Jackson Free Press

Updated with interview with Freddie Patton, Jr.

As the district attorney's runoff looms, challenger Robert Smith is combing the alleys of the criminal justice system, looking for people unhappy with Peterson's performance. One such foray produced a couple who claim in the footage that Peterson failed to bring to justice a drunk driver who killed their daughter in 2006—but now the father says he was tricked into doing the ad.

"The grandma told me to come down from Chicago, saying they were going to get something moving on the prosecution, but when I got down here, they already had the set ready at the station," Freddie Patton Jr. said, adding that Smith has done nothing on his daughter's death in the week following the campaign ad.

Peterson says that she could not prosecute that case because "no law enforcement agency" had brought a case to her for prosecution.

"The sheriff's department has never made an arrest in that case," Peterson said. "They sent in the blood toxicology information and it showed no alcohol in the driver's system and they said it was a very bad accident. … They haven't made any criminal arrest in the case so there is nothing for me to prosecute."

Patton said he was told that Peterson's office refused to prosecute the man who killed his child in a car accident.

"Now I have learned that it is all a lie. My child's murderer was never arrested. I feel that is is not fair to hold … Peterson accountable where no arrest was made and she never received the case," Patton said.

Peterson is firing back with her own campaign ads, releasing several radio commercials that won't exactly build bridges with Mayor Frank Melton. One commercial depicts Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon endorsing Peterson for her strength against Melton. Peterson caught hot grits from the mayor last year for her part in the five-count indictment against Melton for illegally demolishing a home on Ridgeway Street.

"Because of her strong belief in applying the law to everyone, she has been vilified and persecuted by our town bully, who has a deep dislike for independent, strong women. I, too, have felt his wrath, because I know, like Faye, our duty is to serve the people who elected us, not to be puppets for any out-of-control official," Barrett-Simon said.

Another commercial features the voice of an older woman, "Big Momma," saying that the reason for negative campaigning against Peterson is "because Peterson was trying to preserve the law in front of a crazy man running all over the city with a sledgehammer and a six-shooter. … If that puppy had'a been anybody other than (the mayor), he'd be wearing stripes today and walking with a shovel."

Previous Comments

ID

94979

Comment

The title is HILARIOUS! Another commercial features the voice of an older woman, “Big Momma,” saying that the reason for negative campaigning against Peterson is “because Peterson was trying to preserve the law in front of a crazy man running all over the city with a sledgehammer and a six-shooter. … If that puppy had’a been anybody other than (the mayor) he’d be wearing stripes today and walking with a shovel.” I don't know who Big Momma is, but I love her. :-)

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-08-27T17:41:49-06:00

ID

94980

Comment

Anyone got a link to the ad? It's not on youtube... like Faye's... Maybe Robert should stop employing his clients, and start running with some advisor's that know how to run a campaign. Question: Do you really think the tried and true Meltonites care? My neighbor, who gets his marching orders from the Republican party, will still go vote for Robert despite the facts. That should tell you what kind of sheep reside in the NJax area. Lots of dumb sheep were calling into Kim Wade today. Do you think Melton, SORE, and SPW care if they are a party to these lies?

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-08-27T19:21:30-06:00

ID

94981

Comment

I heard the "Big Momma" commercial for the first time on 95.5 yesterday. Very funny! If Smith has to lie to a family about Peterson not prosecuting a case--when a case was not brought forward to her to prosecute--then how can we trust him to be DA? Faye all the waye!

