DA Mark Mastroianni: Jones is charged with brothers Alfred and Raheim Reid, of Springfield, with selling drugs to an FBI informant on videotape.
Melvin Jones III, shown at his arraignment in Springfield District Court on charges related to a domestic disturbance earlier this yer, has been charged with conspiracy to sell crack cocaine.SPRINGFIELD – Melvin Jones III, who became a civil rights cause celebre after being beaten by a group of police during a 2009 traffic stop while an amateur videotape rolled, was charged Wednesday with conspiracy to sell crack cocaine by a grand jury in Hampden Superior Court.
The charges further muddy the waters for Jones – who had cocaine possession charges brought in connection with the traffic stop; those charges were later dropped. But in the meantime, Jones managed to pick up two arrests for shoplifting and domestic assault, had his bail revoked and is now being held behind bars pending resolution of those charges.
To complicate matters, Jones has a lawsuit pending against the police department in U.S. District Court for assault and civil rights violations. Jones is black while the officers in question are white.
One of the officers involved in the alleged beating, retired patrolman Jeffrey M. Asher, was fired and faces criminal assault charges in Chicopee District Court. Asher is scheduled to be tried beginning Nov. 28.
For his part, Jones is charged with brothers Alfred and Raheim Reid, of Springfield, with selling drugs to an FBI informant on videotape, according to District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni. Investigators with the FBI Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force said Jones sold the drugs on Dec. 2 and Dec. 13.
The Reids helped facilitate the deals and supply the drugs, according to prosecutors. The brothers were arrested by task force members this morning and are scheduled for arraignment in Hampden Superior Court this afternoon. Jones is being held in county jail.
"The pending District Court complaint in which Melvin Jones is a named victim will remain," Mastroianni said, referring to the Asher prosecution.
Shawn Allyn, a lawyer for Jones in his civil case in federal court, argued that Mastroianni brought the charges so close to Asher's trial date to sully Jones' credibility, already potentially wobbly because of his prior criminal record, and his recent arrests for allegedly stealing pants from a J.C.
Mark Mastroianni Press Release on New Charges Against Melvin Jones III
Penney outlet last year and a tussle with his girlfriend earlier this year. The latter charge prompted the revocation of his bail.
"He's just trying to tank the Asher case. If he was serious about prosecuting Asher he would have indicted him. The Feds rejected the case," Allyn said.
Asher was charged after Jones' criminal defense lawyer sought a complaint through a district court clerk magistrate last year. Three other officers involved in the traffic stop were cleared of criminal conduct but temporarily suspended by Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet in connection with it.
The case was referred to Superior Court by the U.S. Attorney's office, according to Mastroianni.
Allyn has said the domestic dispute was overblown by police who were acutely aware of Jones' history with the department. Allyn expected the charges against his client to be dropped at a previously scheduled hearing on Thursday.
Jones will be arraigned on the new charges also on Thursday.