Crown drops charges against Melvin before court appearance

The Crown has dropped weapon possession charges against a man police say is at the centre of a violent drug turf war in Halifax.

Jimmy Melvin, 27, was taken into custody on Tuesday night after a car he was riding in was pulled over on the side of Highway 118 near Fall River, about 30 kilometres north of Halifax.

Police, who allege Melvin Jr. and his family are embroiled in a violent drug turf war, received a tip that Melvin Jr. was travelling inside the car.

When police pulled the car over, they found bear spray and a baton inside.

Melvin was arrested and charged with weapons possession. Three other men inside the car were also charged but released.

Melvin was also later released from custody and the charges against him dropped after prosecutors determined the charges against him would not stand up in court.

"The items found in the car are not prohibited items," Chris Hansen, spokeswoman for Public Prosecution Services, told CBC News on Wednesday.

"They become weapons only if theyre used as weapons and because Mr. Melvin was not the driver of the car, there was no evidence to show he had knowledge, possession or control of these items," Hansen said.

Father and son target of gunfire in recent months

Melvin and his father, Jimmy Melvin, Sr.,both have prior drug-trafficking convictions and bothhave been the targets of gunfire since Melvin Jr. was released from jail in November, 2008.

Melvin Sr., 48, was injured when he jumped to avoid gunfire outside of Jessys Pizza on the Herring Cove Road last November.

In December, 2008, Melvin Jr. was shot outside an apartment building just off Cowie Hill Road. He survived the attack.

Last month, a house belonging to Melvin Sr. in Fall River was the target of a drive-by shooting. Bullets were fired at the house but Melvin Sr. was not hurt in the attack. Witnesses told police they saw a black Acura leaving the scene at the time of the shooting.

Melvin Jr. is still facing charges of break and enter and threatening a police officer from a separate incident. Those charges are expected to be heard in court later this year.