Author

golden eagle

Date

2007-08-27T19:39:06-06:00

ID

94982

Comment

Just got some video of a last minute fund raiser for Smith. Looks like it was blast! No truth that it was held at Melton's. ;-)

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-08-27T21:00:54-06:00

ID

94983

Comment

pickerson theres no crossover voting in the runoff if they voted republican on aug 7th govs race than they cant vote in the democratic runoff

Author

NewJackson

Date

2007-08-27T21:42:36-06:00

ID

94984

Comment

Newjack, I happen to know that my neighbor voted Dem in the primary, just as I did, so we could vote for Sheriff McMillin, and others I may know or like as politicians. It is so cool to set yourself free from the party mindset. Yet, he will return to vote for Smith based on REp. rumors and Ed Peter's type gamesmanship... I won't. You obviously didn't hear the sheeple on Kim Wade who proclaimed that he voted Rep. but is wife voted Dem so they could get one vote to Sheriff Mac. So, she is (supposedly) going to vote for Smith. Why do I picture this dude taking his wife to the poll to make sure? Eww... You could change "republican" to "certain white people;" but, that just gets them all bothered. ;-p

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-08-27T21:57:02-06:00

ID

94985

Comment

I don't like either one of them but Faye's got my vote just to piss Melton off! [img]http://home.comcast.net/~tegaspard/images/smiles/angry.gif[/img] Robert Smith to Frank Melton: [img]http://home.comcast.net/~tegaspard/images/smiles/kissass.gif[/img]

Author

LambdaRisen

Date

2007-08-28T02:01:17-06:00

ID

94986

Comment

That 'Big Momma' commercial is embarrassing. But it doesn't matter b/c she'll be voted out today.

Author

nobody likes me

Date

2007-08-28T08:36:14-06:00

ID

94987

Comment

I'm tired of folks trying to do the current DA wrong. Hopefully, she'll shut them all up tonight.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-08-28T09:03:28-06:00

ID

94988

Comment

Nobody...you want to talk about embarrassing? Embarrassing is having one of your performers in a campaign ad come out and recant his endorsement. Now THAT is embarrassing.

Author

xxgreg

Date

2007-08-28T09:09:32-06:00

ID

94989

Comment

Here is a video to go along with the story above. The coverage of the story is so out of character for WLBT, it is shocking. Click on the link then go down to norning news webcast. http://wlbt.com/

Author

xxgreg

Date

2007-08-28T10:10:50-06:00

ID

94990

Comment

That's a good piece, Greg. And hat tip to WLBT for crediting the JFP with Peterson's response. It's amazing that he said he drove 10 hours to get here and set the record straight because he was lied to. They also said they are still waiting for a statement that Robert Smith promised. He has gotten more disappointing by the day.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-08-28T10:39:07-06:00

ID

94991

Comment

yeah, let's hear Robert Smith's statement! I'm all ears, Mr. Smith...

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-08-28T12:16:03-06:00

ID

94992

Comment

It does sound like he should hold a press conference, post haste, to address what happened. If he even knows. (And that part really scares me.)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-08-28T12:23:30-06:00

ID

94993

Comment

So far, I only hear crickets chirping. At 1:20 in the afternoon? The silence is deafening.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2007-08-28T12:23:38-06:00

ID

94994

Comment

I can't find the video, but I did see this.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-08-28T12:25:57-06:00

ID

94995

Comment

It rather seems like all the lies told against the current D.A. come to a head in this ad, eh? The man was told that Peterson could have done something, when apparently she couldn't have the man arrested without an investigation or evidence. (Even in the Melton case, both the AG and the sheriff's office gave her an investigation file to indict him based on.) The saddest thing is how uninformed large parts of our citizenry is about how these things work. While on vacation—smile—Todd and I started talking about ways we can help get vital information out about our criminal justice system that goes far beyond crime hysteria. It just silly that people are so uneducated about basic civics, and it makes the city and county ripe for corruption. Some starts sweeping down spreading rumors and lies, egged on by talk radio and trash blogs that don't factcheck anything, and we end up with Melton as mayor, and his apparatus trying to control the entire criminal justice system. We can do better, folks. And it starts with education. We welcome your suggestions about what the JFP can do, using Jackpedia or whatever else, to get vital info out there. This is going to be a priority over witnessing this nightmare of a sheriff and D.A.'s race.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-08-28T12:33:36-06:00

ID

94996

Comment

L.W. -- I am assuming that WLBT only has video of its most recent newscast, which would bump the morning news off the board. Sorry you missed it. Like I said, for WLBT, this was the first time in a long time they have gone against the mayor's interests.

