louisiana

Corrupt Deputy Sentenced to 92 Years for Aggravated Identity Theft and Civil Rights Violations

Originally published on November 13, 2014, at NationofChange.org

A former sheriff’s deputy has been sentenced to 92 years in prison for committing fraud, civil rights violations, and stealing the identity of a Louisiana man who has been missing since 2007. Although Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Mark Hebert has not been formally charged with murder, U.S. District Judge Jane Milazzo found him responsible for the death and disappearance of his victim.

On August 2, 2007, Albert Bloch lost control of his car and crashed into some shrubs after suffering a seizure. Deputy Hebert responded to the accident. Sustaining minor cuts and bruises, Bloch was transported to University Hospital in New Orleans for treatment while Hebert ended up stealing his debit card, Personal Identification Number (PIN), Chase Bank checks, account number, driver’s license, and social security number. As Bloch received treatment in the hospital, Hebert immediately began making purchases with the stolen debit card.

“His position afforded him the opportunity to take advantage of other individuals,” admitted Col. John Fortunato, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office.

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Police Chief Receives Probation for Lying to FBI About Sexual Assault

Originally published on September 25, 2014, at NationofChange.org

Former Police Chief Earl Theriot has been sentenced to serve 24 months of probation and a $2,500 fine for making false statements to an FBI agent in connection with a criminal civil rights investigation. After reluctantly resigning from office, Theriot admitted to sexually assaulting an Ascension Parish woman and lying to an FBI agent investigating the incident. The victim has filed a civil lawsuit against Theriot for violating her rights.

On the afternoon of November 1, 2013, Theriot responded to a call concerning an intoxicated and unresponsive woman at a Sorrento grocery store in Louisiana. According to the lawsuit, Theriot placed the inebriated woman in the front seat of his car and groped her. Before taking her to the police station, he drove to another store and bought vodka for the woman while propositioning her.

Entering his office through a private entrance, Theriot placed her in handcuffs and used her belt to restrain her beneath his desk. He asked her for sex in exchange for not taking her to jail and forced her to give him oral sex while she remained bound underneath his desk. He held her in his office for four hours between 1pm and 5pm, and even held a meeting with the mayor during that time.

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FBI Investigates Handcuffed Suspect Shot in the Chest

Originally published on September 5, 2014, at NationofChange.org

After months of silence, the FBI is launching an investigation into the alleged suicide of Victor White III. Shot in the chest with his hands cuffed behind his back, White reportedly produced a hidden gun in the back of a patrol car and killed himself. Contradicting the claims of his arresting officers, a recent autopsy report proves the police lied about his death while leaving further questions unanswered.

According to a Louisiana State Police press release, deputies with the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a fight on the evening of March 2. After confronting White and searching him, the deputies allegedly found drugs in his pockets. They placed White into custody, cuffed his hands behind his back, and put him in the backseat of a patrol car. Upon arriving at the Sheriff’s Office, White reportedly became uncooperative, pulled out a gun, and shot himself in the back. But witness reports and the coroner’s office contradict the police’s allegations.

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Demand Justice for Handcuffed Suspect Shot in the Chest by Police

Originally published on September 2, 2014, at ForceChange.com

Target: Bobby Jindal, Governor of Louisiana

Goal: Investigate the alleged “suicide” of a handcuffed black suspect who police claim shot himself in the chest

Notorious for excessive brutality and corruption, police officers in Louisiana are attempting to cover up the murder of 22-year-old Victor White III by falsely labeling his death a suicide. At first, law enforcement officials claimed White produced a hidden gun and shot himself in the back. The autopsy report refutes their claims by revealing White had been shot in the chest with his hands cuffed behind his back. An investigation into the shooting of White must be launched to provide justice for his family and punishment for his killers.

According to the police, White had been arrested for a fight he was not involved in and taken into custody. After searching him twice and claiming to find drugs on him, the police cuffed White’s hands behind his back and placed him inside the back of the patrol car. As they arrived at the station, police claim White became uncooperative and refused to exit the vehicle. Even though they searched him twice, White allegedly pulled out a hidden gun and fatally shot himself in the back.

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