and I think a classic example of that
is the work that our students dowith the adoption clinic and to
see the families that cometogether.
Some of them even sport theirown T-shirts announcing the
adoption.
But the difference that makesin the lives of not only the
children but the families thatadopt them.
And our students get to do thatthrough a clinical program
while they're still in schooland then get to do that while
(09:14):
they're out in practice as well.
So that's the family law areais one area that really touches
people's lives and a number ofour students come to us having
been affected by family law insome way as a child.
Perhaps their parents divorced,Perhaps they were involved in a
custody dispute and it'sgenerated their interest in law
and wanting to carry on thatwork.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
You know, I'm reminded of an MC law student
that I mentored a bit, and shewas a former foster child
herself and she said I want tomake a bit.
And she was a former fosterchild herself and she said I
want to make a difference.
And so, yes, law is a great wayto help improve our system of
protecting children and alsostrengthening families.
Let's talk just a little bit,too, about the importance of
(09:58):
others stepping up to do theirrole.
Everybody's not called to be alawyer, but we all can do
something.
So, whether that be a parentwho might be willing to foster
or a former foster child, thatcan make a difference in the
system.
Talk a little bit about that.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
Well, everybody has an ability to impact other
people's lives.
Sometimes it's a simple caringword or a bit of encouragement
along the way that can turnsomeone's life around in an
unknowing way.
But lawyers really have theability, through the legal
system, to leverage their impactand I'm very pleased to see not
only what our law schools andour law students do, but we have
(10:37):
a wonderful legal community inMississippi, legal community in
Mississippi.
I think it's very special andthe opportunity for our students
to interact with judges andlawyers, to be part of the
system even when they're in lawschool, is a tremendous benefit
and starts them going in theright direction.
You know, both law schools havea program that's administered
by the bar, a professionalismprogram at the start of law
(10:59):
school and judges and lawyerscome in.
They interact with the studentsduring their orientation.
It's just so wonderful to seethat outreach and that support
the bar provides the legaleducation process in Mississippi
.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
It's so important that you be equipped all along
the way.
I told you that recently Iinterviewed my former band
director, who was director ofbands at Ole Miss for 35 years,
and the two of you.
One thing that you have incommon is that when a person
graduates, you're not finishedwith them.
Mr Wilson, he has followed manyof his students through the
(11:34):
years to encourage them.
Life is difficult.
None of us are immune fromdifficulties, and I am reminded
how you follow former lawstudents at MC all over the
country.
Tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
It's not just him.
Let's see law students.
I support law students ingeneral.
My first opportunity to do thatafter graduation is to go to
the bar exam and coming out ofthe bar exam I give the folks
coming out a high five,regardless of where they went to
school out of state or in stateand they'll come to me 10 or 15
years later and said I wasreally down after that first day
(12:10):
of the bar exam.
You gave me a high five and itjust made a difference and gave
me some confidence.
So I love to stay involved inour students' lives.
I can't tell you the number ofweddings and funerals I've been
to over the years, but it's away to reach out and provide a
continuing level of support thatcomes from the law school to
our graduates today and you canmake it so, and one principle of
(12:31):
that is that people can comealongside you to encourage you
and to cheer you on.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
And, dean, you certainly fulfill that for so
many people and I can't tell you, as a mother, who you have
encouraged my son along the way.
I can't thank you enough forthat.
Can you talk just a little bitabout your own life and who may
have been your cheerleader, thatperson that encouraged you
along the way?
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Well, I have several along the way.
My 4-H leader was a greatencourager of me and I love the
lessons I learned from there,whether it was raising chickens
or judging livestock.
I had some wonderful teachers.
We were a small country schooland our science department was a
little weak, but we have someolder women who taught us
literature and English and madeus go to the board and diagram
(13:30):
sentences, and that wasinspirational to me.
And to be able to stand up infront of a class and have to
recite poetry gave me a level ofconfidence too.
And then, as an undergraduatestudent, I was a philosophy
major and it was a smalldepartment, so I had a level of
confidence too.
And then, as an undergraduatestudent, I was a philosophy
major and it was a smalldepartment, so I had a lot of
interaction with our folks there.
One of our university officialsencouraged me to go on to law
school and to expand my reach inlooking at law schools.
(13:52):
And then throughout themilitary, I had countless
mentors who supported me alongthe way.
I think the military is knownfor bringing along and
developing folks, whether it's adrill sergeant with a basic
trainee or a staff judgeadvocate talking to his younger
attorneys.
So all along the way I've hadpeople that have moved me along
(14:12):
the way.
I love the old example If yousee a turtle sitting on top of a
post, the turtle didn't getthere by himself, and that's
certainly true in my case.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
I think that's true for all of us.
So, as we close out thisinterview, a challenge to those
listening to be the change youwant to see in the world.
