Political Illusions of the Cajun Mafia

By Justin B. Phillips
jphillips@americanpress.com
Judge Guy Bradberry’s contempt
of court ruling against local attorney
Christian Chesson in April was
found to be “unlawful” by the 3rd
Circuit Court of Appeal.
The ruling stemmed from Bradberry
accusing Chesson of using
his phone to record video during a
February court hearing when a man
pleaded guilty to two rape charges
and was sentenced to 80 years in
prison.
A hearing was then scheduled by
Bradberry in April and when Chesson
did not appear, a warrant was
issued for his arrest. Chesson was
sentenced to three days in jail on
April 28, but two were suspended for
time he spent in the Calcasieu Correctional
Center the day before.
Bradberry first said the incident
took place on Feb. 23, then later said
the incident took place Feb. 27. He
said the video violated the confidentiality
of the victims.
Chesson denied having recorded
video, saying his phone was broken
and he was trying to see what was
FROM PAGE A1 l STATE
wrong with the device.
John Green, Chesson’s attorney,
objected to the ruling, saying he
and Chesson were initially told the
hearing revolved around a Jan. 12
incident and was not a contempt of
court hearing.
The 3rd Circuit’s recent ruling
Friday, august 28, 2015 aMEriCaN PrEss A5
3rd Circuit Court: Ruling against Chesson ‘unlawful’
BOND
Continued from A1
Causey-Fregia is charged
with first-degree murder
and first-degree feticide,
along with accessory after
the fact, aggravated battery
and obstruction of justice.
She is accused of killing
Perez, then burning
and burying the body in a
wooded area in Oakdale. She
also burned a blanket and
a plastic storage tote that
could have been used as evidence,
according to Sheriff
Doug Hebert III.
Authorities believe
Causey-Fregia killed Perez
to take her baby and raise it
as her own.
Perez’s remains were
found in the front yard of a
residence on Matthew Street
in Oakdale in February.
The property is owned by
Causey-Fregia’s family.
The break in the case
came in January after one
of Causey-Fregia’s children
turned her in to authorities.
Causey-Fregia is being
held in a correctional center
in Cottonport.
SENTENCE
Continued from A1
and that she had fallen on an
electric heater after falling
off the front porch earlier. He
later blamed the girl’s mother
for her injuries, saying she
beat the girl with a belt the
night before her death.
An autopsy determined the
child died from a blunt-force
injury to the head that resulted
in a blood clot.
Investigators found crisscrossed
burns on the toddler’s
back and multiple bruises and
scrapes on her forehead, chest,
abdomen and arms. The burns
were consistent with the grill
pattern on an electric heater
found in the home, investigators
said.
337-419-1818
00918911
By the associated Press
“The testimony and evidence
showed that he did not
bring the child to the hospital
until the next day (after her
injuries),” prosecutor Joe
Green said. “There was no
reasonable reason why he did
not seek medical attention.”
Davis’ attorney, Chad
Guidry, said his client is
remorseful. “He was negligent,
but he’s owned up to it,”
Guidry said.
In sentencing the couple,
District Judge Joel Davis said
no mercy was shown to the
toddler before her death. “This
is one of the most horrific
‘I’m very appreciative of the 3rd Circuit Court of
Appeals. They got it right. In this instance, every one
of Mr. Chesson’s due process rights were violated by
Judge Bradberry.’
John Green
attorney
Chief: stabbing suspect who
killed officer was cop’s cousin
SUNSET — The man accused
of stabbing two sisters
and killing a Louisiana police
officer with his own gun then
barricading himself inside
a convenience store was a
cousin of the slain officer, officials
said.
Harrison Lee Riley Jr.
had stabbed the two women,
who were trying to protect
his wife during a domestic
dispute, when Officer Henry
Nelson responded to the call
Wednesday in the small south
Louisiana town of Sunset,
authorities said.
Nelson was shot and killed,
apparently with his own
weapon, before Riley crashed
his car into the front of a convenience
store a few blocks
away and barricaded himself
inside, St. Landry Parish
Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said.
A SWAT team took Riley
into custody after firing tear
gas into the store and using
hammers and fire axes
to smash their way inside,
Guidroz said.
One of the sisters,
Shameka Johnson, 40, died
Wednesday. Shurlay Johnson,
34, remained hospitalized in
critical condition Thursday.
Riley’s wife, Courtney Jolivette
Riley, was hospitalized
in stable condition with stab
wounds, authorities said.
Harrison Riley was hospitalized
following his arrest
complaining of pain in his
ribs, Guidroz said. Riley faces
charges of first-degree murder
of a police officer, firstdegree
murder and attempted
first-degree murder. The
officer-involved charge carries
a possible death penalty.
Nelson, 51, was the second
Louisiana police officer
killed in four days and the
fifth in four months. Louisiana
State Police Trooper
Steven Vincent died Monday,
a day after being shot when
crimes I have seen as a judge,”
he said.
Holyfield’s younger brother
told investigators Davis beat
his sister with a belt and
dragged her by the legs after
she fell on the floor. The beating
occurred because the girl
peed on herself, he said.
The boy told investigators
his sister wouldn’t open her
eyes and was making weird
sounds shortly after the beating.
On the following day she
was taken unresponsive to
the hospital, where she was
pronounced dead.
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Michael Hebert
he stopped to help a stranded
motorist.
Sunset Police Chief Luis
Padilla said Nelson was
outgoing and friendly. He was
to be off starting Friday for a
monthlong vacation with his
teenage daughter, he said.
“Nothing made him mad,”
Padilla said. “He loved life.
Came into work with a smile
and left work with a smile.”
Riley and Nelson, who had
been a member of Sunset’s
14-person department since
2002, were cousins, Padilla
said.
Guidroz said the violence
began at the house belonging
to the Johnsons’ mother with
an argument between Courtney
and Harrison Riley.
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00926347
said Chesson wasn’t present at the
Feb. 27 hearing Bradberry cited. The
ruling said that while Chesson was
in court on Feb. 23, “there was insufficient
evidence that he engaged in
any conduct which would constitute
criminal contempt of court.”
“I’m very appreciative of the 3rd
Circuit Court of Appeals. They got
it right. In this instance, every one
of Mr. Chesson’s due process rights
were violated by Judge Bradberry,”
Green said. “I don’t think an attorney,
or anybody for that matter,
should have to spend a night in jail
for no reason.”
00925463
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