by Adam Lynch
Photo by Jaro Vacek
Sept. 12, 2006
Pictured: Evans Welch on his parents' porch right after leaving jail Tuesday.
At 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, just as the Jackson Free Press was set to go to press, we spoke to Louvenia Welch, Evans’ mother. She told us that Evans, 45, was being released from the Hinds County Detention Center and was on his way home. Reporter Adam Lynch was waiting at his mother’s home an hour later when Welch came home for the first time since the Melton ordered him arrested the night of Aug. 26. He told his story to Adam before he had a chance to speak with anyone else, including family and neighbors. This is the first time he has told his side of the story.
Adam Lynch: Tell me what happened first that night.
Evans Welch: That big, heavyset fellow knocked (presumably bodyguard Michael Recio, based on other witness reports). One of them knocked, and Frank Melton came up through the back door with his pistol.
Lynch: With his pistol?
Welch: With his pistol. I was sitting in the front room, half asleep. Melton woke me beating on the house.
Lynch: Did you tell them to get lost?
Welch: I couldn’t tell them nothing. They was the police. (They said:) “We told you to get your ass out of here.” I asked (Melton), “Why do I got to leave?” He said, ӒCause I told you to leave.”
Lynch: Have you ever had run-ins with Melton before?
Welch: I ain’t had no run-ins with that man. That man has been just harassing me and bugging me since he thought he had a job down there to do these things. He’s been messing around my house, messing around and up and down my street, messing with people. I guess he thought he’d just take advantage of somebody who’s easily taken advantage of and thought he’d get away with it. He threw me outdoors naked, with nothing but a half pair of pants.
Lynch: So he came to you twice that night, right?
Evans: Right, within an hour. The first time he came, he tore up my house with sledgehammers, and I got around to asking him, “Can I get a pair of pants and a shirt?” So I went in there, got my shirt, and some other items and was leaving, saying, “When I come back, you better be gone.” I went in there to get my stuff, and he pops up again. He tore the house completely up the second time. The first time he went around the house with a big old stick and knocked out the windows, tore up my air conditioner, tore up my fan. He just went around beating in the windows.
Lynch: Did he do any damage inside the first time?
Evans: Yeah, he did. He came in and started jabbing holes in the wall. He beat the television. The second time he said, “let’s tear the front room up this time. Tear up everything. Just tear that motherf*cker down,” he said.
Lynch: He arrested you the second time, right?
Evans: Yeah. I’m standing there asking, “Can I get some of my things?” And he said, “Naw, you ain’t getting nothing. I’m tearing all this up.” That was the first time he came. The second time it was a complete mess.
Lynch: What did he say you were arrested for?
Evans: (Melton) said, “Just take him down and put him in jail and keep him. Put a hold on him. Tell them I said it.”
Lynch: What did (landlord Jennifer) Sutton do to get you out (of jail)?
Evans: I’m not sure. I haven’t talked to her, yet.
Lynch: Did you get hit at any time?
Evans: Frank stood in my face, him and the little black guy (presumably bodyguard Marcus Wright) and the white guy (presumably Michael Recio). They were all pushing around and hitting on me and bumping my shoulder. Pushing on me (gesturing to shoulder) saying, “Get out of here. Get on.”
Lynch: They hit you with their fist?
Evans: No, the butt of a sledgehammer.
Lynch: You mean the handle?
Evans: Yeah, the stick part. He came with the butt. They re-opened an old scar on my head. (Melton) saw me coming, and (one of the bodyguards) hit me.
Lynch: So you got hit with the handle the second time? What were you doing while they were tearing up your house?
Evans: Just standing outside. What the hell could I do?
Reached on his cell phone Tuesday, bodyguard Michael Recio said that neither he, Marcus Wright nor the mayor could comment on Evans’ story because of the ongoing investigation.
All quotes in this story Copyright 2006 Jackson Free Press. Any use of these quotes must directly attribute the Jackson Free Press and Adam Lynch.
Correction and clarification: In the print edition of this story, Welch was quoted as saying "...bumping my yet." This was a typographic error and has been corrected to read "...bumping my shoulder." Also, in the print edition, Welch said: "Yeah, the stick part. He came with the butt. They re-opened an old scar on my head. (Melton) saw me coming, and he hit me." The pronoun in the last sentence has an unclear antecedent, and may have led some readers to think that Welch said Melton struck him. It was clear in the actual interview that Welch meant that a bodyguard struck him.
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