A Mississippi judge has set bond at $1 million for 17-year-old Melanie Little, who authorities say was charged in a foiled plot to attack Morristown Junior-Senior High School this spring. The arrest and bond filing follow the January arrest of Morristown student Alexis Pickett and have prompted prosecutors to seek Little's extradition to Shelby County. The alleged target is the small Shelby County school, where graduation is scheduled in late May.
According to WISH-TV, Little was arrested in Corinth, Mississippi, in February, and a judge set her bond at $1,000,000. Prosecutors have not announced a date for her next court appearance. The Shelby County Prosecutor's Office previously told WRTV that Little initially refused to waive extradition and had been ordered held without bond while officials work to transport her to Indiana.
How investigators say the plot unfolded
A probable-cause affidavit filed in the case describes detailed online conversations and shared media that investigators say the teens used while planning an attack timed to graduation. As reported by The Associated Press, court documents state that Pickett sent videos and photos mapping hallways, dead ends, and other parts of Morristown Jr./Sr. High, and that both teens discussed May 25 as a possible target date. Shelby County Prosecutor Brad Landwerlen told AP, "The mother saved a bunch of lives," and prosecutors say both teenagers face attempted-murder and conspiracy counts that carry potential multi-decade prison sentences.
Legal status and next steps
Pickett, a Morristown senior, was arrested in January and is being held on a $1 million cash bond ahead of an April 20 trial. Little remains in Mississippi while prosecutors continue extradition efforts. Local officials say she declined to waive extradition and was ordered held while that process moves forward. Both defendants have been charged as adults, which allows prosecutors to seek adult penalties if they are convicted.
What to watch next
Attorneys are expected to argue Little's extradition in the coming weeks, and prosecutors have not announced her next hearing date, according to WISH-TV. The April 20 trial for Pickett is expected to draw close attention from Morristown residents and local officials as the case moves through the courts.
