12-14-23
A LAFAYETTE PARISH JURY HAS FOUND A NEW IBERIA MAN GUILTY FOR THE MURDER OF TWENTY-TWO-MONTH OLD KACESTON FREEMAN IN JULY OF LAST YEAR. CHRISTOPHER LEDET JUNIOR, WHO WAS THE BOYFRIEND OF FREEMAN’S MOTHER, WAS TAKING CARE OF THE TODDLER AT HIS GIRLFRIEND’S LAFAYETTE HOME, WHEN HE PUT HIM TO BED AT NIGHT AND THE NEXT MORNING HE WAS FOUND NOT BREATHING. THE MEDICAL EXAMINER FOUND FREEMEN TO HAVE SUFFERED BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA TO THE HEAD AND A LACERATED LIVER, AND A LAFAYETTE POLICE DETECTIVE SAYS LEDET GAVE CONFLICTING TESTIMONY. LEDET FACES A MANDATORY LIFE SENTENCE WITH HARD LABOR WHEN HE’S SENTENCED IN MARCH.
A CHURCH POINT MAN, ACCUSED OF BRIBERY OF OFFICIALS IN THE FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, WILL HAVE HIS INITIAL APPEARANCE, ARRAIGNMENT AND PLEA AGREEMENT HEARING TOMORROW IN LAFAYETTE. JOSEPH PREJEAN IS ACCUSED OF BRIBING DUSTIN GUIDRY AND AN UNNAMED AGENT TO GET DEFENDANTS IN A PRE-TRIAL INTERVENTION PROGRAM STEERED TO ONLINE COURSES MARKETED BY SEVERAL COMPANIES HE OWNS. HE’S ALSO ACCUSED OF SOLICITING TWENTY-THOUSAND DOLLARS CASH FROM A DEFENDANT, WHO WAS ASSURED HE WOULD SUCCESSFULLY GRADUATE FROM THE PROGRAM. PREJEAN FACES A CHARGE OF CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD THE UNITED STATES.
GOVERNOR-ELECT JEFF LANDRY ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY HE HAS APPOINTED DAN CASEY TO SERVE AS COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF MOTOR VEHICLES. IN MAKING THE ANNOUCEMENT, LANDRY SAYS THE OFFICE OF MOTOR VEHICLES IS AN OFFICE OF PUBLIC SERVICE THAT SHOULD RESPECT CITIZEN’S TIME AND OFFER QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICE. HE SAYS HE HAS CONFIDENCE CASEY WILL MAKE THE DEPARTMENT ONE THAT WILL PROPERLY SERVE THE PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA. CASEY SAYS HE LOOKS FORWARD TO MAKING THE DEPARTMENT MORE EFFICIENT AND RESPONSIVE TO PEOPLE’S NEEDS.
GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS ANNOUNCED THAT AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN SIGNED WITH TWO FOREIGN COMPANIES TO BUILD THE FIRST OFFSHORE WIND FARMS IN LOUISIANA WATERS. HE CALLED IT A BIG STEP IN DIVERSIFYING GULF OF MEXICO ENERGY PRODUCTION BEYOND OIL AND GAS. ONE OF THE COMPANIES, A DANISH FIRM CALLED VESTAS, WAS GRANTED SIXTY THOUSAND ACRES OFF OF CAMERON PARISH. OFFICIALS WITH THE COMPANIES AND THE STATE HAVE DECLINED TO GIVE SPECIFICS ABOUT THE PROPOSED WIND FARMS.
LAFAYETTE CRIME STOPPERS IS STILL ON THE SEARCH FOR A MAN WANTED IN CONNECTION TO A MURDER IN OCTOBER. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
VOICER A :20
THE GRAND COTEAU CITY COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO FIRE A POLICE OFFICER WHO HAS THREATENED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME OFICER SAM TEZENO HAS BEEN FIRED FROM A POLICE AGENCY, ACCORDING TO KLFY TV. ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL BUCK SAYS TEZENO WAS FIRED BECAUSE HE HAD NOT OBTAINED POST-CERTIFICATION AND HE COULD NO LONGER WORK AND BE INSURED BY THE TOWN’S INSURANCE. LAST MONTH, TEZENO’S ATTORNEY THREATENED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT OVER ALLEGATIONS OF MISTREATMENT FOR BEING A WHISTLEBLOWER FOR THE SAINT LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE.
REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE DANNY MCCORMICK SAYS HE WILL AGAIN ATTEMPT TO GET HIS BILL PASSED THAT WOULD TOSS OUT THE TRAINING COURSE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT. MCCORMICK SAYS EVERY STATE NEIGHBORING LOUISIANA HAS CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY AND HE’S CONFIDENT THEY’LL GET IT PASSED THIS YEAR. HE SAYS THE COURSES ARE NOT NECESSARY FOR LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS AND A BURDEN TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE. THE COST FOR A FIVE-YEAR PERMIT IS TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY DOLLARS WHICH INCLUDES ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS FOR PERMIT FEES AND THE NINE HOUR COURSE.
A TWELVE-YEAR-OLD GIRL WAS WOUNDED IN A DRIVE-BY SHOOTING AT HER HOME IN CROWLEY TUESDAY EVENING. POLICE CHIEF TROY HEBERT SAYS MULTIPLE GUNMEN FIRED SHOTS THROUGH THE WALL OF HER RESIDENCE AND MULTIPLE CASINGS WERE FOUND AT THE SCENE. THE GIRL IS IN STABLE CONDITION. A SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD SUSPECT WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY MORNING AND MORE ARRESTS ARE POSSIBLE.
