Controversies and Criminal Proceedings
July 19, 2006 - Jackson Mayor Frank Melton received criticism from advocates for the homeless when he used the city’s emergency order to enforce a 10 p.m. curfew for the city’s homeless population. According to Michael Stoops, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington, the curfew is the first of its kind in the nation. He also said that it effectively amounts to a modern Jim Crow law.
July 26, 2006 - Frank Melton raises security concerns with US House of Representative, and senior Homeland Security Committee Democrat, Bennie Thompson (MS) when Melton applied for, and was issued, a United States Capitol Police badge and identification card. The card allowed Melton, armed, to bypass security in Federal Buildings, congressional offices and Congress. Wilson Livingood, sergeant-at-arms for the U. S. House, stated in the report to Thompson dated Aug. 17 that Melton showed a Jackson Police Department credential to Capitol police.
August 26, 2006 - See above for Ridgeway incident.
Nov. 15, 2006 - Melton pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors for carrying a weapon into a church and a park, and no contest to a reduced charge on what had been a felony count involving a gun onto the grounds of the Mississippi College School of Law.
March 1, 2007 - Judge Tomie Green issued a warrant for the arrest of Frank Melton. The warrant was issued on the basis of probation violation because Melton resumed going on midnight club raids, while wearing an unofficial badge, among other possible violations.
March 7, 2007 - Frank Melton left the hospital in the early morning and returned home without alerting the Sheriff's Department. After his ankle bracelet alerted his probation officer that he was back at home, the sheriff called and told Melton to turn himself in to Hinds County authorities, where he was put into the medical ward of the jail.
March 8, 2007 - The Mississippi Supreme Court vacated the arrest warrant for Frank Melton, and asked that Hinds County Circuit Judge Tomie Green be recused without explaining the reasons for either decision.
April 24, 2007 - Frank Melton goes on trial for felony charges stemming September 15, 2006 demolition of a house on Ridgeway Street.
April 26, 2007 - Frank Melton is found not guilty on all counts.
February 2, 2009 - Melton's federal civil rights trial for demolishing the Ridgeway house began.
February 24, 2009 - Melton's federal civil rights trial ended in a mistrial when jurors notified the judge that they could not arrive at a verdict. The case was scheduled to be retried on May 11.
Read more about this topic: Frank Melton
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