To the Editor:
I have been following the thousands of Manchester (NH) residents, and dozens of politicians, who are calling for the resignation of my friend and Alderman Joe Kelly Levasseur. I wish to say that while he is a Republican and I am a Democrat, and we have different political views, when I lived in Manchester for four years, I always voted for him. The reason I supported him is because his heart was always in the right place. Like me, he cared about people and his community. He would sit down and talk with me, advocated for me, and defended me when Alderman Peter Sullivan politically attacked me on his blogs where he falsely labeled me as an “Accused Felon.” I missed seeing Joe Kelly Levasseur around after I moved to Amherst (NH) over 11 years ago.
The Manchester Police Department was very tough on me. I still believe I was the victim of Police Officer John Cunningham’s illegal uses of force. I believe he lied about his actions during my arrest on June 7, 2007 to cover his own behind at my expense. I was indicted on two felonies that I was acquitted of in NH Superior Court. My case should have been heard in NH District Court, but they were Hell-bent on trying to send me to NH State Prison for 3.5 to 7 years of my life. It was so unfair!
I did receive a letter in the mail after my trial by jury from the then Manchester Police Chief apologizing to me for Police Officer John Cunningham’s disrespectful behavior. The witnesses said that Cunningham yelled at them: “I don’t care if he (Jonathan Melle) is disabled!” He was an Army Veteran like me, but he didn’t care that I am a 100 percent service-connected disabled Army Veteran. The worst part was that I was ordered to issue an apology to him, which I am sorry for my actions, but he never apologized to me for his disrespect, lies, and illegal uses of force.
In closing, I am happy that I moved out of Manchester because I do not have to deal with the MPD and the likes of Police Officer John Cunningham. Police Officers get away with breaking the law most to all of the time, but if someone like me breaks the law, they excessively and unfairly throw the proverbial book at me to cover their own behinds.
Jonathan Melle
Amherst, NH
