Facebook/Getty Dale Paul Melvin was arrested after Capitol Police investigated a suspicious vehicle outside the Supreme Court.
Dale Paul Melvin is a Michigan man who was taken into custody outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. after the U.S. Capitol Police investigated his “suspicious vehicle.” The 55-year-old Melvin is from Kimball, Michigan, the Capitol Police said on Twitter. The incident occurred the morning of Tuesday, October 5, 2021.
The Capitol Police said on Thursday, February 3, 2022, on Twitter that Melvin, had returned to Washington D.C. after being released following the October 2021 incident. “Dale Paul Melvin, who was arrested in October after he illegally parked in front of the Supreme Court, has returned and parked his Chevy Tahoe in front of the Court again. Our investigators are talking to him now. Out of an abundance of caution, we have closed off the area,” the Capitol Police tweeted.
About 20 minutes after the initial tweet, posted at 9:46 a.m., Capitol Police tweeted, “The roads are now open. The police activity is clear. No arrest has been made. We will provide more information about that later today.”
The Capitol Police tweeted prior to Melvin being taken into custody in October, “We are investigating a suspicious vehicle in front of the Supreme Court along First Street, NE. Please stay away from the area.” The Supreme Court continued its normal business while police investigated. The court’s new session began on Monday, October 4, 2021. The court is expected to hear cases on several major issues, including abortion, guns and religious rights.
Melvin was charged with failure to obey and assault on a police officer, the U.S. Capitol Police said in a press release. Police said in the statement that Melvin refused to leave the area of the Supreme Court. According to the press release, “In August, the same man came to the Capitol Complex and made concerning statements.” Further details about that incident were not immediately available.
Here’s what you need to know about Dale Paul Melvin:
1. Dale Melvin Told a Police Officer ‘the Time for Talking Is Done,’ Capitol Police Say
Dale Melvin “illegally parked” his SUV outside of the Supreme Court about 9:30 a.m., U.S. Capitol Police Deputy Chief Jason Bell said at a press conference after Melvin was taken into custody. “Our officers immediately responded. The man refused to talk,” Bell told reporters. Melvin “made a statement to the effect of ‘Time for talking is done.’ At that time, we backed off, had our crisis negotiation officers attempt to speak with him, the man was refusing to speak and at approximately 11:00 our teams moved in and removed him from the vehicle and placed him under arrest,” Bell said at the press conference.
According to Bell, no weapons were found inside the vehicle. “It is currently under investigation and it is still an active crime scene,” Bell said. When asked if anything was found in the vehicle, Bell said, “It’s still an active investigation. We are still actively processing the vehicle right now.”
Bell and a spokesman for the Capitol Police declined to answer multiple questions at the press conference because of the ongoing nature of the investigation. Police said in the press release about Melvin, “The suspect appeared to be frustrated.”
GettyUS Capitol Police inspect a suspicious vehicle, left with doors open, after it was parked outside Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on October 5, 2021.
According to NBC News, police officers threw a flashbang at Melvin’s SUV before he was taken into custody. Reporters and others around the Capitol reported hearing a loud bang before Melvin was arrested. The Capitol Police sent out an alert to Congressional staff alerting them to the controlled explosion before it happened, New York Times Congressional reporter Emily Cochrane tweeted.
“The USCP is preparing to disrupt a Suspicious Vehicle in front of the U.S. Supreme Court Building. A loud bang may be heard in the area. There is no cause for alarm, and no action needs to be taken by Congressional Staff,” the alert said, according to Cochrane. The message was sent out just before 11 a.m.
Capitol Police said in a news release, “Officers cleared the area out of an abundance of caution. USCP crisis negation officers tried to speak with the suspect, but he refused to talk. At approximately 11:00 am, the USCP Containment and Emergency Response Team, which is similar to a SWAT team pulled the man from the SUV.”
2. Melvin Has a Criminal History in Michigan That Includes Arrests on Charges of Domestic Violence, Operating a Motor Vehicle While Impaired & Having Open Intoxicants in a Motor Vehicle, Records Show
FacebookDale Melvin.
Melvin has a criminal history in his home state of Michigan that includes multiple arrests on several charges dating back to 2000. Along with traffic offenses, Melvin was also arrested on a domestic violence charge in 2007. It was not immediately known if he had additional arrests outside of St. Clair County, Michigan, where he lives.
