Frank Melton, mayor of Jackson, Miss., died early Thursday, less than two days after losing a Democratic primary for re-election.
Melton, 60, died peacefully at 12:10 a.m. at a Jackson hospital with his wife by his side, city spokeswoman Goldia Revies told The Associated Press.
Melton had a history of heart problems and was taken from his home by ambulance Tuesday night, shortly after losing the primary.
At an emergency meeting Wednesday, the City Council tapped its president, Leslie Burl McLemore, to be acting mayor.
Unofficial results showed Melton trailing three other Democrats in a nine-candidate field. The top two finishers — Harvey Johnson, the former mayor Melton unseated in 2005, and city Councilman Marshand Crisler — advanced to a May 19 runoff.
Next week, Melton and a former bodyguard were set to go on trial for the second time on federal civil rights charges related to a sledgehammer attack on a home Melton considered a crackhouse. The first case ended in mistrial after a jury failed to reach a verdict.
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