A Louisiana State Police Bell 430 Helicopter, which State Police no longer allows to be flown in adverse weather conditions.
On December 27, 2020, we informed our subscribers that we’d be presenting an in-depth investigative series on the operations of Louisiana State Police (LSP)’s Air Support Unit. The feature just linked entailed the retirement of former LSP Trooper and pilot Michael Satcher, II in the aftermath of criminal charges pending against him for alleged domestic abuse of his dating partner, Cynthia Chapman.
For those curious about Satcher’s court hearing of last week (February 25, 2021), we have been informed that the result of the court hearing was Satcher declining to accept an offered plea deal, thus prompting the matter to proceed forward on to trial at a future date.
Today, Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns further examines concerns that multiple individuals who assert familiarity with LSP’s Air Support Unit’s operations have expressed regarding alleged disregard for the safety of those who fly onboard LSP aircraft and allegations of deficiencies entailing maintenance on LSP aircraft.
Specifically, one of the matters with which Burns was presented was a harrowing flight entailing Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards in late 2018. In the following video, Burns elaborates upon the circumstances of the harrowing flight and the results of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigation of the flight, which was conducted at the request of Burns, who also alerted the FAA of other allegations of those who contacted Burns with concerns regarding LSP Air Support operations:
Burns describes Gov. Edwards’ harrowing late-2018 flight onboard a Bell 430 helicopter.
As mentioned in the video above, Burns received an official FAA email on Friday, February 26, 2021 indicating that, “the investigation did not substantiate a violation of an order, regulation or standard of the FAA related to operational or maintenance issues at Louisiana State Police Air Support” pertaining to the flight entailing Gov. Edwards. In fact, as mentioned in the video above, FAA officials emphasized that the bottom line is that the pilot, Eric Frazier, “got Gov. Edwards’ two feet safely back on the ground,” and indicated that was most certainly an act to be commended given the weather conditions with which Frazier was confronted that day. Also as emphasized, the FAA official who conversed with Burns indicated that, while he did not know if it was that harrowing flight that has resulted in LSP’s Air Support Unit changing its policy to no longer permit the older Bell 430 aircraft to be flown in weather conditions such as those which existed on the day of Edwards’ flight, he felt that policy change was an appropriate move on LSP’s Air Support’s part.
Also as referenced in the video above, Burns did discuss with the FAA official concerns expressed by his sources that LSP Air Support was passing over pilots with far more flight hours to promote pilots with far fewer hours. The FAA official indicated that, if that is indeed transpiring, it is a “horrible practice,” but he further stated that FAA had no jurisdiction whatsoever to tell LSP that one pilot has to be hired over another. The bottom line is that, as long as the pilot has the minimum certification required for flying the aircraft, that’s as far as the FAA can go (i. e. ensuring that minimum certification is fulfilled).
Given FAA officials’ description of promoting pilots with fewer flight hours over those with more flight hours as a “horrible practice,” one can only openly question Mark Morrison’s commentary in the above video of November 8, 2018, only about a month after the harrowing flight Gov. Edwards was on as relayed in first the video above.
Hearing the details of the harrowing nature of Gov. Edwards’ flight of late 2018 (which nobody we’ve talked to disputes was indeed harrowing), we could not help but reflect back to statements that then-Rep. John Bel Edwards made to the Baton Rouge Press Club on July 21, 2014 entailing his days at West Point and his training. The video we just created of his commentary in that regard is only 37 seconds long, so let’s take a look:
Then-State Rep. John Bel Edwards (D-Amite) speaks at the Baton Rouge Press Club meeting of July 21, 2014 of his West Point training entailing airplanes.
When told of the harrowing experience Edwards had in late 2018, one of Sound Off Louisiana’s most dedicated and loyal subscribers jokingly said, “Sounds to me like he may need to dust off those parachutes he had from West Point and keep them handy for flights on LSP’s helicopters!”
That’s going to conclude this initial feature on LSP’s Air Support Unit, and our next feature in this series will focus on the extent to which LSP’s Air Support Unit has in fact passed over pilots with more flight hours to select pilots with fewer flight hours for openings and promotions at the Unit.
Last but not least, in the first video above, we promised a little “lagniappe.” Subscribers may recall that we were encouraged to make a pubic records request late last year to see if LSP Trooper Kory York had faced any discipline entailing the Ronald Greene incident. When we did so, the results of our public records request dated November 19, 2020 revealed that, at that time, his only disciplinary matter entailed a traffic incident from a decade ago.
York’s disciplinary file has now expanded and, as AP Reporter Jim Mustian reported yesterday (February 27, 2021), York was suspended for 50 hours. That disciplinary measure was handed down by former LSP Col. Kevin Reeves in his last week in office and, in the previously-linked article, current LSP Col. Lamar Davis indicated that he, “would have imposed more severe discipline,” had it been up to him.
