Jackson Free Press

Looks like we left the press conference too soon yesterday! The Clarion-Ledger is reporting today that Mayor Frank Melton threatened one of their reporters:

Following a news conference on an unrelated topic, Melton interrupted a conversation the reporter was having with his public relations director, Carolyn Redd, who was trying to dissuade The Clarion-Ledger from writing a story about the mayor's security.

Melton told the reporter, "I will cream you personally" if the reporter did the story.

And bear in mind that if he was threatening the reporter who did the story today about Melton carting his bodyguards to the Bahamas, he is threatening to "cream" a woman. Not that the mayor of a city should threaten s single damn soul.

Good for The Clarion-Ledger for not backing down this time.

Previous Comments

ID

121534

Comment

One wonders if Mr. Melton thinks he can just threaten his way out of accountability!?! Did he really think that being a public servant meant he could control the meida? Of course, he had for a long time, but even timid media start waking up when it's a public servant trying to tell you what you can and cannot report. I can't imagine how he thinks this behavior helps him.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-03-11T11:50:02-06:00

ID

121535

Comment

I wonder what could be so upsetting about a story on Wright and Recio. These are hero cops, no? Willing and ready to take a bullet for the beloved leader.

Author

JLYerg

Date

2006-03-11T12:42:03-06:00

ID

121536

Comment

Did previous mayors have 2 bodyguards who went with them out of town, and out of country? Does anyone remember? HDMatthias, MD

Author

HDMatthias, MD

Date

2006-03-11T15:33:02-06:00

ID

121537

Comment

I don't know that Mr. Johnson had a single bodyguard. I used to see him around time with Kathy, or by himself most of the time. And it's hard to imagine Mr. Ditto with bodyguards. ;-) Mr. Danks, well, very possible. But let's see what other folks remember about the other mayors.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-03-11T15:57:38-06:00

ID

121538

Comment

There was a Dignitary Protection Officer during Johnson's term, but I don't recall his name anymore. I rarely saw Mayor Johnson out and about with the officer, usually only if the mayor was taking a visiting guest to the U club or the like, when the DPO would chaufer.

Author

JLYerg

Date

2006-03-11T16:16:41-06:00

ID

121539

Comment

The Dignitary Protection Officer was Phillip Claiborne. I don't believe that he was acting in the same capacity as Recio and Wright. Mayor Ditto did not have a DPO. He drove himself around. I remember him saying that he did not feel threatened enough to need that type of protection. Mayor Danks had two officers with him as does Mayor Melton.

Author

lance

Date

2006-03-11T16:54:26-06:00

ID

121540

Comment

This is the perfect opportunity to see just how far the mayor can push people. The reporter that Frank threatened should follow through with this to the fullest extent of the law, hopefully with the CL backing her 100%. This is a blatant threat against an individual doing her job. How would Frank react if someone made a comment like that against his wife? This man apparently has no respect for women or anyone that is trying to do their job. He tried to hide behind journalism when he got "creamed" in a Meridian court, so he should understand that this reporter was just doing her job. It was so nice when he was away for a few days in the Bahamas. No strip club raids, no "I don't give a s#$t", no SWAT teams searching for dangerous criminals while we are in a budget crunch. It was just so nice.

Author

lance

Date

2006-03-11T17:01:36-06:00

ID

121541

Comment

It does raise the question of whether someone who will openly threaten people, including reporters, should be in charge of the municipal courts. What is the law in Mississippi on threatening people?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-03-11T17:15:08-06:00

ID

121542

Comment

Who could you call? JPD? I believe threatening is no more than a misdemeanor offense and we all know the only misdemeanor offenders JPD pursues are strippers and Vidal Sullivan.

Author

JLYerg

Date

2006-03-11T17:31:12-06:00

ID

121543

Comment

Yeah, that's what I figured, too. But with his announcement yesterday, Mr. Melton seems to be really worried about misdemeanors, at least based on what we're hearing so far.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-03-11T17:38:41-06:00

ID

121544

Comment

And there was a "manhunt" for a man charged with a misdemeanor. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-03-11T17:39:07-06:00

ID

121545

Comment

Perhaps this reporter should get a TRO to keep FM out of her way. It would then be impossible for him to give press conferences if she were there. Can we hear from some attorneys regarding a TRO? HDMatthias, MD

Author

HDMatthias, MD

Date

2006-03-11T17:44:45-06:00

ID

121546

Comment

Babes tried the TRO route, filed on 2 Feb and so far no hearing date... and got shut down last night for operating under a no longer valid temp' liscense. (note the club submitted it's renewal in October, the city has by law 45 days to process it, but to date no word - under staffed, lost a form, etc.)

