Jackson Free Press

Green Protests Danks Hearing

Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Tomie Green filed a motion (PDF, 211 KB) with the Mississippi Supreme Court objecting to the court's decision on her call for sanctions against former …

Analysis: Passion Ruled In Melton Trial

Photos by Jaro Vacek

On April 26, a Hinds County jury acquitted Mayor Frank Melton and Dets. Michael Recio and Marcus Wright of all 11 charges they collectively faced for demolishing a duplex at …

Fight or Fight

It's an odd world where Councilman Kenny Stokes is standing with FOX News celebrities who care more about profiling young blacks than protecting citizens' rights. But in the aftermath of …

‘Citizen Bloggers' Get Busy at the Ledge

I need some room to rant. Have you seen this crap?

I am just now discovering the CL's "Citizen Bloggers"

The Folks Are Coming

A JFP reader commented on our Web site Tuesday that it is a very different world in which citizens can watch live feeds of a trial on WAPT's Web site …

Day 4: Not Guilty On All Counts

Mayor Frank Melton and his police bodyguards, Marcus Wright and Michael Recio, were found not guilty on all counts. When court was recessed, it exploded in applause, with members of …

Day 4: Melton Trial Goes to Jury

Reporting by Brian Johnson

Today's proceedings in the trial of Mayor Frank Melton and police officers Marcus Wright and Michael Recio began at 8:30 a.m., with the judge and attorneys for both side discussing …

Day 4: Dr. Ellen Melton in Front Row

Photo: Dr. Ellen Melton leaves the courtroom after closing arguments today with city employee Stephanie Parker-Weaver (left). Melton, the wife of the mayor, lives in Texas. Photo by Jaro Vacek. …

Friends in the Trenches

An appellate panel denied breach-of-contract claims by retired Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics agent Robert Pierce against The Clarion-Ledger last week.

Tearin' Up Virden: The Melton Trial

It began while they were watching the newest version of "Walking Tall" starring the Rock, witness Lawrence Cooper Jr. said during the first day of testimony in the felony trial …

Day 3: Stokes Testifies; Defense Rests

Reporting by Brian Johnson

The defense elected to call only one more witness this afternoon—Councilman Kenneth Stokes. Under direct questioning by Melton attorney Dale Danks, Stokes said he had lodged complaints about drugs in …

Day 3: Police Officers Testify

Two police officers testified for the defense this morning. First was Sharon Gray, a 27 year veteran of the force who has spent the last five years as a records …

Day 3: Jury May Have Case by Noon Today

<i>Watch for updates.</i>

Word from the courthouse is that the judge may send the case to the jury by noon today. So far, defense attorneys have put no witnesses in front of the …

Day 3: Judge Limits Defense Options

<i>More details to come.</i>

As attorneys for Mayor Frank Melton prepared to mount their defense today, prosecutors protested to the judge that the defense had not provided adequate discovery on some of its witnesses. …

Day 2: Prosecution Rests

The prosecution in the felony trial of Mayor Frank Melton and police detectives Michael Recio and Marcus Wright rested late Tuesday afternoon, after a multitude of witnesses described how the …

Day 2: Many Objections, Eye Witnesses at Melton Trial

After Senior Assistant District Attorney Stanley Alexander finished redirect of Lawrence Cooper Jr. in the felony trial of Mayor Frank Melton Tuesday morning, Judge Joe Webster called a brief recess. …

Day 2: ‘No Drugs to Flush,' Witness Says

Lawrence Cooper Jr., who was the first witness for the prosecution in Mayor Frank Melton's felony trial, said the incident began when he heard people outside the duplex say, "The …

Day 2: Welch Watching ‘Walking Tall' Before Attack

In the opening statements and first testimony in the Mississippi v. Melton et al. trial, prosecutor Stanley Alexander came out of the gate with a focus on the events of …

Day 1: JFP Blogs Figure Prominently in Voir Dire

On Monday, defense attorney Merrida Coxwell Jr. conducted voir dire for Melton. In his second question, he asked if any potential juror read or made comments on media blogs, specifically …

UPDATED: Council, JPS Report Mayoral Threats

This is an updated version of this story that broke Monday on the JFP Web site.