If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply go to our home page and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or to the top of the right-hand column (desktops). Supply your email address within the subscribe box. You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.
Dr. Zena Crenshaw-Logal: Executive Director of National Judicial Conduct and Disability, who led discussions on a zoom press conference of Thursday, February 25, 2021 entailing a filing by Louisiana United International to the United Nation’s Rapporteur alleging torture in Louisiana prisons being perpetrated upon imprisoned candidate for the U. S. 5th Congressional District Errol Victor, Sr.
On Thursday, February 18, 2021, officials with Louisiana United International, a prisoner advocacy group founded by Belinda Parker-Brown and headquartered in Slidell, Louisiana, filed a complaint with the United Nation’s Special Rapporteur asserting that a Republican candidate for the U. S. 5th Congressional District in Louisiana, Errol Victor, Sr., an inmate being held in a Louisiana prison, is being subjected to torture.
The link in the preceding paragraph provides the full background of Victor’s plight, and we’ve covered several features entailing him. Also, on February 9, 2021, Mandeville attorney Claiborne W. Brown filed this Motion to Quash Indictment entailing Victor asserting that Louisiana Attorney Jeff Landry has failed to retry Victor since his conviction was set aside by the U. S. Supreme Court based upon that conviction being “unconstitutional” as deemed by the court since it arose from a 10-2 verdict. The Motion asserts that Landry has failed to timely retry Victor, thus violating his right to a quick and speedy trial.
On Thursday, February 25, 2021, Louisiana United International held a zoom press conference to discuss the United Nations filing. We at Sound Off Louisiana were invited, and we attended online and videotaped the press conference.
We’re going to begin by providing a short video clip transpiring near the very end of the press conference in which Victor’s 87-year-old mother openly asks where the local media are and why they’re not anywhere near as prominent now as they were in covering Victor’s trial. Let’s take a look at that video first:
Errol Victor’s mother, who is 87 years old, openly questions why local media coverage of her son Victor’s current plight is nonexistent when it was so dominant during his trial for murder.
We viewed the entire zoom press conference, and we found it to be very professionally done. Subscribers can only decide for themselves whether they wish to watch it, but we don’t believe you’ll regret having done so if you do watch it.
When Sound Off Louisiana’s founder, Robert Burns, founded the blog, he adopted the slogan, “Providing Louisiana Citizens, from VIPs to the ‘little guy,’ a chance to sound off regarding Louisiana government issues of concern to them.” That’s exactly what Victor’s supporters have done, and one of the biggest reasons Burns founded Sound Off Louisiana was the fact that so many Louisiana citizens simply could not obtain a media outlet to “sound off” on such issues that concern them.
Having disclosed that, it’s our pleasure to provide today’s (February 25, 2021) Louisiana United International Press conference in its entirety, and here it is:
Press conference of Louisiana United International of Thursday, February 25, 2021 entailing the filing of a complaint with the United Nation’s Rapporteur alleging torture in Louisiana prisons entailing U. S. 5th Congressional District candidate Errol Victor, Sr.
If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply go to our home page and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or to the top of the right-hand column (desktops). Supply your email address within the subscribe box. You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.
Former LSP Trooper and Pilot Michael Satcher, II, who faces a court hearing in 9th JDC in Alexandria on Thursday, February 25, 2021 regarding alleged domestic abuse of his former dating partner, Cynthia Chapman.
When we published our last feature regarding former Louisiana State Police Trooper and Pilot Michael Satcher II, we indicated that his next court date for allegations of domestic abuse entailing his former dating partner, Cynthia Chapman, would be February 25, 2021. We also committed to follow the case and to report to our subscribers developments in the case notwithstanding the fact that Satcher agreed to retire from LSP effective December 18, 2020.
The most recent development in the case is Satcher’s filing of this Brady Motion. A Brady Motion is essentially a request that the Court issue an order requiring the prosecution to turn over any evidence which may tend to exonerate the accused.
Satcher’s Brady Motion appears to be a shotgun effort in the hope that the prosecution may have such evidence and, in fact, may even be an act of desperation to try to counter the extensive detail provided in Cynthia Chapman’s, his former dating partner, Petition for Protective Order if Satcher and his defense attorney have no ability to counter such detail on their own.
Our subscribers may recall that Satcher was arrested on October 12, 2019 for alleged domestic abuse entailing Chapman. Further, our subscribers may also recall that, as made plain by statements by LSP Chief of Staff Doug Cain in our November 19, 2020 Satcher feature, LSP had not initiated an administrative investigation on Satcher until “last week” (which would be well over a year after his arrest)! Further, it is quite likely that even that administrative investigation was launched only after our initial feature on Satcher of November 4, 2020!
