7-27-18
DISTRICT JUDGE DAVID SMITH HAS DENIED LAFAYETTE CITY MARSHAL BRIAN POPE’S REQUEST TO THROW OUT AN INDICTMENT AGAINST HIM. POPE FACES FIVE COUNTS OF MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE AND TWO COUNTS OF PERJURY THAT STEM FROM A LAWSUIT AGAINST HIM BY THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OVER A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST. POPE’S ATTORNEYS ARGUED THAT THE CHARGES WERE RETALIATORY AND VINDICTIVE. POPE IS SCHEDULED TO GO TO TRIAL ON SEPTEMBER 24TH.
POLICE SAY A JENNINGS FATHER ADMITTED TO SHAKING HIS SEVEN MONTH OLD BABY SO VIOLENTLY THAT SHE LATER DIED. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
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A BICYCLIST WAS KILLED IN ACADIA PARISH EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING. 31-YEAR-OLD ANTHONY LEGER OF IOTA WAS TRAVELING EAST IN THE WESTBOUND LANE OF L-A 100. ACCORDING TO STATE POLICE, SHORTLY BEFORE 5:30 AM, HE WAS STRUCK BY A TOYOTA TACOMA THAT WAS PASSING OTHER EASTBOUND VEHICLES. LEGER WAS TAKEN TO ACADIA GENERAL HOSPITAL, WHERE HE LATER DIED. THE CRASH REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM WILL LAPSE AT MIDNIGHT ON TUESDAY IF U-S SENATORS DO NOT APPROVE AN EXTENSION. THE U-S HOUSE ON WEDNESDAY VOTED 366-52 TO EXTEND THE PROGRAM FOR FOUR MONTHS, COVERING THE REMAINDER OF THE HURRICANE SEASON. THE PROGRAM UNDERWRITES MOST FLOOD COVERAGE IN THE COUNTRY, BUT IT’S SADDLED WITH TWENTY BILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT. IF APPROVED, IT WOULD BE THE SEVENTH EXTENSION FOR THE PROGRAM SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER.
TWO FEMALE INMATES, WHO ESCAPED FROM A PRISON IN AVOYELLES PARISH, WERE CAPTURED IN LAFAYETTE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. 22-YEAR-OLD AMANDA TASSIN AND 34-YEAR-OLD BRIDGET GAGNARD, BOTH OF MARKSVILLE, MANAGED THE ESCAPE SHORTLY BEFORE MIDNIGHT TUESDAY AT THE AVOYELLES PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE DETENTION CENTER 3 IN COTTONPORT. SHERIFF DOUG ANDERSON SAYS AN ACCOMPLICE OUTSIDE THE PRISON CUT A HOLE IN THE PERIMETER FENCE, WHICH IS HOW THE TWO ESCAPED. HE SAYS INVESTIGATORS ARE WORKING TO POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE ACCOMPLICE.
THE DRY WEATHER HAS PROMPTED THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO ISSUE A BURN BAN. THE BAN IS IN EFFECT FOR THIRTY DAYS. ALL BURNING OF TRASH OR VEGETATION IS PROHIBITED WITHIN JEFF DAVIS PARISH AS WELL AS ALL OTHER OPEN BURNING. ANY PLANNED BURNS MUST GET THE PERMISSION OF THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE.
A 14-YEAR-OLD OPELOUSAS BOY, WHO WAS FORCED BY HIS PARENTS TO LIVE IN A SHED WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING WITH LITTLE FOOD, IS NOW BEING ALLOWED TO STAY WITH ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER. THE PARENTS, 42-YEAR-OLD LARRY JAMES LEWIS AND 35-YEAR-OLD ANTOINETTE LEWIS, HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH FELONY CRUELTY. THE BOY WAS IN THE SHED FOR THREE WEEKS, BUT HAS NOT BEEN AT THE HOME SINCE JUNE 28TH, WHICH IS THE DATE OF THE ARREST OF THE MOTHER. THE ST. LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THERE WERE OTHER CHILDREN IN THE HOME BUT THE 14-YEAR-OLD WAS SINGLED OUT.
DISTRICT JUDGE PATRICK HANNA SAYS HE’S INCLINED TO ORDER A PUBLIC RELEASE OF THE AMOUNT THE IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE PAID TO SETTLE A CIVIL CASE. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE PAID THE CHILD OF VICTOR WHITE THE THIRD AN UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT OF MONEY. AN ATTORNEY FOR THE ADVOCATE AND KATC SAY THE AMOUNT PAID SHOULD BE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE IT COMES FROM TAXPAYER FUNDS, BUT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE CHILD’S MOTHER SAYS RELEASING THE AMOUNT WOULD BE DISRUPTIVE TO THE CHILD’S LIFE. HANNA HAS ORDERED BOTH SIDES TO FILE FURTHER ARGUMENTS OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
