Jackson, Miss. Mayor Frank Melton, 60, died early this morning with his wife , Ellen Melton, by his side, according to City Hall spokeswoman Goldia Revies.

After coming in third in his city’s mayoral primary election Tuesday, Melton was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. According to sources close to City Hall, Melton has had a series of health problems but officials have declined to give details.

Next week, Melton was due in court for trial following an incident that led to a federal indictment and did severe damage to his career. In 2006, fed up with drugs in his city, Melton attacked a local crackhouse in Jacksons Virden Addition neighborhood with a sledgehammer. A jury failed to reach a verdict in the case in February when he was tried. Critics slammed him for behaving erratically, without authority and breaking the law.

Meanwhile, Jackson’s City Council has tapped its president, Leslie Burl McLemore to be acting mayor.

“I am going to respect the mayor’s privacy even in death,” Revies told reporters.

Melton was born in Houston, Texas in 1949 and relocated to Jackson from Tyler, Texas before running for mayor.

Video: City Councilmember Remembers Mayor Melton

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