Crime-fighting mayor finds trouble

JACKSON, Miss. -- Mayor Frank Melton came into office like a Wild West marshal sworn to clean up the town. But somewhere along the line, prosecutors say, the crime-fighting mayor crossed over from lawman to vigilante.

The 57-year-old Melton was indicted last week on malicious mischief and burglary charges, accused of leading a group of teenagers with sledgehammers in smashing up a house that he claimed was a drug den. He was also charged with carrying a gun on school property.

The indictment was the culmination of a furor that had been building for months around Melton, the city's second black mayor in modern times, over his penchant for picking up a gun, putting on police gear, and taking part in sweeps, raids, and roadblocks despite warnings from prosecutors that he was impersonating an officer.

The arrest has led many people in this crime-ridden city to rally to Melton's side. Days after his indictment, the mayor promised a throng of supporters outside City Hall that he would stay the course, despite calls for his resignation from some City Council members.

``I'm going through very tough times . . . but I've been through them before," said the former TV executive and director of the state narcotics agency. ``Will I continue to take down houses? Absolutely. I'm going to make sure they're legally taken down, but we're going to continue to aggressively take down the crack houses in Jackson, Mississippi."

Melton and police Detectives Marcus Wright and Michael Recio pleaded not guilty to the charges in Hinds County Circuit Court. A trial date was set for Nov. 7. If found guilty, Melton could get up to 50 years in prison.

Melton, a native of Texas, made his mark in Jackson in the early 1980s when he became a major shareholder in Civic Communications Inc., a minority-owned broadcast company. He oversaw day-to-day operations at WLBT-TV in Jackson.