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Jurors in the federal civil rights trial of Jackson Mayor Frank Melton and former bodyguard Michael Recio have been released until Monday after spending more than five hours today at the courthouse without deliberating.

U.S. District Judge Dan Jordan said the day was spent dealing with an “issue” that required him to interview each juror individually. He did not elaborate.
He said lawyers for both sides have until Monday to file motions.

Before releasing the jurors, Jordan repeated his standard warning not to discuss the trial with anyone and to stay away from media reports.

The defendants, defense attorneys and prosecutors have been in Jordan’s chambers all day.

During a brief break, Melton’s attorney, John Reeves, said he could not discuss what was going on.

“It’s going to be a lot longer. A lot longer. It could be days,” Reeves said.

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Panel’s work to continue again this morning

The waiting game continues today for a verdict in the federal civil rights trial of Mayor Frank Melton and his former police bodyguard, Michael Recio.

The jury tried to call it quits at 2 p.m. Thursday, the first full day of deliberations. But by the end of the day, there was no talk of an impasse.

Jurors agreed to reconvene at 9:15 a.m. today at the federal court house in downtown Jackson to continue their work. Melton, 59, and Recio, 39, face charges related to a warrantless, police-style raid on a Jackson duplex in August 2006. Melton later said the building was a “crack house.”

If convicted on all counts, the men face between five and 25 years in prison. Melton also would have to step down as mayor.

Recio, who is on paid leave from the Jackson Police Department, would have to turn in his badge. Federal prosecutors did not comment on the impasse.

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John Reeves gave an impassioned plea for jurors not to yield to pressure from some on the panel who want to convict Mayor Frank Melton and bring an end to his trial for damaging a Ridgeway Street house.

“You have promised to stand by your convictions,” the mayor’s defense attorney said in closing arguments. “It’s your sworn oath to vote not guilty even if 11 other people go the other way. Ladies and gentlemen, Frank Melton’s life is in your hands.”

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If wrapped up today, verdict could come by end of the week

Defense attorneys for Mayor Frank Melton and his former police bodyguard Michael Recio expect to wrap up their cases today in federal court, paving the way for a possible verdict by the end of the week.

It is still unclear whether Melton plans to take the stand. However, Recio’s attorney, Cynthia Stewart, indicated Recio likely will testify.

The plan was announced Tuesday at the end of a stop-and-go day at the federal court house in downtown Jackson.

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ABOUT THE TRIAL

DEFENDANTS

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton and ex-bodyguard Michael Recio

CHARGES

Three-count federal indictment linked to a 2006 raid on a northwest Jackson duplex

POSSIBLE PRISON TERM

Up to 25 years each

MONDAY

Potential jury pool cut from 95 to 65

TODAY

More jury selection, 10 a.m., federal courthouse in downtown Jackson. The public can attend, but seating is limited.
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Jackson Mayor Frank Melton held his chin high, rubbed his eyes, smiled when potential jurors described their hobbies to the judge, and frequently studied his fingernails. Melton, 59, appeared relaxed and attentive in federal court in downtown Jackson on Monday, often scrutinizing the faces of those who could decide whether he goes to prison.

The mayor and co-defendant Michael Recio, one of Melton’s former police bodyguards, face civil rights charges related to the raid and damage to a northwest Jackson duplex in 2006. Jury selection began Monday morning, with 30 potential jurors culled from a panel of about 95 during a process expected to run into Thursday, according to U.S. District Judge Dan Jordan. Throughout the day, only a handful of spectators ventured into the courtroom – among them Canton Assistant Police Chief Bracy Coleman, who served three years as Jackson’s chief until 2001.

“I’m here to support (Recio and Melton),” said Coleman, whom Melton considered naming police chief in late 2007 as a replacement for Shirlene Anderson. “I’ve known both of them for a long time,” Coleman said. Wearing a dark suit, tie and eyeglasses, Melton’s demeanor during Monday’s early going often matched that of the courtroom atmosphere, which smacked of a waiting room where patients awaited the results of their blood tests. The mood had thawed a bit by afternoon, with the bulk of the drama being staged outside on the steps of the courthouse.

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John Reeves For years, former State Rep. John Reeves advocated for Jackson in the Legislature. After narrowly losing re-election last year, Reeves has moved increasingly closer to Mayor Frank Melton. The mayor nominated Reeves for a Municipal Court position this summer, but withdrew the nomination in August, after critics pointed Read more

Melton says he will tap former state Rep. John Reeves as the replacement for Municipal Court Judge Melvin Priester. Melton pulls the nomination, and council members grant his wish to put Reeves instead on the city’s redevelopment authority. Melton later hires Reeves to represent him during the federal trial.