Jackson Free Press

Sept. 20, 2007

Sources tell the Jackson Free Press that Mayor Frank Melton may have fired police officers who muddled the response to reports on Ludlow Street Monday that Henry Phillips, 50, was brandishing a weapon outside the house of his ex-girlfriend, Doris Shavers, 40.

The Jackson Free Press was at the Ludlow Street home yesterday prior to Melton's arrival on the scene, photographing shell casings that investigators had left in the house. People in the neighborhood were trying to guard the perimeter of the yard because police also left shell casings in the grass, from shots Phillips allegedly fired at other family and neighbors, in case police decided they wanted them. When Melton and his entourage came at 3 p.m., accompanied by WLBT and The Clarion-Ledger, he went in the home, spoke privately with the family and then his police entourage bagged and took the shell casings that had been left behind.

Witnesses told the Jackson Free Press yesterday in detail about how the police were called twice—once because Phillips threatened an 11-year-old with a gun due to jealousy that the child was talking to his ex-girlfriend, and secondly because the brother of the eventual victim, Doris Shavers, called the police again because he was outraged that Phillips had kept a gun and was still threatening people outside.

The police returned and still did not take at least one of Phillips' weapons. By the time police had driven away to the corner, Phillips allegedly had walked back inside, went up to Shavers, held the gun straight down on top of her scalp and shot downward as she was sitting on the sofa braiding her 12-year-old daughter's hair. It was her daughter's birthday.

The JFP is also told that JPD commanders attended an emergency meeting today in police headquarters downtown about the exploding controversy over their handling of domestic disturbances that are ending up with women dead. Police Chief Shirlene Anderson would only tell media earlier in the week that police handling of the Shavers case was a "personnel matter."

Previous Commentsshow

When Melton and his entourage came at 3 p.m., accompanied by WLBT and The Clarion-Ledger, he went in the home and then took the shell casings that had been left behind. You mean Melton physically took them? Who said he could? Did he have gloves on? What did he put them in?

LatashaWillis

Sep 20 2007

We weren't in the house, but Candy said the family said they bagged them up as evidence and left with them. We don't mean to imply that Melton stuck them in his pocket!

DonnaLadd

Sep 20 2007

Oh, thanks for clearing that up! As you can tell, I have watched a lot of CSI. :-P

LatashaWillis

Sep 20 2007

If that evidence doesn't disappear like $5000 from Precinct 4, then it won't be usable in court. ;-)

pikersam

Sep 20 2007

If the firings are true, it's about time Frank did something right. You'd think that officers would've learned something after they dropped the ball on George Bell III during the summer.

golden eagle '97

Sep 20 2007

I don't know that it's clear that he *can* fire them, though. Where is Shirlene, and what is she doing?

DonnaLadd

Sep 20 2007

Shirlene is where she always is....waiting for her instructions from FM on what to do next ;-) I have to agree with Golden that, if the officers were fired, it is about time FM did something right! Now if he would just go back and re-fire the officers that he rehired the one time Shirlene acted without permission we might be on to something.

honey2me

Sep 20 2007

Due process... don't forget. Heinous as it is, police have stayed on the force for much worse offenses. Otherwise, they are entitled to an investigation and a hearing before they are just fired. Mayor or not doing the firing.

pikersam

Sep 20 2007

Check the Clarion Ledger's story on whether or not the officers involved were fired or not. Little frankie can't even get on the same page with his do-nothing chief. They are the biggest joke. Par.For.The.Course.

Cliff Cargill

Sep 21 2007

I need more coffee...too many "nots"!

