Screen shot of lead story on WAFB news’ 6 p.m. newscast on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 wherein reporter Chris Rosato profiled the race for Ascension Parish Sheriff for which the election is Saturday, October 14, 2023.
Also, we again reiterate that, as is stated near the end of the above video, Sound Off Louisiana has issued a standing invitation for Ascension Parish Sheriff Bobby Webre to appear on our camera and respond to any of the features entailing this Matthews series. We’ll see if he takes us up on our offer, but everyone (most especially Webre himself) should be forewarned that we’ll certainly challenge Webre if he provides nothing more than the glib responses about the Fred Corder matter that he provided in Rosato’s feature on WAFB news.
Previous Segments in the Matthews Sound Off Louisiana features:
Louisiana State Police (LSP) Lt. Russell Graham as he testified at his August 8, 2023 appeal hearing before the Louisiana State Police Commission.
On February 9, 2023, Sound Off Louisiana‘s founder, Robert Burns, was stunned to see approximately 17 LSP Troopers in attendance and in uniform at the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) meeting scheduled for that day.
So many troopers were present as intended witnesses in an appeal hearing for LSP Lt. Russell Graham, whom LSP Col. Lamar Davis suspended for 40 hours as a result of an incident at the LSP Training Academy swimming pool on February 16, 2022 with then-Cadet Kevin Blake. The hearing was continued because Graham’s legal counsel, Louisiana State Trooper’s Association (LSTA) attorney Mary White, informed the Commission that documents Graham sought for the hearing, namely text messages and emails pertaining to the incident, had not been provided to Graham.
Accordingly, the hearing was continued until August 10, 2023. That hearing lasted, including breaks, for approximately nine (9) hours. We’ll be providing highlights of the appeal hearing in this feature.
Let us begin with LSP’s “star witness,” Sgt. Georgiana Lynn Kibodeaux Sonnier. We want to start out by stating that Sonnier places second only to former LSP Col. Mike Edmonson regarding her ability to ramble on for extended periods and say next to nothing. We were so thankful that, after her repetitively engaging in such “responses” to questions, LSPC Chairman Eulis Simien finally said, “It may help if you just answer the question and then elaborate if you’d like.” Anyone who could read Burns’ mind would have heard it stating a very loud “Amen” to Simien’s admonition!
We are going to admit up front that trying to capture the essence of what Sonnier had to say given the incredibly long period for which she was on the stand was no easy task. Nevertheless, we believe that the following 18-minute video, which includes video of the swimming pool incident transpiring between Blake and Graham, adequately covers her testimony (as well as her apparent perjury on the witness stand, which White demonstrated in extremely authoritative fashion):
August 8, 2023 testimony of LSP Sgt. Georgiana Lynn Kibodeaux Sonnier entailing the appeal of Lt. Russell Graham.
We believe that the above video, as much of an embarrassment as it should be to LSP (and not because of anything Graham did but rather the utter absurdity of tying up literally several thousand manhours to pursue this whole incident), speaks for itself, so we will make no comment upon it.
LSP then paraded in a group of troopers, all of whom essentially stated that Graham, though normally a top-notch trainer, acted inappropriately in the swimming pool incident reflected on the video above. Everyone stipulated that Blake was a “slacker,” and consistently failed to carry his share of the load and slowed down the progress of the other cadets in the class.
Now, Blake, who dropped out of the Training Academy sometime after the incident, did not file any complaint (or at least none was indicated). Instead, Col. Lamar Davis, who testified for 23 minutes at the hearing, indicated that, after talk of the incident began to circulate combined with that talk making its way, “up the chain of command,” he asked that an administrative investigation be launched into the matter.
Blake himself did testify, and we feel it only fair to provide both his testimony in full as well as the testimony of Lt. Graham (which will follow shortly). Here’s a video of Blake’s testimony:
August 8, 2023 testimony of Kevin Blake entailing the appeal of Lt. Russell Graham.
