Jackson Free Press

The Jackson Free Press has obtained a copy of a statement that the Department of Justice is about to release announcing that Mayor Frank Melton and his two bodyguards have been indicted for the Ridgeway Street duplex demolition on Aug. 26, 2006, a story that Adam Lynch of the Jackson Free Press broke on Sept. 1, 2006. The verbatim press release follows. Sources tell the JFP that Melton and the bodyguards have not been arrested, but will appear in federal court next week.

Washington – A federal grand jury in Jackson, Miss., returned a three-count indictment against Frank E. Melton, the mayor of Jackson, Miss., and his two bodyguards, Jackson police officers Michael Recio and Marcus Wright. The three men were charged in connection with a conspiracy to tear down a private home in Jackson and thereby violate the civil rights of the owner and resident of that home, announced Grace Chung Becker, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

The indictment alleges that on Aug. 26, 2006, the defendants invited several young men onto the city's mobile command unit. The group allegedly drove to a home on Ridgeway Street, where Officer Wright ordered the occupants outside at gunpoint. Thereafter, Mayor Melton allegedly knocked out several windows of the home with a large stick and ordered the young men accompanying him to destroy the home using sledgehammers while Wright and Recio stood guard.

According to the indictment, the defendants and the young men left the area briefly and then returned for a second visit later that evening. Upon their return, Mayor Melton again allegedly ordered the young men to destroy the home with sledgehammers and again, Wright and Recio stood guard while the destruction occurred. The Defendants and the young men allegedly destroyed the home and its contents. The indictment alleges that the Defendants did not have any lawful authority to destroy the home, and that they conspired to deprive the home's owner and occupant of their right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures by those acting under color of law.

The three men are also charged with using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The conspiracy charge and counts related to the deprivation of constitutional rights each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The charge alleging the use of a firearm in a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum prison term of five years.

Read the 2006 Jackson Free Press story, which broke Melton's involvement in the Ridgeway duplex demolition, here and view a photo gallery of the damage.

View archives of the JFP's award-winning investigative coverage of Frank Melton here (older archive) and here. Read "Nightmare on Ridgeway Street" to learn more about the people whose civil rights the three men are accused of violating.

See "The Mysteries of Frank Melton", the result of a three-year JFP investigation about accusations that have long haunted Melton.

And in case you have a lot of time on your hands, click here for 388 JFP stories and posts about Frank Melton and the Ridgeway duplex.

Previous Comments

ID

131944

Comment

Finally - one step closer.

Author

Puck

Date

2008-07-09T15:45:32-06:00

ID

131945

Comment

Uh ohhhhhhh!

Author

Queen601

Date

2008-07-09T15:57:49-06:00

ID

131946

Comment

I'm shocked. How many times is the mayor going to have to beat the system in order to show he's above the system? They should be ashamed of themselves for trying this at this late hour, but if they want to have Frank beat them too, so be it. Frank is untouchable and the man I want to be like someday in the event I fortuitously grow up. I've said my peace and I'm gone for a week. Cheers. Go Frank and take the big white dude and little black dude with you!

Author

Walt

Date

2008-07-09T15:59:41-06:00

ID

131947

Comment

I just went to the C-L's webiste...not a mention yet. Go JFP!

Author

golden eagle

Date

2008-07-09T16:08:29-06:00

ID

131948

Comment

Frank had better get busy getting the national and Mississippi Legislatures to change who can serve as jurors. His popularity has dipped so low by now with adults that he may need the chiluns to serve as jurors and save his rump this time. The federal boys and girls usually take the time to make sure they have you bent over the barrel with your pants down, and the only question left for the defendant is how do you want it.

Author

Walt

Date

2008-07-09T16:17:56-06:00

ID

131949

Comment

Awesome... I hope justice will finally be served on this one!

Author

andi

Date

2008-07-09T16:20:07-06:00

ID

131950

Comment

It's hit everywhere by now. :) Yay Feds. I hope they're not as scared as the local judicary is.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2008-07-09T16:48:48-06:00

ID

131952

Comment

Thanks, golden. For the record, we posted the above release at *4:33 p.m.* For some reason, our server is an hour ahead. [Update: Fixed by Todd] Suddenly, I feel like I could sleep for a year. Remember, I've told y'all for a long time now: It ain't over 'til it's over. And: In a civil society, nobody can be above the law.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-07-09T17:13:20-06:00

ID

131953

Comment

I saw Frank in Channel 16 a few minutes ago, and he had a somber look on his face. I didn't see the hubris and arrogance I'm so accustomed to seeing. Everybody has a breaking point and perhaps Frank is being beaten down slowly by prosecution after prosecution. Who will indict him next after he beats these charges - the international courts? Surely, I see jurisdictional problems, but I have every confidence Frank can beat them too, no matter the formidability of the courts or prosecutors. The sad thing about all of this is that Frank had finally started to act like the incapable mayor we all knew he was instead of like a raging fool who had watched too much television as his source or guide for crime fighting. I had started to admire him for staying out of the way and news media.