Speaker 4 (14:31):
Well, I would encourage all people to be a
challenge and to be a supporterof others.
It doesn't take much, itdoesn't require money.
It can simply be a pat on theback or a hug or a word of
encouragement, and it might besomething more than that along
the way, but it's very simple tobe an encourager and promoter
of hope along the way.
I'm so pleased to see you doingthis and I hope that you can
(14:53):
generate the hope that will moveus all forward.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Thank you so much for sharing your time with us, Dean
, and for being a blessing to somany of us in Mississippi.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
Great to be with.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
Hope Mississippi is your salvation.
Hello and welcome back to theMississippi Bar Convention where
I am sitting here visiting withJudge Vincent Davis.
Hello, Judge Davis.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Hello, justice Bing, good to see you again.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Good to see you Now.
We were talking about yourfamily and how you became a
judge.
Tell us a little bit aboutwhere you grew up and just a
little bit about Judge Davis.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Well, I actually grew up in southwest Mississippi.
I was born in Prentiss.
However, my family moved fromPrentiss to Natchez, probably
when I was around one or twoyears old, maybe, and we stayed
in Natchez for just a littlewhile and we probably stayed
there until I was around fiveand then from there we moved to
(15:56):
Fayette.
Well, I started school inFayette and then in the second
grade.
Early in the second grade, mymom passed and at that point it
was just my father, myself andan older sister living there.
I had other siblings whoremained in Natchez to finish
school there.
All of my siblings havebasically moved away, but I have
remained in southwestMississippi, in the Natchez-Fed
(16:20):
area.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Now, for those that are listening, you're a Chancery
Judge in south Mississippi now,but just tell us a little bit
about growing up teachers, thosethat really encouraged you
along the way.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
Well, growing up, a large part of my support group,
I guess, were teachers.
As I have told others in thepast, I never really intended to
be an attorney.
That was not what I wanted todo.
After I finished college I wasactually working for a year
doing something else, but in theback of my mind I kept hearing
(16:54):
a specific teacher kept tellingme that I needed to be an
attorney, that you need to be anattorney because she thought
that I would just argue with astop sign, and that one
particular occasion I proved toher that that was an error in
the textbook and my mom havingpassed and she was a teacher, so
the other teachers just sort ofadopted me and helped my father
(17:17):
to, I guess, rear me.
And so my support group growingup were many of my teachers.
And because I heard that voiceof that particular teacher
saying that I should be anattorney, one particular day I
was just sitting around doingnothing.
I just wondered what wouldhappen had I decided to go into
the law.
I wondered what I would havemade had I decided to take the
(17:39):
LSAT.
But you know, what I'm justgoing to do is just as a
challenge.
And so I took the LSAT and Ididn't make the score I wanted.
And when that happened thecompetitive part of me said oh
no, I'm not going to accept this, and I took it again and did
much better.
The next thing I know I wasbeing contacted by the law
school admissions services abouta fellowship program, the
(18:04):
Council on Legal EducationOpportunities, saying that you
know, if you're interested, wehave this fellowship program and
it's designed to introduce youto law, to see how you would do.
I still had no interest in thelaw.
I still had no interest in thelaw period.
But I was sitting around oneday and I got bored and the
little application card was justthe size of a postcard and at
(18:24):
that time stamps only cost aquarter.
And the information they saidwell, you know, it was something
like last year.
We had maybe 3,000 people toapply.
We accepted about 200.
I said, well, I would never getaccepted.
You know, I just filled it out,put it you've been accepted to
the Council of Legal EducationOpportunities.
You are to report to EmoryUniversity on June, the 6th, for
(18:54):
example on 1986, to begin thefellowship program.
I had never thought about beinga lawyer.
I went to my employer and heencouraged me to please do it.
You can get a leave of absence.
I decided to do it.
I had not even applied to anylaw schools.
I had no idea where I was goingAt that point my father had
died.
(19:14):
He died when I was a junior incollege.
The only support I had, I guess, were my siblings.
A couple of them were doingfairly well, but I did not want
to rely upon them financialsupport.
Along came Mississippi CollegeSchool of Law and offered a
scholarship, and the next thingI know, I was in law school.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Wow, that is a fabulous story.
The name of this is HopeMississippi, and I'm mindful of
all these teachers that you talkabout, that encourage you along
the way, and that one teacherin particular that said you need
to go to law school.
To those that are listening,let's take a minute just to say
thank you to our teachers.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
I just want to thank all the teachers first of all
for everything that you do.
We know that you'reunappreciated and extremely
underpaid.
Hopefully, one of these daysyour pay will catch up with what
you do.