Author

JLYerg

Date

2006-03-11T17:55:17-06:00

ID

121547

Comment

My TRO was not about the strip clubs. My TRO was asking whether the CL reporter could get a TRO against FM for threatening her, and thus making it impossible for FM to give a press conference if the CL reporter were doing her job and reporting on the press conference. Lawyers lurking....Help! HDMatthias, MD HDMatthias, MD

Author

HDMatthias, MD

Date

2006-03-11T18:04:58-06:00

ID

121548

Comment

My intention was to show that the courts are not moving fast on these sort of things - good luck if you have an estranged spouse/partner after you.

Author

JLYerg

Date

2006-03-11T18:10:06-06:00

ID

121549

Comment

I'm sure that the legal department of the CL can get this taken care of immediately. Let's make sure they are aware of their options. HDMatthias, MD

Author

HDMatthias, MD

Date

2006-03-11T18:22:18-06:00

ID

121550

Comment

Okay, this is WAY out of line. Lord. We have a mayor who's threatening violence against reporters? What the hell? That should AT LEAST be grounds for censure by the City Council. Ben, you reading this? Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-03-11T19:12:49-06:00

ID

121551

Comment

Funny that Agnew doesn't mention Melton's threat of his reporter in his column today about the importance of openness in city government. After all, threatening a reporter who is planning to write a critical story about you is the ultimate in "closed" government, wouldn't one say!?! In fact, I don't see a thing in the paper about that today, in any of the columns or such. That amazes me, considering that int he last administration if Chief Moore uttered the word "perception" during the week, it would be lifted out of context by every columnist by the weekend. (Actually, Hampton would wait a week and then moan about "why we can't all get along.") I hope people realize how important this threat it: It strikes at the very heart of the First Amendment. We need to make sure that media watchdog groups across the country -- from the Committee to Protect Journalists and on down -- know that a mayor is threatening to harm reporters who do not do what he says. This is very serious.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-03-12T12:19:25-06:00

ID

121552

Comment

And Tom is right: City Council should take this up in no uncertain terms. What: reporters on the city now have to get our own bodyguards???

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-03-12T12:20:22-06:00

ID

121553

Comment

She should have given him a swift kick in the n--s. Maybe that would have knocked his brains back in focus. What a drip.

Author

jada

Date

2006-03-14T00:59:37-06:00

ID

121554

Comment

Mayor Melton's bodyguards are not police officers. They are the same body guards he had during the election. And they watch his every move. It is really a bid ridiculous! I would love to know who is paying them and how much.

Author

realtime

Date

2006-03-14T13:42:12-06:00

ID

121555

Comment

Actually, at least one of the bodyguards is JPD. Marcus Wright, Dignitary Protection.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2006-03-15T11:02:44-06:00

ID

121556

Comment

I have been told that the white tall guard has been with Melton for sometime prior to his becoming Mayor. You have to understand that these "guards" shadow the Mayor everwhere he goes including City Council meetings, meetings with staff, etc. That is certainly a new sight since the previous Mayors only had a guard at public functions. It makes me wonder what he is afraid of.

Author

realtime

Date

2006-03-15T18:06:22-06:00

ID

121557

Comment

Realtime, if YOU were putting hundreds of people out of work, ripping through the city's budget like it is toilet paper, threatening journalist, and saying in public, "I don't give a sh&t about what they think" (the citizen's of Jackson) I would probably have bodyguards too! Oh, sorry I had to stop to grin for minute, I WOULDN'T BEHAVE THE WAY HE DOES TO BEGIN WITH!! But, I would venture to believe that that is why he has these babysitters! My question is since the shadow his every move, what is it really like at his home? Do they stay with him in the house, do they stand guard during the night while he sleeps, or when in public, do the enter the restroom with him? I mean come on.....

Author

Katie D

Date

2006-03-15T20:12:41-06:00