Author

Walt

Date

2008-07-09T17:15:27-06:00

ID

131954

Comment

Iron, I would hazard to guess that this trial will be a different ballgame than the first one. For one thing, no Judge Webster and his allowing the "evil intent" idiocy.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-07-09T17:20:07-06:00

ID

131956

Comment

We have to see if federal law allows the same type of argument (evil intent). More than likely, the feds watched the trial, read the transcript and indicted in a manner to preclude any such arguments or defenses, else I'd be surprised.

Author

Walt

Date

2008-07-09T17:25:35-06:00

ID

131959

Comment

Funny, the Ledger is trotting out a big front-page package now on this. Remember, that is the paper that wouldn't touch the Ridgeway story ... until after Adam broke it. Two days after, I believe. Losers.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-07-09T17:41:53-06:00

ID

131960

Comment

WLBT is reporting that Dale Danks no longer represents Melton. Intriguing. Folks, it will get more interesting before its gets more dull. Mark my words.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-07-09T17:51:33-06:00

ID

131962

Comment

"WLBT is reporting that Dale Danks no longer represents Melton." It's probably because, and I'm merely speculating, that Melton is out of money. If, and when, Melton accepts a PD, then we will know for sure. Or, someone might try to take it pro-bono just for name recognition.

Author

LawClerk

Date

2008-07-09T18:31:15-06:00

ID

131964

Comment

Do we know for sure that Melton ever paid him?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-07-09T20:14:34-06:00

ID

131965

Comment

Given that Melton hasn't paid his taxes on his house or his security bill from three years ago, it might be safe to say he hasn't paid Danks. Either that or even Danks can smell the roses and it ain't pleasant.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2008-07-09T20:25:15-06:00

ID

131966

Comment

It was certainly a long time in coming, but it is so gratifying to see federal charges against Melton et al. Here's looking at you, Wright and Recio. There were so many flaws in the first trial. As Donna mentioned, chief among them was the idea that as long as Melton had a positive attitude while he broke the law, then he never really broke the law at all. As we reported then, that is a gross distortion of what "malice" means in "malicious mischief." The maddening thing about that trial was that the defendants essentially admitted to breaking the law "with an explanation." I really cannot wait to read the actual indictment, and today's magical phrase is "under color of law." At the risk of exposing a certain giddiness, couldn't the last three years be described as civil rights violations under the color of law? I imagine that this is only the first of many indictments. Keep 'em coming, feds!

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2008-07-09T20:38:22-06:00

ID

131967

Comment

Brian! I was just talking about you to Todd. You were such an integral part of these initial investigations of Ridgeway and beyond. There is no one who knows that case better than you. Glad to see you posting. Long time coming, eh? As Todd says--which has become the mantra of the JFP: "Do the right thing and wait." And I have to say, I still giggle over your story about you and Adam going over to the house that day and you getting stuck in the mud. What a time that was. What a time this is. It'll be intriguing to see how many years in federal prison Recio and Wright are willing to serve to back up the mayor this time. Also, it was gratifying to be able to be the first media out with this today. You would have appreciated the scenario, Brian. I was about to give a speech on date rape, of all things, to a group of students at Jackson State and an incontrovertible (sp?) source sent me a text, and started the ball rolling. I called Adam, and we went back and forth--It's confirmed! Post it!" I was yelling--and then my phone went nuts with calls and texts just as I had to start my talk. But the home office got it up quickly, and then other media started the big scramblel, posting that a story was coming on it, probably based ont he statement from DOJ that we posted. The Clarion-Ledger was the last to get it, it seems, even later than the Sun-Herald and AP. Looks like FOXNews got it out soon after we did, it seems, and before most local media. Just like old times. ;-) Miss you! But Ms. Maggie Burks held her own on it today, alongside Adam and Vince. Of course, it was just icing to beat the Ledger, AP and TV on it; the real work was done back when you and Adam were getting stuck in the mud. The weird thing is that the Ledger is moving all their old Ridgeway trial stories to the top of their site, as if they are current, which is confusing as all hell. Methinks they are still confused by the Internets. And it seems they are trying to hide their lack of coverage of old of this case by frontloading what they did later on. Weird. But, hey it's Gannett. We should be used to subterfuge by now.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-07-09T20:44:15-06:00