Author

xxgreg

Date

2007-08-28T12:35:31-06:00

ID

94997

Comment

That's okay, greg. I saw the commercial, and I knew something wasn't right about it from the get-go.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-08-28T12:39:34-06:00

ID

94998

Comment

WLBT has the video available once again... Look for this video link at the WLBT site....D.A. Endorsement Withdrawn http://wlbt.com/

Author

xxgreg

Date

2007-08-28T13:27:04-06:00

ID

94999

Comment

So, Smith is blaming Precious Martin now. But there is no addressing of the little issue that Peterson could NOT try the case, eh? Why wasn't that in this piece? Somebody lied to somebody, and it's oh so refreshing to see Smith stand up and take responsibility for what is happening in his name, eh? Remind y'all of anyone?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-08-28T14:09:27-06:00

ID

95000

Comment

The funny thing about all of this is that the dirty politicking happened before Patton was ever asked to blame Peterson on tape. Why were they making an ad that intentionally misled the public about the role Peterson could have played in a case? Why is Smith's campaign manipulating a family who lost a child in such a way? Someone in my office just said with disgust: "This is dirty politics at its worst." I agree. And at its most arrogant. I was worried about how Smith would stand up to Melton, but I would never have guessed that Smith was capable of this kind of stuff. He gets caught, and he blames the messinger. We really don't need Melton-esque habits now running the D.A.'s office.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-08-28T14:12:35-06:00

ID

95001

Comment

This is sad. Sad that there are STILL people, black and white, who cannot see the obvious truth here. There was one DA candidate who built a campaign based on documented facts. Then there was another who built a campaign on lies. The problem is that the blind will not see the obvious here.

Author

xxgreg

Date

2007-08-28T14:14:02-06:00

ID

95002

Comment

Well, the worst part for media, Greg, is that you get accused of being biased when you factcheck the candidates' statement and report the results, whatever they are. I will state this for the record: I am biased toward the truth. Get used to it.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-08-28T14:15:52-06:00

ID

95003

Comment

Money quote from Smith: "We want the public to know that this political ploy is outrageous that they would put a campaign and dirty politics over a childs life that threaten the family and the family is excited still about my campaign and my leadership and they also want to clear the record that Mr. Patton was threatened to change his story," stated Robert Schuler Smith. Responses from Patton and Precious Marton momentarily. Don't change that dial.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-08-28T14:28:47-06:00

ID

95004

Comment

Meantime, I must ask again: Who brought that "child's life" into this campaign?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-08-28T14:29:44-06:00

ID

95005

Comment

Exactly ladd. Screw the hand ringers who grasp at straws. Smith and Ed Peters used this child and made the commercial long before Mr. Patton was told the truth about the case.

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-08-28T14:33:49-06:00

ID

95006

Comment

One other thing you have to ask yourself. If Precious Martin threatened to sue the family to get this guy to change his story, how come only the one guy recanted? Apparently there is one member of the Patton family who was not "intimidated" as Robert tries to tell us. Robert's story is so twisted, it is hard to keep up with it.

Author

xxgreg

Date

2007-08-28T14:39:28-06:00

ID

95007

Comment

It's funny that, supposedly, Patton's own attorney threatened to sue him. Wonder if Smith did his homework before he put THAT one out there for public consumption. How much deeper can this mess get before 7 p.m.?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-08-28T14:45:27-06:00

ID

95008

Comment

My vote is cast. Too little too late on Smith's part, no? Anyway, I voted for Faye. 11:30 AM and I was number 24. Sure hope the turnout picks up when people get off of work.

Author

LambdaRisen

Date

2007-08-28T14:58:18-06:00

ID

95009

Comment

We want the public to know that this political ploy is outrageous that they would put a campaign and dirty politics over a childs life... Sounds like something Melton would say, doesn't it?

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-08-28T15:14:07-06:00