Mountain of evidence getting higher on Melton

Now, this.

A Jackson police officer who was transferred from his job riding a Segway scooter around downtown alleges his transfer to the night shift in west Jackson was Mayor Frank Melton's way of getting back at him for cooperating with federal investigators.

Officer Robert Watts filed a notice Tuesday of intent to sue the city for alleged retaliation for talking to FBI agents about the mayor. He is seeking more than $250,000 for "mental anguish" and punitive damages.

Police Chief Malcolm McMillin says he, not Melton, spearheaded Watts' reassignment. His decision, he said, was based on job performance, but he would not go into detail.

"I had him transferred, but I did not make the decision as to where to put him," the chief said Tuesday. "I said send him back to patrol, and that's the last I heard of it."

McMillin said the mayor had nothing to do with Watts' transfer.

"When I took this job a year ago, Mayor Melton agreed he would not interfere with the operations of the department," McMillin said. "So far, Mayor Melton has not asked me to do anything as far as where to assign or promote my personnel."

In the notice, Watts alleges Melton threatened him about talking to the federal grand jury two days after the mayor was indicted. Watts said he was directing traffic on July 11 when Melton approached him and complained, "I heard you have been running your ... mouth."

According to the notice, Watts said Melton said, "I got you later, and you'll learn that."

Watts said the next week he was transferred to Precinct 2.

"It is widely known throughout JPD that, with the exception of the downtown patrol area, Precinct 2 has the highest rate of violent crime in the city," Watts contends in his letter, adding "outspoken" officers often end up transferred to the night shift.

Melton did not return a call seeking comment on the notice.

City Attorney Sarah O'Reilly-Evans also did not immediately return a call for comment.

McMillin said Watts will continue to patrol his beat while the city responds to his intent-to-sue notice. "He has every right to file a suit," McMillin said.

Dorsey Carson Jr., Watts' attorney, said the money is not important. Watts just wants to make sure it does not happen again, he said.

"He's got faith in the Police Department, and he has got faith in his superiors to not act in a retaliatory manner when he is doing his duty and telling the truth in participating in a criminal investigation," he said.

Citing a gag order placed over the mayor's trial, Carson would not say what Watts told federal agents about Melton.

Carson said Watts has had "an impeccable service record over his nearly three years with the JPD." Watts worked as a Precinct 3 patrol officer before being tapped to patrol downtown.

Melton and his former bodyguard, Michael Recio, are facing federal civil rights charges related to their alleged participation in an Aug. 26, 2006, police-style raid on a duplex Melton maintains was a crack house. The trial is scheduled for Jan. 5.

Federal investigators interviewed numerous city employees and officials, bringing many of them to testify before a federal grand jury. Defense attorneys said last week the government has amassed more than 6,000 pages of evidence involving Melton and Recio and former bodyguard Marcus Wright, who pleaded guilty last month to a lesser charge and is assisting the prosecution.

A filing earlier this month by federal prosecutors indicated that testimony may go beyond the civil rights charges, including allegations that Melton offered promotions to JPD officials called to testify against him.

The notice of Watts' intention to sue Melton comes amid tensions between City Hall and the Police Department following the departure of then-Deputy City Attorney Katherine Pugh, who at JPD, was responsible for handling issues such as responding to records requests in the federal government's investigation of Melton. After Pugh left, McMillin hired her as attorney for the Hinds County Sheriff's Department, which he also oversees.