Jackson Free Press

Melton said this in The Clarion-Ledger today about his time in jail:

"I got up a couple of times wanting to go somewhere and do something. And that's when it hit me, 'I'm locked down,' " Melton said. "I couldn't jump in the swimming pool, see my kids, walk my dog. It was a huge deal for me."

The question is: What "kids"? Under his bond and probation, he's not supposed to be around "kids" 17 or under. What gives?

Previous Comments

ID

126534

Comment

Since Melton has ignored other aspects of his probation, it would not be an astounding shock if he were ignoring this one, too. Is PSC checking his home for youngsters? For what it's worth, this quote raises a good point. At least he's aware of the so-called "OJ factor": "While I'm pleased to death that I'm at home, I'm worried to death about that 22-year-old, that 23-year-old who's been there for two years," he said. "I was no different than anyone in there. The issue is because I have resources I was able to hire counsel so my case could be heard fast." Finally, there is Rev. Belinda Johnson: "When Frank Melton was at WLBT and when he purchased a billboard and said, 'This man sells drugs,' (voters) knew what they were getting," Johnson said. "They knew that he was unorthodox. I am literally afraid in Jackson." I want Rev. Johnson to repeat the following, very slowly, over and over again: A = Unorthodox is OK. B = Committing felonies is not OK. A does not equal B.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2007-03-10T09:44:36-06:00

ID

126535

Comment

I guess by "kids" he could mean some of the college age kids he has around. Next week the City is having children's day camps, so look for him to challenge his parole by visiting one. See, to me that may fall under duty of being mayor; but not some "sleep-over!" Ewww.... The Rev. Johnson is one of those "coin-operated" reverends that Kim Wade talks about! That is so true of so many of today's churches. What a great way to put it! I think this is a good time to remind the readers that Jeremy Bibbs, who Melton took under his wing, is going to jail for 8 years for a PAROLE VIOLATION! He was convicted of selling cocaine, and put on parole by a nice Judge in Rankin Co.! Recently, he was found with a gun in his dorm room at the junior college he attends. That, to many, is a minor parole violation. But, I hope Melton sleeps well at night knowing money buys his freedom while his own "kids" rot in jail. In a lot of these situations, people will ask, "where's the parents?" Well, where is Melton? It's time parents, and Melton, took more responsibility with their children! Just in the last 18 months, how many of his "kids" have been arrested? One or two multiple times!

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-03-10T10:33:55-06:00

ID

126536

Comment

Pikersam - Does the nice Judge in Rankin County have total discretion over granting probation or is there a formulary they follow - as far as first offense = probation....? I have zero tolerance for drugs and for dealers - and I've always wondered if a tougher stance wouldn't help? And I agree 100% parents need to take responsibility for THEIR KIDS

Author

cita

Date

2007-03-10T11:48:43-06:00

ID

126537

Comment

Swimming Polls?

Author

tombarnes

Date

2007-03-10T12:03:00-06:00

ID

126538

Comment

Sorry, Tom, hadn't had enough coffee. Fixed now. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-03-10T15:22:54-06:00

ID

126539

Comment

cita, please go and read the Melton articles in the Melton blog. I do not want to have to rehash the history of Melton since you decided to join in from "out of town" every time you want to question what one of us writes about Melton. Melton has "adopted" or "housed" many children in his house. He tries to play "daddy" to children he finds worthy. He does this without any oversight by the DHS. He is allowed to do this after being accused of sexually abusing two boys, who later died in separate unsolved "gang" shootings. During the investigation, Melton hired the FBI agent in charge of his investigation to work at his TV station - without prior television experience. The investigation was dropped two months later. This will be my last time to rehash Melton for you. The formula you ask about? Parole violation equals jail until a parole revocation hearing can occur. Melton violated parole. Simple math. If Jeremy Bibbs had a different mentor than Melton maybe he would have a different take on following the law. Maybe being rewarded for selling drugs is not the answer. Bibbs was one of MS next rising football stars. Maybe he could have turned it around if given better guidance by Melton. Many players do when shown the right path to success. But, considering Melton didn't even go see his own son play for Texas against USC in the National Championship Football game last year, what do you expect. Bibbs got 8 years for his parole violation.

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-03-10T15:56:38-06:00

ID

126540

Comment

You are a complete whacko. Where was BIGG's Parents? End of story Last post from me, you can be assured. You, the Editor of this RAG are on a witch hunt. Get yourselves elected and save the city. I'll move back when sanity returns.

Author

cita

Date

2007-03-10T16:02:47-06:00

ID

126541

Comment

I now ask myself... WWDLD ;-D BTW: I am the walrus. And, Paul is dead.