Just on yesterday I saw therewas a teacher in my home county,
jefferson County, who's onFacebook saying that he hates to
(20:14):
beg, that he had a Walmartwishlist where he was trying to
get supplies for his students,and I said to myself that I'm
going to make sure that Icontribute to that.
Teachers should not have to gointo their pockets to do those
kinds of things.
But unfortunately, you know, inrural areas where you have
limited resources, teachers dothat kind of thing, not because
(20:36):
they have to they're notrequired to do it but they do it
because they love what they doand they love the children, and
it's because of people like thatthat our communities are what
they are, people like that that,you know, our communities are
what they are.
If we did not have teachersthat care, I'm afraid that we
would have more poverty, morecrime in the areas that we live
(20:58):
in, and the fact that they'redoing these kinds of things, I
guess they are contributing tosociety in ways that they don't
have to, and so I just like tothank them, and you know, for
what they do and encourage themfor doing that.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
You know I'm reminded of the Mississippi miracle, of
how Mississippi has come a longway with education.
But it really takes all of us,those folks that step up and do
provide the school supplies orencouragement, tutoring,
mentoring, whatever we can do.
All of us can do something toinvest in our kids and certainly
both of us are a product ofthat.
(21:32):
We stand on the shoulders oflots of folks that were willing
to pour education and care intous.
Now you graduated law schooland then you went on and
practiced law for a time period.
You ended up as an assistantdistrict attorney.
Tell us a little bit about thatand how you saw hope in that.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Right.
I practiced law from 1989 until1995.
In 1994, the district attorneyat the time, alonzo Sturgeon,
called me to his office one day.
I didn't know I did what hewanted.
He asked me if I would beinterested in filling the
vacancy that was created by oneof his former assistant district
(22:12):
attorneys, forrest L Johnson,having been elected circuit
judge in that area.
Sure, you know, I'll take it.
You know I would like to beable to do that.
So I started employment as anassistant district attorney in
the 6th Circuit Court Districtin January of 1995, tried a lot
of cases and I stayed there forabout seven years and during my
(22:36):
time there I saw where there wasan opportunity to really help
people, to help people who couldnot otherwise help themselves,
who relied upon you when I sayyou, I'm referring to the system
to get them justice, to helpprovide safer streets, because
we all want to be able to livein an environment that we feel
(22:58):
safe.
Because if we don't feel safe,we're not going to feel like we
have any hope.
We're not going to have hopethat things can get better,
because I don't think we'regoing to see all those negatives
Things can get better because Idon't think we're going to see
all those negatives.
And so you know, one particularinstance that I will always
remember, that I felt was mymost rewarding day being an
assistant district attorney wasthis one occasion where we had a
(23:22):
defendant who was charged withmurder.
He had murdered someone over a25 cent pool game.
You know the way it works whenyou're shooting pool, you put a
quarter on the table.
That's how you determine whogets next, and they were arguing
about whose quarter was next.
I got next, but it ended upbeing that someone lost their
(23:46):
lives over a quarter.
But the facts were notnecessarily on our side.
And you know we had a heavydocket.
The office was understaffed andI had a great district attorney
that I worked with and he madethe decision that maybe this is
(24:07):
one of those cases that we mayneed to just retire to the files
until we can get some moreevidence, and so on and so forth
.
And we had another murder casein another county.
We always tried our cases inteams and for some reason,
something was going on where wedid not have enough personnel to
have two teams at the same time.
I don't know what was going on.
(24:27):
I don't know if someone was outill or what the situation was,
and we may have been under timeconstraint, that if we didn't
try the case within the two anda half days it was going to get
dismissed or whatever.
I don't remember what it was.
But we called the family in andtried to explain to the mother
that we just didn't really havethe facts and we were thinking
about just retiring the case tothe file.
(24:49):
And I could just see thedevastation all over that
mother's face.
We sort of left it at that andafter she left out the district
attorney, I could tell that hewas perplexed and so he just had
a candid conversation with measking me what do you think?
What do you think?
Because, again, we had a greatrelationship, he was a great DA
and I told him look, I think Ican do it.
(25:09):
I guess you could say thelittle engine that could.
I think I can, I think I can.
Let me try it.
We don't have anything to lose,because if it's that bad we're
going to lose it anyway.
So he went to the other countyto try the more serious murder
case, because that was a casewith someone who was going to be
a witness in a drug transactioncase and they got killed to
(25:31):
prevent them from testifying andI think they may have even
gotten run over by a vehicle.
But again, that's a long timeago and I may have the facts a
little wrong, but anyway, Itried the case against a very
prominent, very good defenseattorney.
I was by myself, first time Ihad ever done that and in the
end I ended up getting aconviction.
The district attorney showed uptowards the end but he decided
(25:54):
to just stay out of it becauseyou could tell that I had gained
a rapport with the jury.