Cliff Cargill

Sep 21 2007

This is really sad. Domestic cases are the most dangerous calls for police. But it appears they could have prevented Phillips from harming Ms. Shavers if they had only listened to her family members and friends. They (officers) really dropped the ball on this one. Let's just see the Clarion Ledger and Frank Melton blame Faye Peterson for bungling this one.

blu_n_a_redstate

Sep 21 2007

Melton tends to talk just to hear himself talk. I don't believe the officers have been fired, due process or not. I do believe, however, that Shirlene will not be speaking to any reporters anytime soon. Remember the last time she fired some officers and Melton said they weren't fired? Well, she didn't respond to any media requests for good minute after that one! And while JPD may scramble to come up with something regarding domestic violence, this was a case of good ole common sense. You can't teach that!

honey2me

Sep 21 2007

I am disgusted that they allowed Phillips to keep his weapon after all the complaints from Shavers' family and neighbors - even reports he pulled it on a mentally challenged person! This and the George Bell case is really indicative of how some women are being devalued and harmed by the people closest to them, and the ones they often trust the most. To think that Jena kid was able to attend a school function the night of the incident and 5 guys were charged with attempted murder--- A woman with 57 staples in her head was ALLOWED to drop charges and the person responsible was hauled out of sight to rehab. Sick.

HaHa

Sep 21 2007

The city of Jackson definitely does not need another suit against it, but it appears this family has a legitimate case to sue those officers for contributing to the murder on Ms. Shavers. Also, while browsing the online section of the worst newspaper in MS, I found that that paper is reporting that During last night’s debate, John Arthur Eaves said Barbour needs to publicly disclose the details of his personal finances to show whether the governor still has monetary ties to Barbour, Griffith and Rogers, the Washington lobbying firm he founded. I hear the debate got pretty testy. Did anyone attend? Here's the link. http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070921/NEWS/709210371

blu_n_a_redstate

Sep 21 2007

This video is very difficult to watch. It shows a woman being tasered numerous times by an Ohio police officer. Look at all of the men standing around watching this poor woman get abused. For Heaven's sake. How many men does it take to subdue ONE woman? I shudder to think how many men--possibly those who neglected their duties in the Doris Shavers murder-- (who hate/disrespect/abuse women) serve as police officers throughout this nation. This creep certainly is one of them. Watch and weep. http://video.knbc.com/player/?id=159063

blu_n_a_redstate

Sep 21 2007

blu, I saw that on TV, and it makes me sick to my stomach. Look for a blog entry soon. Thanks for the video.

LatashaWillis

Sep 21 2007

It's like the Rodney King beating. Instead of reacting to pain and moving, you're supposed to be completely still when the police hits or tasers you. If you don't be completely still they keeping beating or tasering you. This is why we need cops who finished the third grade and aren't sadistic. Dumb and violent is too much to handle.

Ray Carter

Sep 21 2007

And did you notice he also kicked her? And when she fell and bumped her head against that car he continued to taser her. Why did he find it necessary to put his foot on her? The cop, who was suspended with pay, is now saying that his taser accidentally discharced several times during the arrest.

blu_n_a_redstate

Sep 21 2007

Folks, pleasae move the taser discussion here; Latasha started a thread on it.

DonnaLadd

Sep 21 2007

I don't see how Melton or Shirlene can fire the officers. After all, Tyrone Lewis, the commander of the training academy, said that all the JPD Rules and Regulations were DISCRETIONARY. He made this bold statement under oath during the Melton trial when trying to explain the actions of Recio and Wright. If the officers at the heart of the Shavers controversy are smart, they will subpoena Lewis to testify at their termination hearing and get him to say that they could not have broken the rules because they are all DISCRETIONARY. If he said something different, he would be committing perjury.

thetruth

Sep 21 2007

It is sad to see so many people lives hurt by this administration. This is probably only the beginning. But to the say this is a good thing for Jackson is a bad thought, but look at how Frank Melton treated Faye Peterson, making it seem as though this mess was her fault, when in fact it rest in his administration. Just a bunch of incompentent idiot who has always messed up the evidence and then expected the DA - Faye to work a wonders. I have always said and I repeat, the protection of Jackson is the police department and that staff of people needs to read their job descriptions. So now we have a spinless DA, who just wait and see that is going to start some Jena 6, right here in Jackson. This mess is only beginning. You can't treat people wrong and expect to not see it again.