In March 2000, Melvin was charged with driving while impaired and driving without insurance, according to St. Clair County court records. He pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor DUI charge later that year. He also has arrests and citations on his record for driving with open intoxicants in a motor vehicle, speeding, having a defective headlight, improperly crossing a divided highway and seatbelt violations.
Details of the 2007 domestic violence case were not immediately available. Melvin was arrested on February 20, 2007, in St. Clair County. He pleaded to the misdemeanor charge in April 2007. He was sentenced to 93 days in jail and six months of probation, according to county court records.
3. Melvin’s Facebook Page Shows Posts About His Support for Conservative & Republican Politics, Along With Pro-Trump, Pro-Gun, Anti-Obama & Anti-Clinton Messages & Memes
FacebookDale Paul Melvin.
Dale Melvin’s Facebook page says he is originally from Port Huron, Michigan, and he graduated from Port Huron High School. He also studied at St. Clair Community College and now lives in Kimball, Michigan, according to his Facebook page and police. He was born September 4, 1966, according to his Facebook, which matches the age and birthdate provided by Capitol Police.
Melvin has not made any public posts on his Facebook page since January 2017, but previously he shared many political memes and messages, including support for conservatives and Republicans. He liked former President Donald Trump’s Facebook page and was a Trump supporter, according to his Facebook page. He also shared memes that express messages that are pro-Trump, anti-Obama, anti-Clinton and pro-gun. He also posted often about religion. Melvin also often expressed support for military veterans and the U.S. Marines Corps.
In July 2016, Melvin shared a meme from The Comical Conservative that said, “Here is all I want” and said “Obama: Gone!; Borders: Closed!; Language: English!; Culture: U.S. Constitution & the Bill of Rights!; Drug Free: Mandatory drug screening before welfare.” It also said, “no freebies to” non-citizens and “also balanced budget! tax reform! term limits for congress & senators.”
A June 2016 meme shared by Melvin said showed an American flag and cross with the words, “One nation under God not Allah. Share if you agree OoH-RaH!!” In March 2016, he shared a meme of former President Bill Clinton that said, “I chose other women over Hillary. You should too.”
He shared a meme in October 2015 that said, “How to irritate Obama: 1. Own a gun, 2. Have a job, 3. Read constitution.” In a September 2015 Facebook post Melvin called for Hillary Clinton to be in prison.
4. Melvin Sued the Social Security Administration in 2018 After He Was Denied Disability Benefits
GettyUS Capitol Police inspect a suspicious vehicle outside the Supreme Court.
Dale Melvin sued the Social Security Administration in 2018 in Michigan federal court after he was denied benefits, according to court records obtained by Heavy. Melvin had applied for supplemental security income and disability insurance benefits and was denied by the SSA. According to court documents, Melvin argued that officials failed to consider his “subjective complaints of pain,” but the Social Security Administration argued that a doctor prescribed medications to treat his back pain in 2018 and Melvin had made statements that his “symptoms were controlled” after that occurred.
According to court documents, a physician found in 2018 that Melvin had “full strength in all extremities and no tenderness of either the cervical or lumbar spine.” A federal judge upheld the Social Security Administration’s ruling to deny the benefits and additional income to Melvin in February 2020, records show.
Melvin, “completed high school and received a certification for heating and cooling work,” according to court documents. “He worked previously as a maintenance worker at a car wash, material handler, and tire changer. He alleges disability due to back, neck, and breathing problems and coronary disease,” the court documents state.
5. The Motive for the Incident Outside the Supreme Court Involving Melvin Remains Under Investigation, Capitol Police Say
GettyUS Capitol Police arrest a suspect who parked a vehicle outside Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on October 5, 2021.
Deputy Capitol Police Chief Bell said at the press conference after Melvin was arrested, “I would like to express my appreciation for all our officers. The Supreme Court officers, everybody did an outstanding job to keep the Congressional campus safe today.” There was no disruption to activities inside the Capitol and Supreme Court buildings during the incident, police said.
Bell added, “It’s still an active investigation. We don’t have the motivation at this time.” Bell was asked if Melvin was in Washington, D.C. on January 6 during the pro-Trump riot at the U.S. Capitol and he replied, “As I mentioned, we are still investigating and that is about all I can say on that right now.”
It was not immediately clear if Melvin has hired an attorney who could speak on his behalf and he could not be reached for comment by Heavy. Details about where Melvin’s case from October 2021 stands were not immediately available.
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