9-2-2015
THE FORMER C-E-O OF KNIGHT OIL TOOLS ENTERED A WRITTEN PLEA OF NOT GUILTY TO RACKETEERING YESTERDAY. 57-YEAR-OLD MARK KNIGHT OF LAFAYETTE IS ACCUSED OF HATCHING A PLAN TO FRAME HIS BROTHER, BRYAN, FOR CRIMINAL DRUG ACTIVITY. KNIGHT WAS ARRESTED IN APRIL AND INDICTED IN JULY ON TWO COUNTS OF RACKETEERING. THREE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ALLEGEDLY HELPED KNIGHT, INCLUDING TWO MEMBERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, WERE ALSO CHARGED WITH RACKETEERING.
THE THIRD CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS HAS REVERSED A CONTEMPT OF COURT RULING AGAINST LAKE CHARLES ATTORNEY CHRISTIAN CHESSON. HE WAS FOUND IN CONTEMPT FOR BEING LATE TO A HEARING FOR ALLEGEDLY TAKING PICTURES IN A COURT HEARING AND WAS SENTENCED BY JUDGE GUY BRADBERRY TO 72 HOURS IN PRISON. CHESSON WAS RUNNING FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY AT THE TIME. CHESSON’S ATTORNEY, JOHN GREEN, TELLS KPLC TV THAT THE APPEALS COURT FOUND THAT THE SENTENCE WAS EXCESSIVE AND THE PROCEDURE WAS A VIOLATION OF DUE PROCESS.
A NEW IBERIA ATTORNEY HAS DROPPED HIS LAWSUIT AGAINST THE DAILY IBERIAN FOR A COMMENT THAT APPEARED ON THE NEWSPAPER’S WEBSITE. THE ANONYMOUS COMMENT SAID THAT ATTORNEY DAVID GRONER HAD A REPUTATION FOR “DISHONESTY, FRAUD, DECEIT, AND MISREPRESENTATION”, AND IT REFERENCED A STATE SUPREME COURT DECISION AGAINST GRONER THAT PUT HIM ON PROBATION. JUDGE CURTIS SIGUR ORDERED THE NEWSPAPER TO REMOVE THE COMMENT FROM THEIR WEBSITE UNTIL A HEARING COULD BE HELD. THAT DECISION DREW NATIONAL ATTENTION FROM THE MEDIA, INCLUDING THE WASHINGTON POST, WHICH CALLED SIGUR’S ORDER “UNCONSTITUTIONALLY BROAD”.
A super PAC supporting David Vitter’s candidacy for governor has gone on the attack, with a new TV ad slamming the Republican U.S. senator’s two GOP competitors. The Fund for Louisiana’s Future is blasting Vitter’s GOP opponents — Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle and Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne — as supporting higher taxes. The ad criticizes Dardenne for his support of the Stelly Plan, which eliminated some state sales taxes in exchange for higher income taxes on middle- and upper-income earners. For Angelle, the ad claims he wants to “tax the Internet,” because he supports requiring companies to collect state sales taxes on online purchases.
THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO ASK COMMISSIONER TROY HEBERT OF THE STATE OFFICE OF ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO CONTROL TO DELAY AN AUDIT OF ARTMOSPHERE BISTRO, A LIVE MUSIC VENUE THAT HAS A RESTAURANT LIQUOR PERMIT. THE AUDIT IS TO DETERMINE IF ARTMOSPHERE HAS MET THE FIFTY PERCENT FOOD SALES REQUIREMENT IN ORDER TO KEEP THE LIQUOR LICENSE. OWNER BERYL MOODY SAYS HEBERT HAS AGREED TO DELAY THE AUDIT PENDING POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE PERMIT. MOODY WANTS TO GET A BAR PERMIT WHICH WOULD REQUIRE ARTMOSPHERE TO BE CARVED OUT OF THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, WHICH HAS A BAN ON NEW BARS.
CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF TONY MANCUSO SAYS D-N-A EVIDENCE LEADS THEM TO BELIEVE IT WAS A WHITE MAN WHO KILLED SIERRA BOUZIGARD IN 2009. HE SAYS THEY HAD BELIEVED IT WAS A HISPANIC MAN WHO HAD KILLED HER, BECAUSE SHE WAS SEEN WITH SEVERAL HISPANIC MEN THE NIGHT SHE DIED. HOWEVER, ADVANCES IN D-N-A TESTING LEADS THE DEPARTMENT TO BELIEVE THE KILLER WAS A WHITE MAN WITH GREEN, OR POSSIBLY, BLUE EYES, ACCORDING TO MANCUSO. BOUZIGARD’S BODY WAS FOUND BY SOMEONE WALKING ALONG KOONCE ROAD IN MOSS BLUFF ON NOVEMBER 23RD, 2009.
THE RAYNE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS RECEIVED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THE UNAUTHORIZED USE OF AN ACCESS CARD AT LOCAL BUSINESSES. VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAPTURED THE IMAGES OF TWO WHITE MEN, BETWEEN THE AGES OF 40 AND 50, WITH MEDIUM BUILD, AND WHO MAY RESIDE IN THE CROWLEY OR EUNICE AREAS. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CALL CRIME STOPPERS OF ACADIA PARISH AT 789-TIPS. UP TO A THOUSAND DOLLAR CASH REWARD IS BEING OFFERED.
A flood of applications for grants to help pay for shrimp refrigeration equipment prompted Louisiana to close applications after less than 24 hours. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries opened online applications at 10 a.m. Monday. At 8 a.m. Tuesday, it sent an emailed statement saying the program had closed because of the large number of applications and limited amount of money.
The program offers up to $30,000 for half the cost of new refrigeration equipment for shrimp boat owners, docks and processing facilities.
