Jackson Free Press

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton fainted during an inauguration ceremony for Hinds County officials this morning. Melton appeared to temporarily lose consciousness during the inauguration of officials elected during the November elections, including Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith.

Hinds County Emergency Management Director Larry Fisher helped Melton's bodyguard Michael Recio move Melton to a nearby courtroom. An AMR ambulance showed up a short time later, but left without Melton. The Clarion-Ledger reported that Melton drove himself home soon after.

"He's fine," Jackson Police Chief Malcolm McMillin told The Jackson Free Press. "I'm not sure where he is now, but I hear he'll be alright."

McMillin told reporters Melton had overheated in the muggy courtroom. The mayor reported last year that he is taking blood pressure medication, including blood thinners.

Late in the day, Melton attorney Dale Danks said that Melton would be spending the night in St. Dominic's tonight for observation.

Previous Commentsshow

I am just a bit curious here. I thought Recio was going to be doing Truancy work. Which, by the way, the state pays officers for that purpose. No other city in the state pays for such. Why in the sam hill is Recio still being called a bodyguard? All these appointments and re-appoints is getting to be so confusing.

JMK

Jan 7 2008

The part that makes me the angriest is that Melton—clearly a very sick man on several levels—is surrounded by cultures and enablers who haven't gotten him help or encouraged him to lead a safer, healthier lifestyle. I mean, his wife is a doctor for God's sake; can she really not convince him to live less stupidly??? Why isn't she on his doorstep every night until he goes home to Texas where she can help him take care of himself??? Plus, there's the issue of him endangering others, including kids, with the drinking. I think everyone of his enablers should be tarred and feathered.

DonnaLadd

Jan 7 2008

surrounded by cultures Vultures, maybe?

golden eagle

Jan 7 2008

Be careful Ms. Ladd you are treading very thin ice its one thing to openly disagree with the way someone runs the city. I dont think you know Mrs. Melton at all to say the least. I mean have you ever even spoken to her. It sure is easy to get on here and say what someone should be doing when in fact she has tried. He chooses to live in Jackson because he has always felt like that was his calling to help people. Needless to say seems like you must be perfect yourself I wonder if you have ever had any issues, seeing what you just wrote you couldn't have you must be perfect to get on here and discuss someone's marriage and if i sound too personal maybe its because you are speaking about my parents. I try to ignore somethings but you dont know my mother so by all means BE QUIET.

MattMelton

Jan 7 2008

mattmelton you are right, we don't know your mother. That's part of the problem, absentee 1st lady!

maad

Jan 7 2008

If that is indeed Matt, that's inappropriate maad. Matt, if that is you, thanks for being a great Longhorn at UT (team captain, I believe, and I know starting cornerback).

MAllen

Jan 7 2008

Well MattMelton, What is your family doing about frank's bad habits? You know your father is a public figure, and there are no family secrets until he leave office. That is the cost of being a Public Official. Therefore, if someone voice a concern about the Mayor's lifestlye that is directly related to his health. I hope the public can rely on the 1st lady (???) to get control of the of the Mayor's lifestyle where it relates to his health. So, WE can have a healthy Mayor to carry on with the City's business for a better Jackson. So if you're not contributing to help this problem, and you are his son, YOU BE QUIET.

Roc

Jan 8 2008

And, another thing Matt, I'm not trying to step on any toes here, but I have a problem with frank walking around inner city neighborhoods on the local news talking to inner city kids asking them WHERE IS YOUR FATHER? Did anybody ever ask you that question when you were younger? Not to get off the subject just curious.

Roc

Jan 8 2008

Matt, I hope that your father gets better...hell, we all could take better care of ourselves and do a little 'let's go walking'! I lost may father some time ago...tomorrow is not promised...talk to him and tell him to slow down...Jackson does need its leader but a children and wives need fathers and husbands more!

Big Tee

Jan 8 2008

I think we all know your mother well enough, given her absence from Frank's life for many years Matt.