ID

131977

Comment

The weird thing is that the Ledger is moving all their old Ridgeway trial stories to the top of their site, as if they are current, which is confusing as all hell. Yeah, like this this editorial. Heck, I thought it was written tonight until I read the first sentence: Frank Melton has reason to smile today, acquitted on all charges related to the the damaging of a duplex in August 2006, and with that avoidance of felony charges, able to keep his job as Jackson's mayor. I started thinking why would Melton smile over this? Wow, the C-L won't even tell their readers they rehashed old stories. Just another sad story (pun intended) at the downtown Johnny-come-lately club.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2008-07-09T22:18:37-06:00

ID

131978

Comment

By the way, I posted a diatribe against the C-L on their own website over their coverage on Melton. If it's OK, I'll post it here in case they erase it. If not, I'll save it as a draft in my e-mail and send it to any of you who request it.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2008-07-09T22:43:24-06:00

ID

131979

Comment

Sure, go ahead. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-07-10T06:08:41-06:00

ID

131980

Comment

Well, here's my diatribe (and it's still on the C-L's website as of right now): "Thanks for tricking your readers into thinking that this paper has suddenly seen the light on Frank Melton and now you want to wash your hands of it by bringing up old articles. Where were you in 2004 and 2005 when you all did everything you could to make sure he was elected by ratcheting up the fear of crime, even though crime had been going down in the previous Johnson administration? Now that Melton has turned out to be a disaster and is about to go down faster than the Titanic, you want to jump on the bandwagon against the mayor. Welcome to the club, but the C-L's hands are still dirty from all of this because of the softball treatment given to the mayor. While you're not responsible per se for Melton's actions, your blind loyalty to him during his campaign makes you partly responsible for the disaster Jackson has become under his watch." 7/9/2008 11:32:26 PM

Author

golden eagle

Date

2008-07-10T06:45:55-06:00

ID

131984

Comment

All, true, golden. And never forget that the Ledger passionately endorsed Melton, even while they knew he was lying to a judge under oath about leaking them that faulty document accusing drug agents of all sorts of stuff. Here are some fun excerpts from the original endorsement, for posterity: Jackson needs a mayor who will make crime-fighting a priority, will not tolerate crime in any form and will instill public confidence — that the city's law enforcement officials are doing all they possibly can to keep the public safe [...] This newspaper has not always agreed with Melton. He tends to shoot from the hip and, at times, relies too heavily on the force of his personality. But no one can doubt his motivations, commitment and dogged work ethic. Melton exudes action and this city needs action. Jackson needs to dash ahead and not continue to plod. There may be questions or disagreements about what Melton may do, but at least we know he will do something. Frank Melton offers strong, dynamic, decisive leadership. We recommend Frank Melton in the Democratic Primary for Jackson mayor. Actually, Ledger, anyone paying attention could "doubt his motivations, commitment and dogged work ethic." It was your responsibility to give the people the information they needed to make informed decisions. You didn't. Now look. And there are many people, including some of your own staffers, who will never understand your Metro Desk's hesitation to tell people about the Ridgeway duplex attack (which we note you are now calling "damaging an alleged drug house"). A city with the potential and issues of Jackson needs quality media. If not, we'll end up with mayors who tell people what they want to hear and make ridiculous promises like he'll solve crime in 90 days ... and get endorsed by people who can't even read an indictment correctly. It is important for people to remember: We did not have to be in this place right now. And there is a whole lot to learn about how not to be here again. A big chunk of that is having a mainstream media not afraid to tell the truth about popular political candidates.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-07-10T07:55:02-06:00

ID

131987

Comment

Thanks Donna. I often think of that day when Adam and I first checked out the story. I remember he went out and did some initial interviews. When he came back to tell us what he had found, it was so incredible that we could hardly believe it. So he and I went back, and then I got my car stuck. Adam rode up on his Honda Shadow, like a mythical paladin. I drove up in my dented, broken Saturn and immediately got it stuck, like a mythical monkey-man. It was a great alt.journalism moment. Once that farce was concluded, we interviewed some more people in the neighborhood, many of whom were understandably hesitant to go on the record about what they had seen. Yet, all of them were unequivocal about what had happened: The mayor had come in the MCC and torn down the house. I remember looking at the house, which had literally been torn apart, and asking people what it had looked like before. They said it had looked like all the other houses around--that is to say, by no means luxurious, but structurally sound. It was just hard to imagine how the mayor had torn a house apart to the extent that its walls were falling out into the yard. Everything inside was smashed. There was paint dumped all over the place. It was really something to see.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2008-07-10T08:42:26-06:00

ID

131988

Comment

Well, I sure would like to have the "why" answered this time around. I don't believe that question has been adequately addressed, although there is certainly speculation. But I'll leave that there.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-07-10T09:05:12-06:00

