http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/jfp.php/jackblog/ en ladd@jacksonfreepress.com Copyright 2008 2008-10-21T21:11:00-06:00 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jfpmeltonblog/~3/T2juebT7a8U/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/pdfs_of_documents_filed_in_us_v_melton_102108/#When:20:11:00Z Most recent filings are listed at the bottom. Melton 2008-10-21T20:11:00-06:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/pdfs_of_documents_filed_in_us_v_melton_102108/#When:20:11:00Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jfpmeltonblog/~3/k-IWZybGwvY/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/the_jfp_story_that_started_it_all_07_12_08/#When:04:27:00Z Read Adam Lynch's breaking story that first revealed Mayor Frank Melton's Aug. 26 alleged rampage on Ridgeway Street in Jackson—the accusations that led to felony indictions of Melton and his bodyguards two weeks later on Sept. 15. Adam's story first appeared the afternoon of Sept. 1, 2006. You can read Lynch's exclusive interview with victim Evans Welch here. The JFP also broke the story about Evans Welch's schizophrenia here. See the JFP's full archive of Melton stories here View photos of Ridgeway Street duplex destruction. Melton 2008-07-12T04:27:00-06:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/the_jfp_story_that_started_it_all_07_12_08/#When:04:27:00Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jfpmeltonblog/~3/cs5hPwuxNug/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/ladd_profiles_frank_melton_in_reason_magazin/#When:01:57:01Z JFP Editor Donna Ladd writes about Mayor Frank Melton's shenanigans for Reason Magazine. The piece starts: Last September, my newspaper reported that on August 26, 2006, Jackson, Mississippi Mayor Frank Melton had taken an entourage of police officers and teenagers (some with criminal records) to a duplex in a poor neighborhood. Stating that the duplex was home to drug dealers, Mayor Melton then directed the odd mix of cops and teenagers to destroy the house with sledgehammers. Strange as it may seem, none of this surprised us. This is just our mayorדFrank,” as the former television executive and ousted director of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics insists that everyone call him. Most people, including a doting mainstream media, do. 2007-10-24T01:57:01-06:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/ladd_profiles_frank_melton_in_reason_magazin/#When:01:57:01Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jfpmeltonblog/~3/pvsiZQbp_sU/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/the_melton_tapes_donna_ladds_interviews_with_frank_melton/#When:20:22:00Z In spring 2006, Mayor Frank Melton broke his 14-month silence toward the Jackson Free Press, after refusing to give an interview to the newspaper after critical coverage of his campaign by JFP editor Donna Ladd, who was later joined by Adam Lynch and Brian Johnson. Over several weeks, Ladd spent many hours interviewing Melton, and went on two ride-alongs with him and police officers on the Mobile Command Center. Here are transcripts of those interviews: Note: The following interviews have been temporarily pending completion of a special project. Part I: The Passions of Frank Melton (Reader's Guide) Part II: The Obsessions of Frank Melton Part III: The Trials of Frank Melton Part IV: The Future of Frank Melton Ride-along narrative: On the Road Again" 2007-10-18T20:22:00-06:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/the_melton_tapes_donna_ladds_interviews_with_frank_melton/#When:20:22:00Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jfpmeltonblog/~3/8EsEnBduXVk/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/federal_grand_jury_probing_frank_melton/#When:13:22:00Z The Jackson Free Press has gotten reports over the last week that people high up in the Melton administration are appearing before a federal grand jury this week to testify about his actions. Sources tell us that City Attorney Sarah O'Reilly Evans was scheduled to appear yesterday, and The Clarion-Ledger reported today that Police Chief Shirlene Anderson appeared yesterday. Sources have said for months that the FBI is probing a variety of actions by Melton—from the Ridgeway duplex demolition to possibly illegal searches to reports of influence over the awarding of public contracts. See the JFP's Melton blog/archive for background and the original breaking stories on these topics. 2007-10-11T13:22:00-06:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/federal_grand_jury_probing_frank_melton/#When:13:22:00Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jfpmeltonblog/~3/46hTFw2ggf4/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/melton_pulls_3_million_from_citys_reserves/#When:15:03:00Z by Adam Lynch September 28, 2007 The administration of Jackson Mayor Frank Melton got its wish from the council in a 3-to-2 vote in favor of raiding $3 million from the city’s $7 million budget reserve fund to fix a lingering hole in the 2007 budget. “I don’t like the idea of taking money out of the fund, but I don’t see any other way to deal with (the shortfall)," Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes said. 2007-09-28T15:03:00-06:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/melton_pulls_3_million_from_citys_reserves/#When:15:03:00Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jfpmeltonblog/~3/_dhGqxnvcaw/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/is_the_melton_administration_breaking_the_city/#When:20:17:00Z The Clarion-Ledger is reporting that the Melton administration revealed to City Council today that they still need $3 million in order to balance the city's budget—even though Council has already adopted a 2008 budget, which was supposed to balance the budget. The city wants to borrow the $3 million from the city's 7 million reserve fund. Administration officials refused to show up at a 2 p.m. budget meeting to answer questions about the shortfall, the Ledger reported. More details when Adam Lynch returns from City Hall. 2007-09-24T20:17:00-06:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/is_the_melton_administration_breaking_the_city/#When:20:17:00Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jfpmeltonblog/~3/aBgzK9rpLvI/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/breaking_did_mayor_fire_cops_for_muddling_domestic_case/#When:20:34:00Z by Candy Hagwood and Donna Ladd 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. 2007-09-20T20:34:00-06:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/breaking_did_mayor_fire_cops_for_muddling_domestic_case/#When:20:34:00Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jfpmeltonblog/~3/i_Agt-r1xII/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/melton_doesnt_show_fails_to_deliver_on_promise/#When:15:50:00Z by Adam Lynch September 7, 2007 Amid rumors that he is en route to Las Vegas for a music awards event, Jackson Mayor Frank Melton fell through on his pronouncement to deliver a new budget proposal this morning—and didn't show up himself for city budget meetings. Melton told the council yesterday that he would procure a new budget himself overnight that did not include a tax increase, after enduring accusations from council members that his preferences—such as cuts to JATRAN and the JRA—were not reflected in the current budget proposal. “With the president’s approval, I’ll have this budget balanced in the morning. You’re not going to like it, but I will balance it in the morning,” Melton told council members yesterday. 2007-09-07T15:50:00-06:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/melton_doesnt_show_fails_to_deliver_on_promise/#When:15:50:00Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jfpmeltonblog/~3/R0N0uwww5Zk/ http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/melton_to_devise_new_budget/#When:17:27:00Z by Adam Lynch September 6, 2007 Jackson Mayor Frank Melton told City Council members this morning to toss out the current city budget after some members criticized the discord between the mayor and his own budget. He vowed to produce a new budget by tomorrow morning. Melton discredited his current budget yesterday, telling a Clarion-Ledger reporter that he did not agree with his own budget proposal’s call for a tax increase. 2007-09-06T17:27:00-06:00 http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/melton_to_devise_new_budget/#When:17:27:00Z