| Melinda Trask | |||||||||||
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| Days of our Lives | |||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Laura Kai Chen (2013–19) Tina Huang (2020–present) | ||||||||||
| Current status | Recurring | ||||||||||
| Duration | 2013, 2016–present | ||||||||||
| First appearance | July 16, 2013 | ||||||||||
| Created by | Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell | ||||||||||
| Introduced by | Ken Corday, Lisa de Cazotte, and Greg Meng | ||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||
| Alias(es) | Melinda Chen (maiden name) | ||||||||||
| Gender | Female | ||||||||||
| Occupation | Lawyer Former Chief Legal Counsel for DiMera Enterprises Former District Attorney | ||||||||||
| Residence | Salem, Illinois | ||||||||||
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Melinda Chen Trask is a character from the soap opera Days of Our Lives, portrayed by Laura Kai Chen in 2013. In 2020, the role was recast with Tina Huang.
Trask is the aggressive DA who wants justice and enjoys sending people to jail when they break the law.
Storylines
Trask is the aggressive District Attorney who wants justice and enjoys sending people to jail when they break the law. One of Melinda's first storylines as the D.A. was prosecuting Sami Brady for Joseph Bernardi's murder. Sami was ultimately cleared when evidence proved that she shot Bernardi in defense of Rafe Hernandez, showed up. In 2016, Trask prosecuted Hope Williams Brady for Stefano DiMera's murder, and got her 25 years in prison with no possibility of parole. She has a vendetta against Gabi Hernandez for getting out of jail early after killing Nick Fallon. After Abigail Deveraux murdered André DiMera and was diagnosed with DID in 2018 Trask tried to convince Chad DiMera to permanently send his wife to Bayview. She explained to Chad that it was the only way to keep himself and Thomas DiMera safe. Trask did this to protect Chad and Thomas from Abigail.
Trask is revealed to be the mother of Haley Chen. Although they get off to a rocky start, Melinda and Haley develop a caring relationship. However, Haley's is killed Melinda seeks revenge against Kristen DiMera, who pushed Haley down a flight of stairs. She once even accuses Kristen's friend, Detective Lani Price of helping her to escape. This vendetta against her daughter's killer continued for years.
In 2022, Melinda began a crusade against Chief of Police, Rafe Hernandez who is being falsely accused of abusing his power with prisoners. Melinda's snarky demeanor and power position as Salem DA often place her at odds with Rafe, Shawn Douglas Brady and Belle Black among others.
In 2023, Trask is among those drugged by tainted biscuits at Chanel Dupree DiMera's bakery and pressures the department to find out who did it. Once Colin Bedford and Talia Hunter are exposed, she is ready to throw the book at Talia until she learns that Talia was under Colin's abusive control. Being a victim herself once, Trask recommends probation, community service, and continuing to see Dr. Marlena Evans for counseling. Later, when Paulina Price Carver becomes mayor, she fired for her actions against Paulina and other people in Salem, but Sloan Petersen soon hires her as a lawyer to help with her adoption prospects. After hitting dead ends, opportunity rises when Dimitri Von Leuschner gives Nicole Walker's baby to her and Sloan in exchange for a deal in regards to criminal charges. She pays off a doctor to fake the baby's death, so that it looks like the child was adopted legally and sends Dimitri to a supermax prison far from Salem to ensure he could not reveal the truth. She often had to convince Sloan to keep up the ruse in order to protect her and herself from criminal charges. Things get complicated when she learns of Leo Stark's blackmail and has to coerce him to keep him quiet or go to prison like Dimitri.
