Melton, Ex-Bodyguard May be Tried Separately

ormer police bodyguard, Michael Recio, Mayor Frank Melton, an assistant to the mayor.

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton will soon be back in federal court trying to sever his case from his former bodyguard. MPB's Lawayne Childrey reports.

For Jackson Mayor Frank Melton it's business as usual. But tomorrow morning , a federal judge will hear arguments on whether the capitol city mayor and his former police bodyguard, Michael Recio, should be tried separately on alleged civil rights violations. Melton and Recio are accused in the 2006 sledgehammer destruction of a duplex that melton considered a crack house. Melton has said he will testify that Recio did not participate in the incident if they're tried separately. However, he says he won't if it means incriminating himself by testifying at his own trial. Judge Dan Jordan has been reported as saying, given the nature of what's presented it's going to be within his discretion either way.
This is the second federal trial for Melton and recio. The first one ended in a hung jury. For MPB news, I'm Lawayne Childrey.