Mayor Frank Melton traveled to an out-of-state meeting this week, although restrictions laid out in his bond confine him to Mississippi.
No one close to Melton’s case, including the mayor, would say if he had permission to leave the state. He is scheduled to return to work today and has called a department head meeting for this morning.
Goldia Revies, a spokeswoman for the city, said the mayor was at a meeting of Broadcast Music Inc.’s board, of which Melton is a member. She said the meeting was out of state but did not say where. A BMI official said the meeting was in Nashville.
The terms of Melton’s $10,000 bond call for the mayor to “remain in the state of Mississippi at all times” until his court date on Nov. 12.
At the mayor’s July arraignment, U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda Anderson said Melton could leave the state if he receives permission from his federal probation officer.
Carolyn Romano, chief of the U.S. Probation Office in Jackson, could not comment on the supervision of prisoners out on bond. She would not confirm whether Melton had asked for permission to leave the state.
“The particulars (of Melton’s bond conditions) are confidential between the participant and the court,” she said.
Clarion Ledger
9/25/8
