Mississippians! Frank Melton (mayor of capital city Jackson) is in jail...

[Maddy McCall]

for probation violation (carried a gun into a university, among other things he's done...And there's that sledgehammer to the home trial that's coming up in April). The city council just voted to ask for his resignation.

What do y'all think about it? Should we discuss this in the Mississippi state forum, instead of general discussion?

I'm not sure what to think. Rowdyboy had some excellent commentary on it, but I haven't seen him around lately.

[BOSSHOG]

1. I'm slightly familiar with the story

Not covered heavily by the Sun-Herald. The Mayor sounds a little wacky but he put his hammer where his campaign slogan was. He wants to take on crime, even if it takes committing crime. Our State Forum is somewhat of a ghost town and I'm as guilty as any of not contributing more. In other state news, the Picayune Republican Chief of Police is taking on the republican Sheriff in the upcoming Sherrif's race. There are at last eight candidates for the spot. Should be a fun election year.

[sandnsea]

2. Carson City Mayor got a DUI

Just so's you know you're not alone.

[Hosnon]

3. He should have taken a page from Tom Delay's playbook when he

went to get his mugshot taken:

[bumblebee1]

4. No kidding!! eom

[High Plains]

5. Mad Mayor Melton and his vigilante policing...lands in jail

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. This wannabe drug warrior illegally carried a gun, instituted unconstitutional drug checkpoints, and had some of thugs destroy a house they thought was a crack house--it wasn't. Melton is a danger to the community. Other drug warriors should follow in his footsteps, directly to jail.

[Bake]

6. Strange, strange story.

Of course, everything Frank does is strange! He was on probation from the concealed weapons case (part of a plea deal, as I recall). The probation required him to stay in the state. He went to Houston specifically for heart surgery, and supposedly continued to wear the ankle bracelet/monitor.

Hinds County Circuit Judge Tomie Green issued the arrest warrant for Melton, for violating probation by leaving the state. Oh, and it's not like he did it on the DL, either; the news fully covered his trip to Houston and his surgery. This is the same judge who RECUSED herself from Melton's concealed weapons case. I repeat: Recused herself. But she issued the arrest warrant.

So Frank is back in Jackson, MS, in the hospital. The county sheriff's dept. has men posted outside the hospital. The sheriff didn't want to arrest him while he was still in the hospital, because the county would somehow become liable for his hospital bill. So Frank apparently realized he couldn't stay in the hospital indefinitely.

The whole thing is a circus. As I passed the Hinds County Courthouse yesterday afternoon, there was a demonstration of about 100 people on the steps, with signs saying, FREE FRANK and LET THE MAYOR GO.

Bake

[Bake]

7. Latest: Frank is now free

The Mississippi Supreme Court vacated the arrest warrant which Judge Tomie Green had issued, ordered the mayor released, and removed Judge Green from the case.

The circus continues ...

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070309/NEWS/703090382

Bake

[Maddy McCall]

8. What do you think about it, bake?

I'm going to listen to people from the area, (especially you, in your profession) before I decide where I stand on this.

I'm tending toward thinking that Melton isn't able to handle the job, that he still relishes his glory days when he took Don Butler's place at the DEA. Not wild at all about him destroying someone's home with a sledgehammer, with a minor in tow.

What are you thinking about all of this?