You could kind of look atjuries and tell you know how
you're doing.
And in the end, after theconviction came back, the
district attorney was standingin front of me as we were
receiving the family.
They shook his hand and thankedme, but then his mama, when she
got to me, she just startedcrying and just hugged me.
(26:16):
This is someone I didn't evenknow and that said to me that I
made a difference in the life ofsomebody that day, that I made
a difference in our judicialsystem.
That day judicial system, thatday that you know it gave hope
to that family and to others whowere interested, who may have
been watching the case that youcan get justice in small towns,
it doesn't really matter.
(26:36):
Now, sometimes people perceivejustice as it depends upon who
you know, or how connected youare, or you know, if you hire
the right attorney you can getoff of anything.
That day, that hook and thosetears meant more to me than that
check I got at the end of thatmonth.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
I can certainly relate to that.
It's just rewarding to be apart of the judicial system and
to be a part of doing right,doing the right thing, and you
certainly did the right thingthat day.
And you know our system isdependent on people being held
accountable.
When we know we're going to beheld accountable, it will
(27:14):
dictate our actions, and sothat's so important.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
We hope you've enjoyed this special episode of
Hope Mississippi.
Stories from the State Bar.
Look for episodes on the 1stand 15th of every month.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Hope Mississippi, the State Bar.
Look for episodes on the 1stand 15th of every month.
When you need some hope and inspiration to build
collaboration, Hope.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Mississippi is your salvation.
One in four kids live inpoverty.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
One in five are food deprived.
Build collaborations and buildhope with those who are
struggling.
Hope Mississippi.
Hello, and welcome back toanother edition of Hope
(00:41):
Mississippi.
I'm Dawn Beam hosting this andI could not be happier today
than to be at the MississippiBar and to welcome Hilary Kane.
Hello, Hilary.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Hello Ms Dawn.
It's so nice to be with youface-to-face, irl, in real life.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Hilary was very instrumental in helping me kick
off this podcast.
So, hillary, could you tell theaudience just a little bit
about yourself?
Speaker 2 (01:24):
this.
I'm just a facilitator and whenI found out what you're doing,
I just considered it an honorthat you would allow me to help
y'all forward your mission,which is very worthy, and the
statistics, even in your openingbumper music, are astounding
and shocking and I really admirewhat you are doing and your
organizations are doing.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Well, you're so kind you know.
I would remind the audiencethat Hope Mississippi is a part
of Hope Rising Mississippi,which is a nonprofit, that our
goal is to spread hope acrossMississippi to the darkest areas
.
One in four of our kids live inpoverty.
One in five are food deprived.
We can't ignore that statistic,and it takes all of us, as
(02:02):
Mississippians, working togetherto change those statistics.
And so this little podcast isjust our way of reminding folks
of the challenge but alsocelebrating the victories that
are going on in individual livesas well as across Mississippi.
Now, hillary, you are one ofthe most creative people I know.
(02:24):
What happens, folks is, I do apodcast and then I send it to
Hillary and she does her magic.
For those that are wonderingabout podcasts, because it's new
to many of us, can you justtell us what it takes to put
that podcast out into the world?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Sure.
So we get the audio feeds,ideally an individual feed for
each speaker so I can raise andlower and master the levels, and
then I basically make sure thatmouth noises coughing,
breathing, those types of thingsthat people really don't want.
No one wants to hear that.
I remove that, I tighten gapsand then I make sure the music
(03:06):
comes in and out at the rightplaces and I just basically
polish the amazing product thatI'm given.
And your podcast is very easyto edit.
Everyone is very polite.
You have incredible guests.
It's just like I said it's beenan honor to get to put my
fingerprints on this project.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
You know this is just a reminder to me that we all
have certain gifts.
You're a lawyer and you do someamazing things and trademarks
and copyrights and that area ofthe law but you also, that
creative side of you, helpsother folks realize their dreams
of doing podcasts Well thankyou.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
I think that you may be able to attest to this, but
there are so many lawyers thatare just drama kids all grown up
.
There are a lot of reallycreative people in the law.
I'm so proud of Dawn right nowbecause she's checking her
levels on the mixing board.
She's really become quite thepro.
She barely needs me workingmyself out of a job.
(04:06):
It's just a labor of love,really, and I enjoy every
episode and I listen to it manytimes and I also use a little
bit of the AI magic for themastering and it just levels it
out and makes it more enjoyablefor the listener.
So there's no super loud, loudsand really low, lows that they
can't hear.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, I so appreciate your help with communication,
because that's really the key.
When we all understand thechallenges that we face, then we
can be a part of the solution.
Right?
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Absolutely, and Mississippi has made incredible
leaps and bounds in education.
Isn't that exciting?
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Yes, it's called Mississippi Miracle, and we have
certainly made tremendousprogress.
