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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
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Original Indictment
Trial Order
Order Regarding Discovery
Order Setting Melton’s Conditions of Release
Govt. Motion for Jury Questionnaire and Individual Voir Dire
Govt. Opposition to Wright’s Motion for Additional Discovery
Order on Govt. Motion for Juror Questionnaire
Govt. Proposed Questions for Juror Questionnaire
Melton’s Proposed Questions for Juror Questionnaire
Govt. Motion To Exclude Evidence of Alleged Drug Activity
Exhibit A
Exhibit B
Exhibit C
Govt. Motion to Exclude Evidence of Good Conduct
Govt. Motion to Exclude Previous State Acquittal
Wright’s Subpoena of WLBT
Wright’s Proposed Questions for Juror Questionnaire
Recio’s Motion for a Bill of Particulars
Recio’s Motion for Disclosure of Exculpatory Information
Recio’s Motion for Severance
Recio’s Motion to Dismiss
Melton’s Motion to Require Notice of Prosecution’s Intention to Use Other Crimes as Evidence
Melton’s Motion for 10 Peremptory Challenges
Govt. Subpoena of Evans Welch Arrest Affidavit
Order on Jury Selection
Juror Questionnaire
Juror Affidavit
Gag order
Govt. Opposition to Recio’s Motion for a Bill of Particulars
Recio’s Supplemental Motion for Severance
Melton Affidavit
Melton’s Response to Govt. Motion to Exclude Drug Evidence
Affidavit of Christopher Walker
Affidavit of Daniel Smith
Affidavit of Michael Taylor
Affidavit of Faye Davis Head
Affidavit of Sharon Gray
Melton’s Response to Govt. Motion to Exclude Good Conduct
Melton’s Response to Govt. Motion to Exclude State Acquittal
Govt. Reply to Melton Response on Good Conduct
Govt. Response to Recio’s Motion for Disclosure of Exculpatory Information
Govt. Response to Melton’s Motion for Peremptory Challenges
Govt. Response to Melton’s Motion to Require Notice of Prosecution’s Intention to Use Other Crimes as Evidence
Govt. Response to Recio’s Motion for Severance
Govt. Opposition to Recio’s Motion to Dismiss
Govt. Reply to Melton’s Response on Drug Evidence
Recio’s Response to Gov’t. Opposition on Bill of Particulars
Recio’s Second Motion for Severance
Order on Recio’s Motions for Bill of Particulars and Disclosure of Exculpatory Information
Recio’s Motion for Time Extension
Melton’s Motion to Exclude Statements by Jim Hood and JPD
Recio’s Reply to Gov’t. on Motion for Severance
Gov’t. Notice of Intention to Introduce Evidence of Other Crimes
Exhibit:Oct. Clarion-Ledger Article
Order on Recio’s Motion to Dismiss and Motion for Severance
Subpoena of Michael Taylor
Gov’t. Proposed Voir Dire Questions for Jury Selection
Gov’t. Trial Brief
Melton and Recio’s Joint Motion to Dismiss
Subpoena of Evans Welch Drug Evidence
Recio’s Motion for Continuance
Gov’t. Response to Joint Motion to Dismiss
Order on Motions to Sever, Dismiss, Continue
Melton Exhibit List
Recio Exhibit List
Recio’s Motion to Reconsider Severance
Melton’s Brief on ‘Evil Motive’
Gov’t. Subpoena of City Attorney O’Reilly-Evans
Gov’t. Motion To Place 3 Motions Under Seal
Gov’t. Response to Melton’s Brief on ‘Evil Motive’
Melton’s Reply on ‘Evil Motive’
Order on Reconsidering Severance and Extension of Filing Deadline
Recio’s Motion for Extension of Time
Order on Extension of Time
Gov’t. Request to Postpone Wright Sentencing
Gov’t. Notice of Intention to Introduce Business Records
Order on Evidence of Drug Activity
Gov’t. Motion to Exclude Other Homes Destroyed and Other Official Misconduct
Order on Hearing for Melton’s Health
Order on Retrial
Melton’s Response on Jury Selection/Moving Trial
Recio’s Motion to Join in Melton’s Response
Gov’t. Response on Jury Selection/Moving Trial
Order on Jury Selection
Melton’s Motion to Reconsider on Jury Selection
Gov’t. Opposition to Melton’s Motion to Reconsider
Recio’s Motion to Compel Production
Melton’s Reply to Gov’t. Opposition
Gov’t. Proposed Additional Jury Questions
Melton’s Response to Gov’t Proposed Questions
Gov’t. Opposition to Defense Motion to Compel Production
Recio’s Notice of Intent to Seek DOJ Reevaluation
Recio’s Letter to DOJ
Order Reconsidering Jury Selection
Cynthia Stewart’s Motion to be Appointed Recio’s Public Defender
Order on Jury Questionnaire
Jury Questionnaire
Recio’s Renewed Motion to Sever
Order on Motion to Compel Production
Order Appointing Counsel
Gov’t. Response to Renewed Motion to Sever
Gov’t. Motion to Dismiss Count Three (Gun Charge)
Gov’t. Motion to Permit Reference to Marcus Wright’s Guilty Plea
Gov’t. Motion to Exclude Evidence of Evans Welch’s Arrest
Gov’t. Motion to Exclude Improper Arguments
Gov’t. Motion for Additional Peremptory Challenges

Previous Comments

Wow, look at all of those documents. There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes of a court case that the average person usually doesn’t see.

MFP Solutions Lab logo

The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.

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.