Episode 118: Giovanni Melton (Part 1)

Suffer the Little Children

Suffer the Little Children Pod

True Crime, Social Sciences, Science, Society & Culture

4.6 • 937 Ratings

🗓️ 30 June 2022

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On November 2, 2017, a tearful man called 911, telling the dispatcher he had shot his teenage son. Wendell Melton claimed that during an altercation with his 14-year-old son, Giovanni Melton, his gun accidentally went off, striking Giovanni in the chest. Giovanni was rushed to the hospital, but he did not survive.

After Giovanni’s death, multiple people came forward with information indicating the killing was not an accident, instead the deliberate action of a homophobic father who couldn’t tolerate having a gay son.

In next week’s episode, we’ll hear from Giovanni’s mom, Veronica Melton, who has channeled her grief and anger into advocating for LGBTQ+ youth of color with the hope of preventing tragedies like her family’s.

This is part one of the heartbreaking story of Giovanni Melton.

Links discussed in this episode:

***Urgent! Please see this post for more information on how to contact Judge Michelle Leavitt before Friday, July 1, 2022 to make your voice heard for Wendell Melton’s sentencing hearing! https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1242273556547448&set=a.121744861933662 ***

Giovanni Melton Foundation website: https://giovannimelton.org/

Giovanni Melton Foundation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GiovanniMeltonFoundation.org/

Giovanni Melton Foundation on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giovannimeltonfoundation/?hl=en

PFLAG: https://pflag.org

National Black Justice Coalition: https://nbjc.org

Counter Narrative Project: https://thecounternarrative.org

Strong Family Alliance: https://strongfamilyalliance.org

Moms Demand Action: https://momsdemandaction.org/

Everytown Survivor Network: https://www.everytown.org/organization/survivor-network/

National Action Network: https://nationalactionnetwork.net/

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Ah, she's brilliant. Miss, I finally got plans out the group chat. We get it. Four votes for a festival,
0:05.9	three for a city break. It's hard to adhere to everyone's needs. There's Betty with her
0:09.6	oversized tent. Sarah and her six foot eight boyfriend.
0:13.0	All right.
0:14.0	Roger Junior and his dog, Roger Senior.
0:16.0	And don't get us started on Mel.
0:19.0	But, like a marriage counselor, she's the one keeping things together.
0:22.0	All aboard, Miss I finally got plans out the group. a marriage counselor, she's the one keeping things together.
0:22.6	All aboard, miss, I finally got plans out the group chat.
0:25.6	Keep everyone's plans alive when you travel with us.
0:28.0	P, and O'Ferees, there is another way.
0:31.6	Oh, he's cute, Mr. I can never sleep when I'm traveling. He's hugging his pillow like a sloth on a branch.
0:40.0	He couldn't sleep before. Now listen to him him sounds like an elephant with a chest infection
0:46.0	Well they call him a dreamer and now they're right all aboard mister I can never sleep when I'm traveling.
0:53.0	Find all the comfort you need in the quiet lounge.
0:56.0	Piando Ferries, that is another way.
0:59.0	This podcast contains descriptions of violence against children and adult language
1:04.4	and is not suitable for all audiences.
1:06.8	Listen or discretion is advised. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Hi everyone and welcome to suffer the little children the true crime
1:52.1	podcast giving voices back to the victims of child abuse, and shining a harsh spotlight on the parents, guardians and caretakers who silenced them.
2:01.0	I'm your host, Lane, and this is episode 118, Giovanni Melton Part 1.
2:07.0	On November 2nd 2017 a tearful man called 911, telling the dispatcher he had shot his teenage son.
	...

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