It's great to not only not beon the bottom but be leading the
way in our country in education, but we can do that in so many
other areas.
We want to hear great storiesof how lawyers and judges are
bringing hope all acrossMississippi.
Lawyers and judges are bringinghope all across Mississippi.
(05:04):
We want folks to tell us theirstory, either how they've seen
hope in the courtroom or howthey've overcome obstacles in
their own life and have foundhope, how their community is
working together to spread hope.
Here at the Bar, we havelawyers from small towns as well
as our larger cities, and so wewant to know what's working
(05:26):
across our state.
Also, we want to acknowledgethat there are challenges in
Mississippi, and we want to talkabout how we can bring hope all
across Mississippi.
We're looking forward to yourjoining us for these special
episodes as we bring it to youfrom the Mississippi Bar in
Sandestin, florida.
(05:47):
Thank you so much, hilary.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Thank you for having me.
It's my absolute honor andpleasure, hope.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Mississippi is your salvation.
Hello, this is Dawn Beam,coming to you from the
Mississippi Bar Convention and Ihave the honor of sitting with
Dean Jim Rosenblatt.
Give the audience a hello forus.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
Hello, justice Beam, good to see you.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Well, it's great to see you and you know, anytime I
see you, I know I'm in the rightplace.
Dean Rosenblatt goes all overthe state encouraging lawyers
that have graduated fromMississippi College and you know
, when I think of hope, I'mreminded of professors and
(06:37):
teachers that have invested inus.
Could you just give us a littlebit of background of what you
have done in your life, and Iknow it's been amazing.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
First of all, I know there's a biblical passage that
relates to hope.
They say of all those, though,love is better, but I think hope
is right up there with love.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Absolutely.
I couldn't agree more.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Well, I was raised on a farm in southwest Mississippi
and went to a county highschool and then off to
Vanderbilt for undergrad andCornell to law school.
And while I was in law school Iwent through the ROTC program
and so I was commissioned aftertwo years and entered active
duty, stayed in the Army JAGCorps for 30 years and retired
on a Friday and started as adean of our law school on the
(07:18):
following Monday.
I was a dean for 11 years and aprofessor for the last 10.
So I enjoy very much workingwith law students and aspiring
lawyers.
It's inspiring to be aroundthem.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
I couldn't agree more the excitement of being around
lawyers making a differenceevery day in folks' life.
Let's talk a little bit justabout the law and the
opportunity that individualsmaybe, if they're thinking about
going to law school, theopportunity they have to make a
difference not only in the livesof individuals but to make a
(07:51):
difference in our state.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Well, just to use an example, there are a number of
former teachers who come to thelaw school and a teacher will
typically say I know I had animpact on the lives of 26
students, but now I can have animpact on the life of 26,000
people by virtue of my legalwork, and a lot of them were
motivated by the desire to havean impact not only on their
(08:13):
local community but evenstatewide, and so we have a lot
of our graduates who are inpolitics or judges and doing
things that do have an impact onpeople's everyday lives.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
I'm reminded of the parable of the talents, and also
the parable of how Jesus tookthe little boy with a few fish
and loaves and fed the 5,000.
And the reality is that I knowyou're a believer, and so we
know that when we give, when weserve to make a difference in
(08:45):
the world, whether that be alawyer or a professor or
whatever that it is.
God's math is incredible, isn'tit?
Speaker 4 (08:52):
It really is, and I think a classic example of that
is the work that our students dowith the adoption clinic and to
see the families that cometogether.
Some of them even sport theirown T-shirts announcing the
adoption.
But the difference that makesin the lives of not only the
children but the families thatadopt them.
And our students get to do thatthrough a clinical program
while they're still in schooland then get to do that while
(09:14):
they're out in practice as well.
So that's the family law areais one area that really touches
people's lives and a number ofour students come to us having
been affected by family law insome way as a child.
Perhaps their parents divorced,Perhaps they were involved in a
custody dispute and it'sgenerated their interest in law
and wanting to carry on thatwork.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
You know, I'm reminded of an MC law student
that I mentored a bit, and shewas a former foster child
herself and she said I want tomake a bit.
And she was a former fosterchild herself and she said I
want to make a difference.
And so, yes, law is a great wayto help improve our system of
protecting children and alsostrengthening families.
Let's talk just a little bit,too, about the importance of
(09:58):
others stepping up to do theirrole.
Everybody's not called to be alawyer, but we all can do
something.
So, whether that be a parentwho might be willing to foster
or a former foster child, thatcan make a difference in the
system.
Talk a little bit about that.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
Well, everybody has an ability to impact other
people's lives.
Sometimes it's a simple caringword or a bit of encouragement
along the way that can turnsomeone's life around in an
unknowing way.
