Melton retrial set for May 11

The Clarion-Ledger, 3/6/9

While the rest of Jackson’s mayoral hopefuls are pursuing their campaigns, Mayor Frank Melton again will be preparing his defense.

In a teleconference with attorneys on Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Dan Jordan set May 11 as the date for a retrial of Melton, 59, and his former police bodyguard, Michael Recio, 39, on federal civil rights charges. A jury deadlocked on those same charges in a trial that ended last week.

“The government is going to pursue the indictment one more time,” prosecutor Mark Blumberg said.

When prosecutors suggested an early May date for the trial, Melton’s attorney, John Reeves, tried to get the trial moved until after the mayoral primary in May.