MARIJUANA OFFICER GETS HIGH MARKS

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The Baptist minister appointed to head Mississippi's
marijuana eradication program is making headway in the effort to reform the
troubled program whose former chief is accused of records falsification and
other misconduct.

Elbert Craig, a 14-year agent, was named earlier as agent-in-charge of the
eradication program and its evidence, bureau director Frank Melton said Monday.

Melton said that during the three months Craig has been in charge, the
program's accountability has improved.

"It has been streamlined, it has been put under new management," Melton
said. "(Craig's) integrity is above reproach."

Craig replaced Jimmy Saxton, who is on administrative leave. Saxton's
personnel hearing, originally set for July, has been rescheduled for this
month.

Melton said an internal investigation - which is examining allegations of
misconduct over the past couple of years - is nearly complete.

He declined to discuss the results of the investigation in detail, but
confirmed that it focuses on allegations that employees received overtime
pay for which they weren't entitled and that public money was spent on
personal items.

Melton said changes have been made in reporting and approving time worked,
and in determining which agents are eligible for overtime.

"I really don't know who was running it," Melton said of the eradication
program. "It was very unclear who was in charge of what."

Agents can now work only a certain number of hours with the marijuana
eradication program each month before they are rotated out, Melton said.
Changes have also been made in appropriating equipment and approving
purchases, Craig said.

"We didn't do an overhaul," Craig said. "We're just trying to correct some
of the things already there. There's just more accountability in place."