But lawyers really have theability, through the legal
system, to leverage their impactand I'm very pleased to see not
only what our law schools andour law students do, but we have
(10:37):
a wonderful legal community inMississippi, legal community in
Mississippi.
I think it's very special andthe opportunity for our students
to interact with judges andlawyers, to be part of the
system even when they're in lawschool, is a tremendous benefit
and starts them going in theright direction.
You know, both law schools havea program that's administered
by the bar, a professionalismprogram at the start of law
(10:59):
school and judges and lawyerscome in.
They interact with the studentsduring their orientation.
It's just so wonderful to seethat outreach and that support
the bar provides the legaleducation process in Mississippi
.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
It's so important that you be equipped all along
the way.
I told you that recently Iinterviewed my former band
director, who was director ofbands at Ole Miss for 35 years,
and the two of you.
One thing that you have incommon is that when a person
graduates, you're not finishedwith them.
Mr Wilson, he has followed manyof his students through the
(11:34):
years to encourage them.
Life is difficult.
None of us are immune fromdifficulties, and I am reminded
how you follow former lawstudents at MC all over the
country.
Tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
It's not just him.
Let's see law students.
I support law students ingeneral.
My first opportunity to do thatafter graduation is to go to
the bar exam and coming out ofthe bar exam I give the folks
coming out a high five,regardless of where they went to
school out of state or in stateand they'll come to me 10 or 15
years later and said I wasreally down after that first day
(12:10):
of the bar exam.
You gave me a high five and itjust made a difference and gave
me some confidence.
So I love to stay involved inour students' lives.
I can't tell you the number ofweddings and funerals I've been
to over the years, but it's away to reach out and provide a
continuing level of support thatcomes from the law school to
our graduates today and you canmake it so, and one principle of
(12:31):
that is that people can comealongside you to encourage you
and to cheer you on.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
And, dean, you certainly fulfill that for so
many people and I can't tell you, as a mother, who you have
encouraged my son along the way.
I can't thank you enough forthat.
Can you talk just a little bitabout your own life and who may
have been your cheerleader, thatperson that encouraged you
along the way?
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Well, I have several along the way.
My 4-H leader was a greatencourager of me and I love the
lessons I learned from there,whether it was raising chickens
or judging livestock.
I had some wonderful teachers.
We were a small country schooland our science department was a
little weak, but we have someolder women who taught us
literature and English and madeus go to the board and diagram
(13:30):
sentences, and that wasinspirational to me.
And to be able to stand up infront of a class and have to
recite poetry gave me a level ofconfidence too.
And then, as an undergraduatestudent, I was a philosophy
major and it was a smalldepartment, so I had a level of
confidence too.
And then, as an undergraduatestudent, I was a philosophy
major and it was a smalldepartment, so I had a lot of
interaction with our folks there.
One of our university officialsencouraged me to go on to law
school and to expand my reach inlooking at law schools.
(13:52):
And then throughout themilitary, I had countless
mentors who supported me alongthe way.
I think the military is knownfor bringing along and
developing folks, whether it's adrill sergeant with a basic
trainee or a staff judgeadvocate talking to his younger
attorneys.
So all along the way I've hadpeople that have moved me along
(14:12):
the way.
I love the old example If yousee a turtle sitting on top of a
post, the turtle didn't getthere by himself, and that's
certainly true in my case.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
I think that's true for all of us.
So, as we close out thisinterview, a challenge to those
listening to be the change youwant to see in the world.
Speaker 4 (14:31):
Well, I would encourage all people to be a
challenge and to be a supporterof others.
It doesn't take much, itdoesn't require money.
It can simply be a pat on theback or a hug or a word of
encouragement, and it might besomething more than that along
the way, but it's very simple tobe an encourager and promoter
of hope along the way.
I'm so pleased to see you doingthis and I hope that you can
(14:53):
generate the hope that will moveus all forward.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Thank you so much for sharing your time with us, Dean
, and for being a blessing to somany of us in Mississippi.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
Great to be with.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
Hope Mississippi is your salvation.
Hello and welcome back to theMississippi Bar Convention where
I am sitting here visiting withJudge Vincent Davis.
Hello, Judge Davis.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Hello, justice Bing, good to see you again.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Good to see you Now.
We were talking about yourfamily and how you became a
judge.
Tell us a little bit aboutwhere you grew up and just a
little bit about Judge Davis.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Well, I actually grew up in southwest Mississippi.
I was born in Prentiss.
However, my family moved fromPrentiss to Natchez, probably
when I was around one or twoyears old, maybe, and we stayed
in Natchez for just a littlewhile and we probably stayed
there until I was around fiveand then from there we moved to
(15:56):
Fayette.
Well, I started school inFayette and then in the second
grade.