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-03-10T16:07:02-06:00

ID

126542

Comment

I don't even know what cita is yelling at me about on this thread! Maybe she thinks I'm you, Pike. I am certainly not you, for the record. Don't rush back on our account, cita. The world's a big place. As for Bibbs' parents, his mother has been Melton's housekeeper, if I'm not mistaken. For the record, I feel sorry for that young man. I met him at Melton's house, and he was one of the ones who concerned me the most. He seemed lost and confused by all the madness around him and was downright befuddled when Melton put a badge on Abby-the-dog's collar (I got the impression that was my benefit; several of the young men who live there seemed shocked by it). I hope Mr. Bibbs gets the help he needs and finds his way. Pike, you're just brown-nosing again. Stop it. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-03-10T16:26:05-06:00

ID

126543

Comment

What makes the whole Bibbs situation sad, too, is the amount of talent he had that could've translated into at least a scholarship to play football at whatever college that would've offered him one and get an education and make something out of himself. The meal ticket was in his hand and he fumbled it (pun intended).

Author

golden eagle '97

Date

2007-03-10T16:55:43-06:00

ID

126544

Comment

I know, Golden. Reading through his history, I suspect that living with Mr. Melton was the exact thing he did not need. He needed professional guidance, and how can you get it from a man who is running around in a Mobile Command Center every night? I mean, I've been at the house twice when all the adults run out to attend to evening activities, leaving a house-ful of young men there to mentor each other, I guess. Again, I liked every young man I met there (or talked to; Christopher Walker was so nervous that he wouldn't stay in the room so I don't really know what he was like). I think there is (was?) some amazing potential under that one roof. But the atmosphere of guns and alcohol did not strike me as the best choice as a place to mentor at-risk kids. I'll never forget Bibbs' sad eyes. My heart breaks for him. He's in my prayers, as are the others.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-03-10T17:05:41-06:00

ID

126545

Comment

Cita: WHAT part of this stuff is made up that ladd writes about? sure, she's a little self-righteous, gets a little too carried away with her wit at times and will rip your head off when you make her mad, but what exactly has she written about Melton that was not true? I've yet to see her refuted. At another site that makes fun of us moonbats they rarely refute the facts themselves or try to do so, they just name call and write lame insults. Come up with something better Cita. Written by Kingfish, as acclaimed by Donna Ladd, the most tasteless poster on the JFP. ;-)

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-03-10T18:50:12-06:00

ID

126546

Comment

Cita: WHAT part of this stuff is made up that ladd writes about? sure, she's a little self-righteous, gets a little too carried away with her wit at times and will rip your head off when you make her mad, but what exactly has she written about Melton that was not true? I've yet to see her refuted. At another site that makes fun of us moonbats they rarely refute the facts themselves or try to do so, they just name call and write lame insults. Come up with something better Cita. Written by Kingfish, as acclaimed by Donna Ladd, the most tasteless poster on the JFP. ;-) oh, and sorry Golden Eagle Boy. I was at the massacre today at Alex Box Stadium.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-03-10T18:50:48-06:00

ID

126547

Comment

I'd rather be a moonbat than a dingbat. :)

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2007-03-10T19:08:36-06:00

ID

126548

Comment

she's a little self-righteous, gets a little too carried away with her wit at times and will rip your head off when you make her mad, but what exactly has she written about Melton that was not true? That may be the coolest thing anyone has ever written about me, Kingfish. I'm flattered. Really. ;-D You are indeed a tasteless rube, but you're our tasteless rube.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-03-10T23:24:30-06:00

ID

126549

Comment

oh, and sorry Golden Eagle Boy. I was at the massacre today at Alex Box Stadium. Well, when you give up 13 hits, that's bound to happen sooner or later. But, as bad as it was, it could've been worse: Tougaloo lost to Millsaps 32-0 today. We now join our regular programming already in progress.

Author

golden eagle '97

Date

2007-03-10T23:35:35-06:00

ID

126550

Comment

Here's a chat piece from today's Clarion-Ledger. "It is entertaining," said Will Vinzant, who lives in Vicksburg but said he works in Jackson often. Interviewed outside a downtown gas station, Vinzant said he can't help but follow Melton's actions, whether he wants to or not. "You got somebody who's trying to stand up and do something about all the problems," he said. "But I think he's a little crazy, too. Maybe he's using that craziness in the right way." And maybe we should destroy the moon to reduce the inconvenience of tides. That would be crazy, but crazy like a fox, right? Crazy like a fox, Jackson resident Darrius Johnson said. "He should have stayed locked up," Johnson said. If he weren't the mayor, Johnson said, he'd still be in jail and no one would care. It's unfortunate that the reporter doesn't understand what the expression means, because he makes Johnson look stupid with his paraphrase. Presumably, since Johnson thinks Melton should be in jail, he does not believe that Melton is "seemingly foolish but in fact extremely cunning." I can't help but think of a news "analysis" by that name on another site which makes for good laughs these days. "Automatic credibility"? Snicker. I think Melton's privileged treatment by the justice system may further erode his support. If we did the crime, we'd have to do the time," said Joseph, who came to Jackson after Hurricane Katrina destroyed her New Orleans home. Notice that all the people here who support Melton are from outside Jackson, and Jacksonians correct them. This does not bode well for Melton: "I think they are treating him very badly," said Shauneille Bell, who lives in Newhebron but was in Jackson getting her hair done. "They should leave him alone." Her stylist interrupted her. "You don't stay in Jackson," said the stylist, who would identify herself only as Tasha because "I don't want Frank to come and get me." "If he violated probation," she said, "he should go to jail." And here we have some clown from Brandon, where they actually still hunt witches from time to time: "It's a witch hunt; it's a witch hunt; it's a witch hunt," said stylist Marie Dear of Brandon. "They need to let the man do his job."