ID

131990

Comment

Donna, I agree! Why *that* house? Why did the mayor not use the procedure for demolishing a "drug" or abandoned house? I picked up the C-L joyfully this morning at a coffee shop, saying out loud, thank God somebody's finally bringing this one to justice. Turned out a member of the county sheriff's department was behind me in line & he and I got to talking. In his mind, this was a no brainer. HE said, in Madison they have a procedure for that, and they follow it. Why can't Frank do the same? He also said a lot about the waste of time on the bodyguards, and a whole lot about the police chief fiasco - from what he said the entire dept. was in chaos during that time, and Frank was the instigator by pitting different local candidates against one another instead of doing a national search.

Author

Izzy

Date

2008-07-10T09:44:19-06:00

ID

131991

Comment

Finally, Jackson can now breath a sigh of relief. Our long, national nightmare just might be over. I think it's going to be pretty difficult for him to scare down the feds. He's out of money, and he's toast. I wonder what's going to happen to his precious little boy-toys when he goes down? Those poor little dangerous beings are really going to suffer when Frankie goes up the river to the big house. What will they ever do without him?

Author

blu_n_a_redstate

Date

2008-07-10T10:39:49-06:00

ID

131995

Comment

Admittedly, I'm brain-dead today, but isn't it really, really old news that the state offered Melton a deal if he would resign back when he first indicted for Ridgeway. Didn't we report that, Brian? The Ledger is acting like this is big news and helping Melton play it as such. Ed Peters helped negotiate the deal behind the scenes, and Melton almost took it. I have a copy of the proposed deal somewhere. I don't believe the feds were involved in the plea offer, however, certainly not the one that was in writing.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-07-10T13:14:47-06:00

ID

131997

Comment

Yes, Donna, that is really, really old news. We reported on that in D.A. Drops Bombshells almost two years ago. In the game of legal chess that recent indictments of Mayor Frank Melton have become, District Attorney Faye Peterson fired bombshells back at Melton and his attorney Dale Danks Tuesday, revealing that Melton and Danks had, in fact, negotiated the mayor’s own plea deal with her weeks ago, before later reneging on the deal. This was during the pre-trial phase of the state's case, when both sides repeatedly hurled allegations of misconduct at each other. It's worth noting that this story was also the first indication we had that the FBI was investigating Melton. Remember that Det. Wright went to the DA to seek a plea deal, and the DA directed Wright to talk to the feds. Wright then changed his mind, and Danks tried to use the episode against Peterson.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2008-07-10T14:14:35-06:00

ID

131998

Comment

P.S.: That was the story that got me subpoenaed! The subpoena remains one of my prized possessions. For those who don't remember, the JFP filed a motion to have the subpoena quashed, and Judge Webster threw out the subpoena.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2008-07-10T14:16:26-06:00

ID

131999

Comment

Right. I knew you would be able to fill that one in without my digging it out. For the record, since then, we learned that the AG was privy to all that, and that Peters helped negotiate it. Apparently, Melton seemed like he was going to take the deal and then backed out. I don't think there is any secret about all this; it's weird to see the Ledger play it like it's big news. They really seem to have little report on all this. As far as I'm concerned, we'll point everyone to what we've done on this, which is extensive, and keep moving ahead with other stories instead of trying to rehash everything and make it look new. Weird way to do journalism.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-07-10T17:12:01-06:00

ID

132000

Comment

To emphasize: I think it is really unethical for The Clarion-Ledger to allow Melton to use old news to try to spin these indictments into being a "scam" by "political enemies." The Clarion-Ledger should quote old reported accounts about this and get out there and so some damn work and try to confirm just who offered him a deal before -- and whether the feds were involve with it. I'll be honest with you: I highly doubt that Peterson or Hood would have had the authority to speak for the feds. Once again, the Ledger is being spun by Melton and Danks. The more things change ...

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-07-10T17:28:03-06:00

ID

132001

Comment

Yes. Resting on your laurels is one thing, but resting on other people's laurels? That's Gannett.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2008-07-10T17:28:45-06:00

ID

132002

Comment

I'm afraid to get too enthusiastic about how this may turn out, and I'm not predicting what I think will happen, either. I'm just going to watch how this unfolds and give my reaction to the outcome.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2008-07-10T20:00:57-06:00

ID

132010

Comment

New York Times has a short summary of the indictments today and a large photo of Melton sitting in his office. (They should get in touch with photographer Kate Medley for amazing photos of Melton in his office and on ride-alongs with us carrying guns, etc. Hint, hint, Times.)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-07-11T08:37:16-06:00