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http://www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061106/APN/611061281
The Associated Press
Last Updated:November 06. 2006 9:38AM
Published: November 06. 2006 9:38AM
MONROE, La.
A police chief accused of secretly videotaping a subordinate whom he
fired last week has been asked to appear before a Ouachita Parish grand jury.
The state Attorney General's Office is handling the case against
Monroe Police Chief Ron Schleuter and another officer because
District Attorney Jerry Jones is a witness.
Schleuter was not subpoenaed, but he and City Attorney Nanci
Summersgill were sent written requests to appear Monday without a subpoena.
Former Cpl. Virgil Parker filed a complaint in May with the Ouachita
Parish Sheriff's Office, saying Schleuter ordered electronics and
equipment specialist Lt. Bill Webb to bug Parker's office.
Parker allegedly found a video camera with an attached microphone
when he noticed a ceiling tile out of place.
Under state law, at least one person must consent to audio recording
of any communication. Signs posted at the police department entrance
warn that people may be subject to audio and video surveillance.
However, Parker's attorney Todd Newman has told The News-Star of
Monroe that the signs were put up after Parker complained about being recorded.
Sheriff Richard Fewell asked the state police to take over the
investigation because he and Schleuter serve on the board of Metro Narcotics.
Parker claims Schleuter ordered the surveillance because of a
personal grudge. The chief fired Parker on Thursday, after the
department's internal affairs unit agreed there was substance to
several complaints against him.
The chief said Schleuter had commmitted "policy violations," which he
did not disclose. KNOE-TV quoted unidentified sources as saying that
one was making personal copies of a document on police department paper.
In February, he was demoted from lieutenant to corporal because of
other complaints unrelated to those that led to his firing.
Police Union President Mark Huggins said officers hope to have some
resolution to the controversy. "At least we'll know what the grand
jury says," Huggins said. "Then we can kind of take everybody's input
and put everything in perspective."
Earlier this year, the Attorney General's Office indicted
then-Lafayette Police Chief Randy Hundley and three other officers
for illegally wiretapping the office of Hundley's secretary. Hundley
resigned five days later but continued to maintain his innocence. The
other officers retired or resigned.
Received on Sat Mar 02 2024 - 00:57:22 CST