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2007-03-11T11:46:17-06:00

ID

126551

Comment

Personally, I opt for cunning AND insane. One does not preclude the other.

Author

Michele

Date

2007-03-11T16:58:39-06:00

ID

126552

Comment

Cita, you called Pikersam a wacko! It seems to me the wacko is really you. How can you say Ladd is on a witch hunt. She's the only editor around who "tells the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." Please do us all a favor and don't move back. It's people like you that got that "nut" FM in office in the first place.

Author

maad

Date

2007-03-12T11:56:13-06:00

ID

126553

Comment

I'd still like to know who the final five moonbats are.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-03-12T12:01:43-06:00

ID

126554

Comment

Brian, Saturday in the Ledge "Opinion" section every letter to the editor, except one, was in support of Melton. Everyone of them came from out of town! The one who complained about Melton was the only one from Jackson! I'd link; but, the Ledge doesn't let you go back a few days in that section. Figures!

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-03-12T12:39:48-06:00

ID

126555

Comment

It's always like that. The ones who are his biggest supporters are out-of-towners who are too far removed to know what's going on. Because they don't live here, they don't see what's going on. They see Jackson as this hopeless, crime-ridden city that time forgot and anybody that seems to be doing something about crime is doing a great job. Their warped sense of reality also makes them wonder why people in Jackson would be against him. My wish for them is to have Frank come to their towns and destroy their homes without due process, replace competent staff with those that don't know their left foot from their right foot and demoralize their police force and let's see how quickly they'd want to send him back to Jackson.

Author

golden eagle '97

Date

2007-03-12T13:15:01-06:00

ID

126556

Comment

I have discussed and argued this point (through letter) with Ronnie Agnew. I argued that the CL is playing to a certain sector of the community and that he and others are pandering to those who pay their salaries. Of course, Ronie does not see racism in any form. He called this "an economic issue." After that exchange, I stopped trying to make my case. When will these folks stop selling their souls? Ronnie lives in Madison. I have no problem with this; however, he works in Jackson. The CL is located in Jackson, proper. Unless they plan to join the "Right Flight" movement, you would expect more concern about promoting opinions that will enable and ensure the best possible chance for further deteriation of the City I Love.

Author

justjess

Date

2007-03-12T13:31:27-06:00

ID

126557

Comment

We need to get rid of that baseball team! Or they need to play under a different team name.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-03-12T13:34:48-06:00

ID

126558

Comment

We had motorcycle policemen at one time. They won several national awards. Does anyone know what happened to them? I know for a fact that they were very active during the Johnson/Moore years. Also, what happened to the police who rode horses? Or better still, in keeping with animal protection laws, what happened to the horses? Have we been reduced to sherline, frank and his dog who have been seen wearing a police badge?

Author

justjess

Date

2007-03-12T13:46:54-06:00

ID

126559

Comment

Judge Webster has been appointed again to preside over Melton's violations. It amazes me how quickly the judges recused themselves. Ironically, the Sup.Ct. had no recusals when I know for a fact that he gave them all cowboy hats when he was first elected... That sounds like a gift to a Judge to me. :)

Author

LawClerk

Date

2007-03-12T21:24:45-06:00

ID

126560

Comment

no local judge will touch it. However, in all honesty, there would probably a motion to recuse no matter who the judge was.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-03-12T21:37:22-06:00

ID

126561

Comment

justjess, There are only a few motors left and the mounted unit is gone. One of the duties/responsibilities of the mounted unit was to patrol the downtown area. I have noticed that the vagrants have taken advantage of the absence of the mounted officers. I have also been told that crime has been way up in the downtown area. One gentleman who did not make a police report said that he came out to his car (which had been parked near Smyth Park) to find that his hubcaps were missing. He said that he walked along the road and noticed that there were quite a few vehicles that also had their hubcaps removed. He works in the downtown area. With the disbanding of the Mounted unit and also the crime prevention unit, is it any wonder crime is up? Not to mention the amount of overall officers which has decreased.

Author

Missy

Date

2007-03-13T07:35:51-06:00

ID

126562

Comment

Thanks Missy. This City has loss too much, too fast by a person who has too little. How can anyone think that he (melton) is fighting crime? I have posted many times that melton is a magnet for crime.

Author

justjess

Date

2007-03-13T10:55:55-06:00