As mentioned above, Satcher faces a hearing on Thursday, February 25, 2021 at which he is expected to make a plea of guilty or not guilty.
At this time, we’d like to share with our subscribers some of the material provided by Chapman in her Petition for Protective Order linked above (we think our subscribers owe it to themselves to view the document in its entirety, but we’ll provide some highlights):
[Incident of October 12, 2019].
For safety reasons, I walked to a group of people that I knew (at her son’s soccer game). I was fearful that Michael would try to grab me…….He was angry when I left his house due to me ending the relationship.
<After Satcher allegedly forced his way into Chapman’s home.>
I then watched as he forced his way into my master bedroom using his upper body…..I could smell liquor on his breath. I was crying, yelling for him to stop & let go, PLEADING desperately with him to stop. We fell into a zero-gravity chair in my back patio then both rolled to the ground where my head hit the pavement…..I am still crying and screaming trying to alert my neighbors……..He then proceeds to pick me up, squeezes me so tight around my mid-section that I void myself. He carries me to the master bedroom. As he is carrying me, he tells me that I am fat & heavy & that I need to quit eating because I’ve gained weight.
He carries me into the master bedroom, puts me on the floor, straddles me by sitting on top of me & tells me he can do whatever he wants to me. He puts his fingers in my vaginal area, poking at my vagina with his fingers (my pants are on). He starts pulling on my pants as though he is going to pull them down all the while calling me a slut, whore, cunt……At this time, I am in fear for my life as he is now holding his hand over my nose and mouth to prevent me from screaming, restricting my air flow. He removes his hand, and I told him, “Michael, Stop! Please! Think about my 5 kids! They need me!”
<After Chapman’s son, Dylan, appears on the scene.>
Dylan opens the door for me. I walk in & he (Dylan) walks in behind me. Mike charges the front door and places his body in the way so Dylan can’t shut the front door. The front door is open from Mike trying to force his way in. Dylan reaches out around Mike’s waist, pushes him away from the front door, then tackles him to the ground…….Mike says to Dylan, “Do you really want a piece of me?” <After Cynthia and Dylan make it safely inside and Satcher departs.> Dylan says he is going to call the police. I plead with him not to as I am fearful: He is a State Trooper and a sniper. I am scared he will retaliate.
<After Cynthia calls sister so that her boyfriend can ensure door is safely locked and secure and sister notes blood on Cynthia’s shirt. Sister immediately calls 911.>
RPSO (Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office) arrives on scene, takes report. An LSP Trooper also shows up (Betrand). After the police leave, Dylan & I go to my sister’s to spend the night as we do not feel safe.
[Incidents Prior to 10/12/19].
Michael and I began dating March of 2018 right after he and his wife separated. In the course of our dating, Michael was violent toward me 10-15 times. The most memorable, most vivid moments are as follows:
July, 2018 – Louisiana State Trooper’s Association Cruise Sponsored by Troop E.
<After they are in their room after Chapman claims Satcher said a conversation she has with another trooper was “inappropriate.”>
He angrily ripped off the shirt he was wearing….Ripped his shirt in half. He took my phone from me, threw it against the wall – it was no longer functional. He took one of my shirts, ripped it in half. He broke a pair of my sunglasses with his hands. Ripped my cross-body purse off my person breaking the strap, ripped my toiletries bag & pulled the TV / TV Stand down off the wall (he called the Carnival maintenance dept. to get this fixed). The next day, he was still angry at me…..He told me he wanted to talk. I explained that we could talk after the (St. Jude) fundraiser. He told me no, grabbed me around my hips, lifting me in the air, hitting my neck on the ceiling causing my neck to go into an unnatural position which caused my arm to go numb temporarily. (For several days after I was unable to turn my head to the right & had to see a massage therapist for several months after the incident due to limited range of motion.) Once he carried me in the room, he threw me on the bed, held his hand over my nose and mouth as I was trying to scream. I was unable to breathe. He then let go & shoved me off the bed onto the floor. Later I had a significant bruise to my buttock. Both incidents on the ship, Michael was intoxicated. Both incidents caused great fear. However, I did not report the incidents due to him being a state trooper and fear of retaliation. Once back home, Michael’s ex-wife Courtney called me saying he was just at her apartment. She told me he had just tried to strangle her & had put a gun to her head. In that same conversation, she said, “Has he put his hands on you yet?”
Subscribers are welcome to read other detailed accounts within Chapman’s Petition for Protective Order in which she recounts alleged acts of violence perpetrated by Satcher against her on the following occassions:
Greg Phares’ (former Baton Rouge Police Chief) retirement party in September of 2018.
An episode at Planet Fitness in September or October of 2018.
An episode at Buffalo Wild Wings in September or October of 2019.