Ironghost

Jan 8 2008

It must be hard having to go to both the C-L's and the JFP's websites to chastise and even threaten people who dare to share their opinions about your father. Maybe you should stop and look the other direction and figure out exactly what it is that has people so unhappy with the job he has done as mayor. Fainting in public does not give him a free pass, and he deserves a lot of the critical comments he is receiving. Frank is a public official and even though you are his son and take this stuff very personally, you are old enough to know that being in the public eye has its pros and cons. The negative comments are one of the things that go along with the job, and you do yourself and your dad a disservice (if this is in fact his son posting) by reacting the way you have, especially with the comments you made on the C-L website that appeared to be threatening people whose comments you did not like.

lls32001

Jan 8 2008

He chooses to live in Jackson because he has always felt like that was his calling to help people. I think the more appropriate question is...What is Frank's definition of "help"? Because-as we often say in the social work world-all this "help" is killing us.

Lori G

Jan 8 2008

Matt, thanks for posting. I can't imagine how hard all of this must be for you to read, and your family has my prayers. I really, truly pray that you can all pull together and get your father some help before it's too late. Clearly, he is in WAY over his head, and he does everything possible to make his own health worse. I've seen it first hand—with no one around him doing a thing to stop him. Nothing. Nada. I've also heard him talk about the people around him, and how he is a very lonely man and feels like he has few friends. I think he is fully aware that most people around him are there for what they can get from him—and it is very, very tragic that he somehow prefers that to living a healthier life with his own family in Texas. If one could argue that he is actually sacrificing his own family life to help the young people of Jackson, then it would be admirable. But he has proved hands-down himself that, even if he has those intentions as his top priority, he is actually doing little to help people here. If anything, he is pitting the troubled young people he prefers against those he despises. I have tried to call your mother, Matt, and I would be happy to have in-depth discussions with her at any time should you care to pass on that message. But one thing I will not do is "be quiet"—either about the way that Melton has tried to run this city, or on the way I believe that people around him have enabled him to hurt himself (when I say that, I mean mostly the vultures here in Mississippi who want his money and whatever else they can suck from him), but I will continue to wonder why your mother has not come and taken him home and helped him through some very difficult problems. Sadly, Melton made his personal life the public's life, not only by running for public office but by constantly using stories about his family as political fuel. That means that the public now has the right to ask these questions back of him. I know that must suck for you, and I have full compassion for you and your sister in all this, but that does not mean that the questions will not be asked, by me or anyone else. I do urge that comments about Melton be kept tasteful; there is never a reason to made fun of someone being sick, regardless of their public or personal track record. I second Big Tee's post, Matt: Talk to your father. He told me that he does not like being mayor. He's not good at it. We all know that. Ask him to do what's right for himself, his family and the city of Jackson: step down and go home to Texas and take care of his health. Please.

DonnaLadd

Jan 8 2008

Okay...this subject isn't going anywhere...to all you legal heads...please explain this whole setting bond amounts (forgive if it has been discussed before) process...because $250,000 seems low for a bond of the alleged murderer of Natasha Norman.

Big Tee

Jan 8 2008

(That's a different topic, Big Tee. Please find a Norman thread and post there. Or start a new one. Thanks.)

DonnaLadd

Jan 8 2008

You'd think, by the way, that the Ledger's Chris Joyner would know Revies' first name by now.

DonnaLadd

Jan 8 2008

funny...oh heck...never mind!

Big Tee

Jan 8 2008

To MAllen.... He only started three games as a senior. But, he did have a turnover for a touchdown. And, as far as I could tell he wasn't ever offered an invite as an undrafted free-agent for an NFL team after the draft. But, maybe he did later after the initial offers were listed on ESPN. Matt... Did or didn't your father attend the National Championship game you played in? I say he didn't because he was in Jackson that afternoon before the game. I may be an abnormal dad; but, it would take a 9/11 or Katrina type event to keep me away from seeing my son or daughter play in a National Championship game in college. My mom and dad are getting older, and may not be around one day, so I'm savoring every moment - good and bad - I've got right now. Y'all get him home to be with his real family. I know there are youths in Tyler he can help if that is a "must do" in his life.

pikersam

Jan 8 2008

Pike is right: Melton's tenure as mayor is a disaster. He is very unpopular here now and due only to his own actions and words. He is surrounded by money and power vultures. Take him home to Tyler. I mean, doesn't he have a history of working with kids there?

DonnaLadd

Jan 8 2008

BTW, here is the Ledger thread where it seems that Melton's son is commenting in addition to this site. I hope y'all can follow it better than I can; since they switched to yet another "improved" Web site, I can't find anything there or follow the comment threads. The people doing it clearly do not understand how the public uses Web sites. But I digress.