BJM

Sep 21 2007

Blue I was at the debate. I say right now that I am an Eaves supporter for full disclosure. I also say, Haley was shaken or at least flustered at the debate. He turned bright red more than once and his hands actually were shaking after the blind trust issue came up. I am sure it was rage and you could see it in his expression and his comments he was mad. A couple of times it got to him and he got off track and just lashed out, then you could see him try to come back to message, but he certainly got upset and he lost his flow several times. As a side note, after the debate in the back, he chastised a reported (harshly) for not being ready enough then latter yelled at his staff. They were told to GET BACK TO THE OFFICE NOW ! STAFF MEETING He was HOT and his blood pressure was soaring AGamma627

AGamm627

Sep 21 2007

AGamm, I think you may have the wrong thread. :-)

LatashaWillis

Sep 22 2007

Tyrone Lewis also said that we will have to let frank melton break some rules if we want to get rid of crime. frank melton is not a detective: He is suppose to be the mayor of the city. frank melton is not the Chief of Police; however, he does need one: The Police Chief also need a Mayor. That was such a senseless death and seemed avoidable if the officers had just done their job. What about the man in custody last evening who was killed by a police officer?. According to the news report, he was in custody. Does this mean he was handcuffed? If so, why did the office fire shots to his chest and his legs. This police stuff is going tooooooooooooo far. Where is the money or a report from Sherlene on the investigation with the $5,000 taken (stolen) from the safe at the station on State St.? If you are not going to tell us what happened to the money, let us know who the good willed person who was honorable enough to turn the money in. This person should be know to the community and praised. Also, any ideas about the robbery last night from the guys from Battle of The Bands. They were robbed at gun point for over $200,000.

justjess

Sep 24 2007

Justjess-- Also, any ideas about the robbery last night from the guys from Battle of The Bands. They were robbed at gun point for over $200,000. There’s something screwy with that. Where was security? Where was the JPD when a few ticket office workers were putting $200K in an SUV? How did the folks with guns in the white sedan know JUST when to show up as the workers were putting the $200K in an SUV? Something just doesn't add up. (At least not to $200K.)

Rex

Sep 24 2007

Is there any liability for the City/State for this robbery? Legal minds please answer.

justjess

Sep 24 2007

No liability. The Due Process Clause does not impose a special duty on the State to provide services to the public for protection against private actors if the State did not create those harms. The case law stems from a United States Supreme Court case named DeShaney.

Jennifer2

Sep 24 2007

Thanks Jennifer2. I hope those guys were insured by someone. They should have done something with Lords of London. Just employing the services of a Wells Fargo truck would have saved the day. I wonder if their expenses had been taken from the money? Just thinking.

justjess

Sep 24 2007

There’s something screwy with that. Where was security? Where was the JPD when a few ticket office workers were putting $200K in an SUV? How did the folks with guns in the white sedan know JUST when to show up as the workers were putting the $200K in an SUV? Something just doesn't add up. (At least not to $200K.) It's was an inside job. Just a hunch.

Jeff Lucas

Sep 24 2007

I believe it was an inside job, too. It should not have been that easy. WAPT link WLBT link The stadium is only insured up to $100,000, but they paid the promoter before this happened, so the schools should still get money. The money stolen was the stadium's cut. Related: Band Director robbed

LatashaWillis

Sep 24 2007

Things that make you go ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

justjess

Sep 25 2007

There’s something screwy with that. Where was security? Where was the JPD when a few ticket office workers were putting $200K in an SUV? How did the folks with guns in the white sedan know JUST when to show up as the workers were putting the $200K in an SUV? Something just doesn't add up. (At least not to $200K.) It's was an inside job. Just a hunch. The stadium hires its own security for certain events. JPD was not hired as security for the money!

pressthefight

Oct 15 2007

The police officers would have to go through civil service hearing in order to be fired. FM can't fire them just because he wants to. Its not WLBT anymore, just because someone won't do what you want or like you can't get rid of them.

pressthefight

Oct 15 2007