A November 2018 episode at the Gulf Coast Motorcycle Competition in Gonzales, Louisiana.
An episode at the December 2018 LSTA Christmas Party and T. Lawrence Concert (at which the incident actually allegedly transpired).
A February 2019 incident at Chapman’s house.
Chapman also states in the Petition that she ended the relationship on April 13, 2019 but that Satcher nevertheless stalked her and would repeatedly tell her that it would be pointless to call the police since it would be “my word against yours.” Chapman also contends that Satcher stated she would “lose my FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner) license” if she contacted police.
Chapman also states that Satcher would drive off from her home highly intoxicated (to the point he could not walk straight and would slur his words) in his LSP unmarked vehicle.
There’s plenty more to read entailing Sature’s alleged behavior and, as we said, we highly recommend reading Chapman’s Petition for Protective Order in its entirety to grasp the true magnitude of Satcher’s alleged actions and the degree of his apparent obsession with Chapman.
As we close this feature, we want to make a couple of points. First, how in the name of God can LSP decline to even initiate an administrative investigation on this matter until OVER A YEAR after Satcher’s arrest given the HIGHLY EXTENSIVE detail Chapman provides in her Petition? How?
That brings us to a point we now wish to make. At the LSPC meeting of Thursday, February 11, 2021, LSP Col. Lamar Davis, who was attempting to indicate professionally to the members that he feels they are being too liberal in their willingness to reinstate leave for troopers charged with criminal acts, emphasized that regular citizens don’t have these kind of rights. Subscribers may even recall Belinda Parker-Brown expressing concern to WBRZ’s Chris Nakamoto over “taxpayer-funded vacations for murderers at LSP.” Let’s take a look at exactly what Davis had to say:
LSP Col. Lamar Davis indicates the public would not receive the same rights and liberal leave policies the LSPC is affording LSP Troopers.
We can tell you that, having spoken with many, many members of the public who have viewed LSPC meetings and the liberal treatments afforded LSP Troopers arrested for alleged criminal acts, the public FULLY agrees with the commentary of Col. Davis which he expresses above. F-U-L-L-Y!!!
Davis makes brief reference to “shoplifting” in the above video. He did not pull that word out of thin air! LSPC Chairman Eulis Simien cited a hypothetical example of, if a Trooper had been arrested for “armed robbery,” but then it was ascertained that he had merely engaged in “shoplifting,” then it may be appropriate to reinstate the majority of the leave the Trooper had utilized during the investigation! THAT is why Davis emphasized his point (even pointing toward Simien as he did so) that, if a member of the public had shoplifted and been arrested for it, he wouldn’t have all these rights and privileges. Davis further stated his contention that the public is viewing “police officers as being treated special.”
A long-time friend and former co-worker of Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns (whom Burns has declared to be the “smartest person he’s ever met,”) and who subscribes to this blog and has followed these LSP episodes (he resided in Louisiana many years ago and now resides in Kansas), stated: “Robert, when a district attorney believes that he has sufficient evidence to convict someone in a court of law, which means he believes he can prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, then it is inexcusable for Louisiana State Police not to fire that trooper immediately!” He then asked, “What does a trooper have to do to get fired in Louisiana? Does he have to openly murder someone in broad daylight with cameras rolling for the world to see to get fired? It’s unbelievable!”
Notwithstanding Col. Davis’ commentary above and the words of Burns’ long-time friend above, at least one LSPC commissioner (beyond Simien who went to the extreme of suggesting mere “shoplifting” may justify reinstatement of leave since it wasn’t “armed robbery”), Brian Crawford, openly challenged Davis’ argument by stating how “painstaking” it is for an LSP trooper to be on forced annual leave, which is what gets triggered after a FULL 400 HOURS of “paid administrative leave.” Let’s take a look at Crawford’s commentary directed at Davis from that February 11, 2020 meeting:
LSPC Commissioner Brian Crawford counters LSP Col. Davis’ statements about too liberal of leave policy for criminally-charged LSP Troopers by emphasizing the “painstaking” conditions those troopers are under while under investigation.
We’ll leave it to our subscribers to decide if the disciplinary procedures of LSP are antiquated and dysfunctional.
What are our sentiments? LSP troopers should be permitted to make all the political contributions they’d like to make (since they’re suing for that right anyway). As a result of obtaining that “privilege,” however, they should be required to forfeit all civil service rights and become just like the regular folk Davis describes above (i.e. at-will employees). That would also carry the side benefit of eliminating the LSPC and saving taxpayers another major expense to operate an entity that is near 100 percent dysfunctional and counterproductive and has proven that fact repetitively in the four years we’ve been observing them.
If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply go to our home page and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or to the top of the right-hand column (desktops). Supply your email address within the subscribe box. You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.
