Anti-Gun Mayor Convicted on Gun Charges

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200611/POL20061122a.html

A Mississippi mayor has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor weapons charges after carrying a handgun on church and school property, and a gun rights group thinks now would be a good time for him to step down from Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG).

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton, a Democrat, pleaded guilty Nov. 15 to the misdemeanors to avoid felony charges that would have cost him his job.

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In July 2006, the American Civil Liberties Union called for an investigation into claims that he had "violated the civil rights of Jacksonians through warrantless searches of homes, vehicles and persons and by violating the due process rights of persons detained and/or accused of crimes."

The ACLU alleged that Melton, who is black, has "created an environment where racial profiling is accepted, due process is ignored, searches are conducted illegally, and police brutality is commonplace."

According to The Hill newspaper, Melton created a stir in the U.S. Capitol in July when he received credentials that would have allowed him to carry a firearm in the building, a privilege normally reserved only for active-duty police officers.

The Hill reported that Melton is known for carrying a firearm with him at all times, including on commercial airline flights and in accompanying Jackson police during crime-fighting efforts.