Early in the second grade, mymom passed and at that point it
was just my father, myself andan older sister living there.
I had other siblings whoremained in Natchez to finish
school there.
All of my siblings havebasically moved away, but I have
remained in southwestMississippi, in the Natchez-Fed
(16:20):
area.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Now, for those that are listening, you're a Chancery
Judge in south Mississippi now,but just tell us a little bit
about growing up teachers, thosethat really encouraged you
along the way.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
Well, growing up, a large part of my support group,
I guess, were teachers.
As I have told others in thepast, I never really intended to
be an attorney.
That was not what I wanted todo.
After I finished college I wasactually working for a year
doing something else, but in theback of my mind I kept hearing
(16:54):
a specific teacher kept tellingme that I needed to be an
attorney, that you need to be anattorney because she thought
that I would just argue with astop sign, and that one
particular occasion I proved toher that that was an error in
the textbook and my mom havingpassed and she was a teacher, so
the other teachers just sort ofadopted me and helped my father
(17:17):
to, I guess, rear me.
And so my support group growingup were many of my teachers.
And because I heard that voiceof that particular teacher
saying that I should be anattorney, one particular day I
was just sitting around doingnothing.
I just wondered what wouldhappen had I decided to go into
the law.
I wondered what I would havemade had I decided to take the
(17:39):
LSAT.
But you know, what I'm justgoing to do is just as a
challenge.
And so I took the LSAT and Ididn't make the score I wanted.
And when that happened thecompetitive part of me said oh
no, I'm not going to accept this, and I took it again and did
much better.
The next thing I know I wasbeing contacted by the law
school admissions services abouta fellowship program, the
(18:04):
Council on Legal EducationOpportunities, saying that you
know, if you're interested, wehave this fellowship program and
it's designed to introduce youto law, to see how you would do.
I still had no interest in thelaw.
I still had no interest in thelaw period.
But I was sitting around oneday and I got bored and the
little application card was justthe size of a postcard and at
(18:24):
that time stamps only cost aquarter.
And the information they saidwell, you know, it was something
like last year.
We had maybe 3,000 people toapply.
We accepted about 200.
I said, well, I would never getaccepted.
You know, I just filled it out,put it you've been accepted to
the Council of Legal EducationOpportunities.
You are to report to EmoryUniversity on June, the 6th, for
(18:54):
example on 1986, to begin thefellowship program.
I had never thought about beinga lawyer.
I went to my employer and heencouraged me to please do it.
You can get a leave of absence.
I decided to do it.
I had not even applied to anylaw schools.
I had no idea where I was goingAt that point my father had
died.
(19:14):
He died when I was a junior incollege.
The only support I had, I guess, were my siblings.
A couple of them were doingfairly well, but I did not want
to rely upon them financialsupport.
Along came Mississippi CollegeSchool of Law and offered a
scholarship, and the next thingI know, I was in law school.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Wow, that is a fabulous story.
The name of this is HopeMississippi, and I'm mindful of
all these teachers that you talkabout, that encourage you along
the way, and that one teacherin particular that said you need
to go to law school.
To those that are listening,let's take a minute just to say
thank you to our teachers.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
I just want to thank all the teachers first of all
for everything that you do.
We know that you'reunappreciated and extremely
underpaid.
Hopefully, one of these daysyour pay will catch up with what
you do.
Just on yesterday I saw therewas a teacher in my home county,
jefferson County, who's onFacebook saying that he hates to
(20:14):
beg, that he had a Walmartwishlist where he was trying to
get supplies for his students,and I said to myself that I'm
going to make sure that Icontribute to that.
Teachers should not have to gointo their pockets to do those
kinds of things.
But unfortunately, you know, inrural areas where you have
limited resources, teachers dothat kind of thing, not because
(20:36):
they have to they're notrequired to do it but they do it
because they love what they doand they love the children, and
it's because of people like thatthat our communities are what
they are, people like that that,you know, our communities are
what they are.
If we did not have teachersthat care, I'm afraid that we
would have more poverty, morecrime in the areas that we live
(20:58):
in, and the fact that they'redoing these kinds of things, I
guess they are contributing tosociety in ways that they don't
have to, and so I just like tothank them, and you know, for
what they do and encourage themfor doing that.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
You know I'm reminded of the Mississippi miracle, of
how Mississippi has come a longway with education.
But it really takes all of us,those folks that step up and do
provide the school supplies orencouragement, tutoring,
mentoring, whatever we can do.
All of us can do something toinvest in our kids and certainly
both of us are a product ofthat.
(21:32):
We stand on the shoulders oflots of folks that were willing
to pour education and care intous.
Now you graduated law schooland then you went on and
practiced law for a time period.
You ended up as an assistantdistrict attorney.
Tell us a little bit about thatand how you saw hope in that.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Right.
