Day 2: Welch Watching ‘Walking Tall' Before Attack | Jackson Free Press | Jackson, MS

Day 2: Welch Watching ‘Walking Tall' Before Attack

In the opening statements and first testimony in the Mississippi v. Melton et al. trial, prosecutor Stanley Alexander came out of the gate with a focus on the events of Aug. 25, 2006, when he promised to show that Frank Melton, Michael Recio and Marcus Wright are guilty of the five felony charges they face. He also mentioned that Melton was "loaded" that night. He promised to prove that Evans Welch and his friend, Lawrence Cooper Jr., were watching TV when Wright broke down the back door and Melton came to the front porch, and soon attacked the side of the house with a "long Walking Tall stick," breaking out several windows.

Cooper then was the first witness—and testified that the two of them were watching the newest version of "Walking Tall" (starring The Rock) when the entourage busted into the house. Melton has told the Jackson Free Press that he did his college thesis on Buford Pusser whose life was chronicled in the "Walking Tall" movies.

In the defense's opening statement, attorneys argued that the only way the jury could convict the three men is if the state proved "evil intent," which they said they could not do. They also said they would prove there was a "somewhat sophisticated operation" involving drugs at the duplex.

More trial updates shortly.

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