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Melton’s Attorney Calls Police Investigation Flawed Following Acquittal

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM)- After his client, Joshua Melton, was acquitted on a second-degree murder charge in the death of his friend on Thursday (Dec. 4), MeltonR...

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM)- After his client, Joshua Melton, was acquitted on a second-degree murder charge in the death of his friend on Thursday (Dec. 4), Melton's defense attorney, Drew Ledbetter, said he believes the investigation conducted by the Fayetteville Police Department was flawed.

"The big issue is, this was a bad investigation," Ledbetter said. "The evidence in the trial showed that."

According to Ledbetter, Melton's history as a football player for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks may have influenced first responders who were called to Melton's house in August 2013 after he found Michael Gover dead in his home.

"I think we should have a conversation about our police being objective when they approach a crime scene," Ledbetter said. "I think it played a role in the way the police conducted the investigation on August 28."

But according to Captain William Brown of the Fayetteville Police Department, investigators treated this case as they would any other.

"I don't know how you would spin that," he said. "We treat everybody the same. We treat every investigation the same. It doesn't matter who is involved. We are seeking what happened. We are seeking the truth."

Ledbetter said he also questions the way police approached questioning Melton.

"Josh was interrogated for eight-and-a-half hours using a technique called 'the Reid' technique," he said. "It is designed to reach a conclusion that the officer walks in the room with. It is designed to get a confession from someone whether he is guilty, or not."

But Brown said the police department's interview tactics are standard procedure.

"Reid is a method of interrogation that is widely used," he said. "We don't open the door, look into a crime scene and say 'I know what happened,' and try to make our investigation fit."

Brown said the Fayetteville Police Department's heart goes out to everyone involved in the tragedy.

"We respect the jury's verdict," he said. "But, we believe the jury's verdict was  based on causation, not our investigation."

According to Ledbetter, Melton is relieved and looking forward to spending time with his family.

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