Jackson Free Press

Albert "Batman" Donelson's family is suing Mayor Frank Melton, the Jackson Police Department, six "John Doe" police officers and the city of Jackson for negligence, civil assault, trespass, nuisance, infliction of emotional distress, libel, slander and breach of the covenant of quiet enjoyment, according to a June 28, 2006, notice of claim filed by Attorney Dennis Sweet III.

About 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 9, Melton brought an entourage of police and media to the front porch of the home of Donelson's elderly mother, Beverly Jackson, on Huron Street. Acting on a perceived threat—which he said Donelson sent to him from jail—Melton banged on the door with a shotgun in hand, backed by members of law enforcement brandishing submachine guns and other drawn weapons. Holding the leash of his personal dog, Abby, who often accompanies him on raids, Melton yelled through the door that someone had made threats against him.

Though the city served no warrants and made no arrests, TV crews recorded a loud exchange between the mayor and house occupants, which included four minors, amounting to a grandiose gesture of saber-rattling that the Donelsons claim put Jackson in the hospital.

Melton later told WLBT about the family: "I don't give a damn what they thought."

Sweet's notice of claim states that all occupants of the Huron Street home that night sought medical and/or psychological treatment as a result of Melton's visit.

After Donelson told the JFP in the June 7 issue that his family was planning to sue Melton and the city, Melton told the JFP that he was "looking forward" to this case. He maintains that civil court has different rules from criminal court, which he can use to prove Donelson's guilt. A Hinds County jury found him and his brother not guilty of the murder of Aaron Crockett in April.

Melton has said repeatedly that the Donelsons have killed eight people, but has only named five he believes they killed, when asked several times. Melton also complained that the JFP told Donelson's side as well as his: "Why are you making Batman a hero?" he asked the JFP in late June, both on the phone and at his home.

Donelson told the JFP in June about Melton: "Enough is enough. He's saying that I killed eight people, but he can't even name the eight people. It's time for him to name the eight people he's talking about."

Sweet and Melton have met before. Sweet represented the family of 9-year-old Perrize Washington, who drowned at the I.S. Sanders YMCA pool in 2001 when Melton was overseeing the swimming program there. Sweet said the YMCA violated safety standards, claiming the water was too dirty and cloudy for the sunken boy to be seen. Melton was a defendant in that case and settled in 2003, agreeing to pay undisclosed damages.

Previous Commentsshow

Many people have varying opinoins about Donelson's past of whether he is innocent or guilty of everything that has been said of him. Melton tried to prove that Donelson is as bad as they come, but tainted the very case that he said that he built against Donelson. Now it's Donelson's time to have Melton tried in a court of law. His family was not deserving of the horror that Melton inflicted on them. The mayor is guilty of the same thing that he is accusing Batman of doing. I hope that this madness ends before someone is hurt more than with words and accusations. Out of one side of the mayor's mouth he says that he is a crime fighter. Out of the other side of his mouth he commits some of the very crimes that he is trying to rid the city of. My suggestion is that he should give up his office and find another place to play MELTON.....TEXAS RANGER.

lance

Jul 29 2006