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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
Note that any opinions expressed in legacy Jackson Free Press stories do not reflect a position of the Mississippi Free Press or necessarily of its staff and board members.

The Associated Press is reporting that Frank Melton, Michael Recio and Marcus Wright are headed to trial on April 23 for the demolition of the Ridgeway Street duplex and instructing at least one minor to help with the crime. For background, see Adam Lynch’s breaking Sept. 1 story here and news and blog updates on JFP’s MeltonBlog .

Previous Comments

No wonder he had the Triple (double?) bypass “done” so soon to the trial. Bet he milks it for all it’s worth.


Court TV, Court TV !!!!


Regaurdless of the outcome, I hear by officially offer my services to ANY elected official as bodygaurd. I also cannot legally carry a weapon in public, I will be available for trips to tropical locations to be paid for by a governmental agency, I will also be willing to draw a pay check from someone other than whom I am gaurding and get overtime for the pleasure of taking various trips. I will not commit any felonies…. There goes working for Frank and the city of Jackson…. Anyone else, call me I hope they all end up in prison. Granted Frank my enjoy the young male ratio to women, but that is the system

Founding Editor Donna Ladd is a writer, journalist and editor from Philadelphia, Miss., a graduate of Mississippi State University and later the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, where she was an alumni award recipient in 2021. She writes about racism/whiteness, poverty, gender, violence, journalism and the criminal justice system. She contributes long-form features and essays to The Guardian when she has time, and was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Jackson Free Press. She co-founded the statewide nonprofit Mississippi Free Press with Kimberly Griffin in March 2020, and the Mississippi Business Journal named her one of the state's top CEOs in 2024. Read more at donnaladd.com, follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @donnerkay and email her at donna@mississippifreepress.org.