Pubdate: Tue, 14 Jun 2005
Source: Daily World, The (LA)
Copyright: South Louisiana Publishing 2005
Contact:
http://www.dailyworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=CUSTOMERSERVICE03
Website: http://www.dailyworld.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1740
Author: William Johnson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)

CAILLIER TO PLEAD NOT GUILTY

Other Charges Expected When Grand Jury Meets Next Week

Opelousas Police Chief Larry Caillier is expected to enter a plea of
not guilty when he is arraigned later this week on five charges of
malfeasance in office.

"He will not appear in person. He will wave his appearance. He came in
this morning to sign a motion," Caillier's attorney Edward Lopez said
Monday.

The arraignment, which is a formal reading of the charges, is set for
9 a.m. Friday before 27th Judicial District Court Judge Alonzo Harris.

Lopez said he expects the judge to set a November trial date at which
time he predicts Caillier will be cleared of the charges once all the
facts are put before a jury.

"The chief is eager to get this behind him," Lopez said.

The malfeasance charges were handed down during the April meeting of
an ongoing state grand jury that has spent the past four months
looking into problems at the Opelousas Police Department.

Those charges are in connection with a Battle of the Bands competition
in September. Caillier is alleged to have ordered his officers not to
intervene when fights and other disturbances broke out following the
event at Donald Gardner Stadium.

The grand jury is expected to meet again in Opelousas on June 22, most
likely for the last time.

This session of the grand jury is expected to deal specifically with
allegations against Caillier.

At the conclusion of last month's grand jury meeting, Kris Wartelle,
public information officer with the state Attorney General's office,
said, "This is not over. We plan to come back into session next month
to deal with charges dealing with the chief."

In May, the grand jury completed the third of four planned sessions,
issuing 19 indictments against former Opelousas Police Major Ronnie
Trahan Sr. Those charges ranged from criminal conspiracy and payroll
fraud to money laundering.

While the charges were bad news for Trahan, they weren't good news for
Caillier.

Every charge in the indictment against Trahan included words such as
"conspired with Chief Larry Caillier to," "under the direction and
supervision of Larry Caillier," or "along with Chief Larry Caillier."

The grand jury was originally impaneled to look into issues raised in
a highly critical report on the Opelousas Police Department issued in
January by the state Legislative Auditor's office.

That audit outlined numerous irregularities in the department's
handling of funds including $54,000 in missing equipment and $44,000
in unaccounted for drug-buy money.

It cited a further $150,000 in funds that were passed through private
accounts during the period for which no documentation could be found.

Finally it alleged that some of the money from a federal grant
intended to provide bicycle patrols in the Opelousas Housing Authority
was diverted for other purposes. It further charged that Caillier and
others took thousands of dollars in inappropriate administrative fees
not allowed under the bicycle patrol grant.
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