I practiced law from 1989 until1995.
In 1994, the district attorneyat the time, alonzo Sturgeon,
called me to his office one day.
I didn't know I did what hewanted.
He asked me if I would beinterested in filling the
vacancy that was created by oneof his former assistant district
(22:12):
attorneys, forrest L Johnson,having been elected circuit
judge in that area.
Sure, you know, I'll take it.
You know I would like to beable to do that.
So I started employment as anassistant district attorney in
the 6th Circuit Court Districtin January of 1995, tried a lot
of cases and I stayed there forabout seven years and during my
(22:36):
time there I saw where there wasan opportunity to really help
people, to help people who couldnot otherwise help themselves,
who relied upon you when I sayyou, I'm referring to the system
to get them justice, to helpprovide safer streets, because
we all want to be able to livein an environment that we feel
(22:58):
safe.
Because if we don't feel safe,we're not going to feel like we
have any hope.
We're not going to have hopethat things can get better,
because I don't think we'regoing to see all those negatives
Things can get better because Idon't think we're going to see
all those negatives.
And so you know, one particularinstance that I will always
remember, that I felt was mymost rewarding day being an
assistant district attorney wasthis one occasion where we had a
(23:22):
defendant who was charged withmurder.
He had murdered someone over a25 cent pool game.
You know the way it works whenyou're shooting pool, you put a
quarter on the table.
That's how you determine whogets next, and they were arguing
about whose quarter was next.
I got next, but it ended upbeing that someone lost their
(23:46):
lives over a quarter.
But the facts were notnecessarily on our side.
And you know we had a heavydocket.
The office was understaffed andI had a great district attorney
that I worked with and he madethe decision that maybe this is
(24:07):
one of those cases that we mayneed to just retire to the files
until we can get some moreevidence, and so on and so forth
.
And we had another murder casein another county.
We always tried our cases inteams and for some reason,
something was going on where wedid not have enough personnel to
have two teams at the same time.
I don't know what was going on.
(24:27):
I don't know if someone was outill or what the situation was,
and we may have been under timeconstraint, that if we didn't
try the case within the two anda half days it was going to get
dismissed or whatever.
I don't remember what it was.
But we called the family in andtried to explain to the mother
that we just didn't really havethe facts and we were thinking
about just retiring the case tothe file.
(24:49):
And I could just see thedevastation all over that
mother's face.
We sort of left it at that andafter she left out the district
attorney, I could tell that hewas perplexed and so he just had
a candid conversation with measking me what do you think?
What do you think?
Because, again, we had a greatrelationship, he was a great DA
and I told him look, I think Ican do it.
(25:09):
I guess you could say thelittle engine that could.
I think I can, I think I can.
Let me try it.
We don't have anything to lose,because if it's that bad we're
going to lose it anyway.
So he went to the other countyto try the more serious murder
case, because that was a casewith someone who was going to be
a witness in a drug transactioncase and they got killed to
(25:31):
prevent them from testifying andI think they may have even
gotten run over by a vehicle.
But again, that's a long timeago and I may have the facts a
little wrong, but anyway, Itried the case against a very
prominent, very good defenseattorney.
I was by myself, first time Ihad ever done that and in the
end I ended up getting aconviction.
The district attorney showed uptowards the end but he decided
(25:54):
to just stay out of it becauseyou could tell that I had gained
a rapport with the jury.
You could kind of look atjuries and tell you know how
you're doing.
And in the end, after theconviction came back, the
district attorney was standingin front of me as we were
receiving the family.
They shook his hand and thankedme, but then his mama, when she
got to me, she just startedcrying and just hugged me.
(26:16):
This is someone I didn't evenknow and that said to me that I
made a difference in the life ofsomebody that day, that I made
a difference in our judicialsystem.
That day judicial system, thatday that you know it gave hope
to that family and to others whowere interested, who may have
been watching the case that youcan get justice in small towns,
it doesn't really matter.
(26:36):
Now, sometimes people perceivejustice as it depends upon who
you know, or how connected youare, or you know, if you hire
the right attorney you can getoff of anything.
That day, that hook and thosetears meant more to me than that
check I got at the end of thatmonth.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
I can certainly relate to that.
It's just rewarding to be apart of the judicial system and
to be a part of doing right,doing the right thing, and you
certainly did the right thingthat day.
And you know our system isdependent on people being held
accountable.
When we know we're going to beheld accountable, it will
(27:14):
dictate our actions, and sothat's so important.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
We hope you've enjoyed this special episode of
Hope Mississippi.
Stories from the State Bar.
Look for episodes on the 1stand 15th of every month.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Hope Mississippi, the State Bar.
Look for episodes on the 1stand 15th of every month.
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I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Cardiac Cowboys
The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.