Legal Question in Criminal Law in Mississippi

"Arraignment" as it is known, is merely the process where the Court would read the Indictment to the Defendant and request the Defendant to respond with Guilty, or "Not Guilty" as a plea to the Charge. If the Defendant enters a plea of "Not Guilty" it can later be changed (within some limitations) to a plea of "Guilty" once the Defendant and his/her Attorney have had an opportunity to try to negotiate a "plea bargain offer" with the Prosecution. In almost every case the Defendant "waives the reading of the Indictment" thus not requiring the Court Clerk to read the Indictment to the Defendant (which can be somewhat time consuming and a waste of time if the Defendant is able to read and write himself/herself).

Arraignment is the time when the Court sets a trial date as well. You need to secure the services of an Attorney and attend the Arraignment and enter the plea you desire to enter and go from there.