John Mellencamp's Indiana home broken into by man who allegedly wanted to arrest him over differing political beliefs
Indiana police have arrested a man who allegedly rammed the gate of John Mellencamp’s Bloomington, Ind., property on Thursday at 6 a.m. and entered his unoccupied home.
According to local news affiliates including WISH-TV and Indiana Public Media, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department responded to an alarm call at the “Small Town” singer’s residence and found the gate busted open, a red Jeep Cherokee nearby and Robert Carter of Indianapolis inside a building on the property. Carter allegedly told authorities he was there to arrest the Grammy winner for supporting a government that Carter does not support. Police said he admitted to kicking down Mellencamp’s door.
Carter faces preliminary charges of burglary, residential entry and criminal trespass. A rep for Mellencamp declined to comment about the arrest.
STORY: Police say the man admitted to kicking the door in. He told police he was there to arrest Mellencamp for supporting a government he doesn't support. https://t.co/2h09CuPoK9
— Barbara Brosher (@BabsofBtown) February 7, 2019
Mellencamp, a longtime liberal, told Rolling Stone in 2017 that his political beliefs often conflict with those of his fans. “You probably don’t wanna have this conversation with me, but here’s the deal: I don’t trust the government. I don’t trust the Democrats. I don’t trust the Republicans. I’m a little bit more Democratic than I am Republican, but really I’m a socialist. And that’s where it’s at.” He added that there have been instances while performing when he was booed by his own fans for expressing his opinions on various political matters.
According to the reports, Carter was arrested earlier this week — during an unrelated instance — for carrying a handgun without a license. Apparently some of his social media posts were flagged, leading police to make contact with him, and then the gun was discovered. He had a mental health evaluation before being booked in jail but was released on Wednesday.
Mellencamp and longtime girlfriend Meg Ryan announced their engagement in November. They are frequently seen together in New York City, where they share an apartment. However, Mellencamp still spends a lot of time at his sprawling Indiana property. He told Rolling Stone in the same interview that he had recently spent 35 days there without leaving the compound.
The main house is 10,000 square feet, with 30-foot ceilings featuring hand-painted murals, according to his contractor’s website. There’s a recording studio and pool as well as tennis and basketball courts.
The singer-songwriter is scheduled to perform Thursday night at the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend, Ind.
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