DonnaLadd

Jan 8 2008

Does anyone know who the man to the left in yesterday's Ledger photo of Melton fainting is? He looks familiar, but I'm not placing him. He's cut out of the same photo they ran today, so maybe they couldn't identify him, either! Just curious.

DonnaLadd

Jan 8 2008

I am responding without reading, so please forgive me if I am saying something that has been said but in response to MattMelton... Why did you call you mother Mrs. Melton? Shouldn't it be Dr. Melton? Any child of a doctor knows that and especially how insulting that can be with a total lack of respect for your mother.

Puck

Jan 8 2008

To expand on that, maybe MattMelton didn't know that Frank Melton's wife was a doctor. I guess I just have this idea that this might be some detractor trying to stir something up - that's all. Sorry for butting in, if I am wrong :)

Puck

Jan 8 2008

I think he's the real thing, Puck. He's posted here before under a different user name, but there is reason to believe from his registration that he's the real Melton son for reasons I won't disclose. That said, everyone should proceed with the understanding that this could be an imposter.

DonnaLadd

Jan 8 2008

Looks like the whole family is fractured to me.

Lady Havoc

Jan 8 2008

Mr. Melton will have heart surgery on Wednesday. I wish him a full recovery. http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080108/NEWS/80108017&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

tombarnes

Jan 8 2008

I do as well, Tom.

DonnaLadd

Jan 8 2008

Yes, I do think we all want the best for Mayor Melton and his health. and, it is tacky of those that poked at Melton's illness - which Matt should defend. But, for the health of this City, his TX family needs to take him home! It is what is best for both parties involved.

pikersam

Jan 8 2008

Agreed, Pike. It's truly absurd at this stage for him to stay in that office, and keep endangering his own health, as well as that of the city. Absurd and tragic. There are truly people around him that I really never be able to look at with a kind face. In many ways, I blame the enablers much more than I do him.

DonnaLadd

Jan 8 2008

I think you will all find this story interesting. It is about Matt Melton. It is entited "Matt Melton: The Ultimate Teammate." It was prepared and distributed by Texas Media Relations of the Univ. of Texas. I hope this link works. If it does not, simply go to www.texassports.com and search "Matt Melton." The title to the story will come up; story is dated 10/25/06 (piker, I knew about the stats you posted, but the substance of this story is what I find most important and why I am proud to call him a Longhorn; and he WAS good). http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_article_id=2545&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2 Hook 'em

MAllen

Jan 8 2008

I wish Melton well in his recovery. I will repeat what a supporter told me when I told him of the incident on Monday. To paraphrase, Melton needs to quit, this job is killing him... it is the stress that adds to his vices that continually worsen his health. I think, along with other posters and guessers, that Melton is border line Manic Depressive or may have a mild case of some imbalance of chemicals in the brain and, like may, "treats" or "doses" himself with alcohol and cigarettes (downers-booze, uppers, cigs), like many do, yet he is still functioning, but the stress has continually increased, which triggers the problems, which triggers the "medication" which worsens the problems... see the cycle. All the while his body is dying. The mayor needs to take care of his health. I oppose many of his plans as mayor, but I wish him no ill health. This job is literally speeding up his demise and he needs to take care of his health first. If that means resigning, resign. If that means him doing any manner of things and remaining mayor while saving his health, DO THAT! AGamma627

AGamm627

Jan 8 2008

Actually, MAllen that story is old news... Your dad or Larry pumped this Longhorn generated piece on the radio show. I wonder how many kids here in Jackson get cool stuff written about them that doesn't get read by a radio host during drive-time? He also likes Sponge Bob Square Pants... what's your point? Melton still needs to take it to the house for his health, and for this City if he truly loves it as he claims. But, I find that hard to believe when he is quoted as saying, "He doesn't give a shit what the people think." And, that's one of many negative comments he's directed at good citizens. That one just covered us all. Karma is catching up with this man. You don't do what he's done - the Councilwoman Barrett-Simon stunt being the last straw - without karma eventually biting you in the ass. Let's hope he gets well soon, and makes healthier choices for his future that doesn't involve being mayor of the City of Jackson.

pikersam

Jan 9 2008