Similarly to LSP, Graham also had several troopers who were from Blake’s Cadet Class (100) testify before the Commission, and he also had Sgt. Kory Borcherding testify via Zoom from California entailing the incident. The link for the testimony we just supplied for troopers testifying favorably entailing Lt. Graham includes every such trooper but one. We felt that trooper, Roy Jones, who testified for less than five minutes, deserves to have his testimony on prominent display, and so here is Trooper Jones’ testimony:
August 8, 2023 testimony of Trooper Roy Jones entailing the appeal of Lt. Russell Graham.
Graham also sought and obtained the testimony of LSP Training Academy nurse Elaine Cammarosano. Her testimony lasted less than four minutes, and we provide it at this time:
August 8, 2023 testimony of LSP Training Academy nurse Elaine Cammarosano entailing the appeal of Lt. Russell Graham.
Now for Graham’s testimony in its entirety:
August 8, 2023 testimony of Lt. Russell Graham entailing his own appeal hearing.
Now, we’ve provided the link for LSP Col. Davis’ testimony in its entirety for anyone who wishes to view it, but we want to draw special focus to Davis’ statement to LSPC Commissioner Jarred Riecke when Riecke asked if Graham’s actions were analogous to “the old days” when a high school football coach may grab a player by the facemask and get on his case for a poor performance on the field. In Davis’ response, he had the unmitigated gall to, though he didn’t reference Ronald Greene by name, state that the Graham incident was, “eerily similar to a situation that took place in the public where you have someone saying ‘please stop’ and we’re not.” Here’s the video:
August 8, 2023 testimony of LSP Col. Lamar Davis stating that the Graham incident is “eerily similar” to another incident which is clearly referencing Ronald Greene.
WOW!! So here we have a Colonel who shows reckless disregard for public safety in speeding at a rate of 92 MPH over a section of I-10 over the Atchafalaya Basin which has been designated as a dangerous section and for which the speed limit is 60 MPH. He then compounds his irresponsible act by indicating that it is “permissible” for the trooper who clocked him at that speed and pulled him over to, “turn off his body cam because the situation was assessed as non-combative.” That statement still absolutely infuriates us more with each passing day that he declines to retract it!
WOW! When we watch the Ronald Greene video, Greene sure appeared non-combative to us. So, according to Davis, those troopers who deactivated their body cams did nothing wrong because the suspect didn’t appear combative!
Notwithstanding all of that, for the Head of LSP, Col. Lamar Davis himself, to have the audacity and unmitigated gall to compare the Russell Graham incident depicted on the first video above to the following video (with special focus on the 11:50 – 16:00 mark) is so far beyond the pale that words can’t adequately describe the abject insult that his words are to the Greene family (at least in our eyes):
May 10, 2019 video of the arrest and in-custody death of Ronald Greene, (with specific attention directed at the 11:50 – 16:00 mark).
In fact we’re going to now present a table (our subscribers may note that we’re quite fond of them) contrasting the Greene arrest with the Graham incident so we can outline just how “eerily similar” the two incidents are:
Incident Item
Ronald Greene
Kevin Blake
Date of incident
May 10, 2019
February 16, 2022
Date of commencement of IA/administrative investigation
September 15, 2020.
March 2, 2022.
Days from incident until IA/Administrative investigation commences.
494
14
Impact upon subject
Death.
No injuries whatsoever (per nurse above)
# of LSP Troopers involved
On scene = 5-6 (one of whom is deceased due to either a suicide or accident); As part of subsequent massive coverup = unknown.
One (Russell Graham).
Transparency.
Nonexistent with video not even surfacing until 1 1/2 years later and then only due to leak to AP reporter.
Immediate and total with video being provided during 8/8/23 appeal hearing.
Federal involvement.
Played into ongoing "pattern and practices" investigation, Federal Grand Jury convened for charges that never materialized.
None.
State prosecution.
Although it appears on life support as a result of prosecutorial ineptitude, 17 indictments were collectively handed down by a grand jury.
None.
Phone "sanitized?"
YES.
NO.
National news media coverage.
Although insufficient given what transpired, yes.
No.
Governor John Bel Edwards forced to address the matter?
Yes, in a press conference immediately after meeting with the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus.
No.
We’ll let the public weigh in with their thoughts but, to us, it doesn’t look like the two incidents are even remotely similar, much less, “eerily similar.”
So, what was the outcome of the appeal hearing? Well, that’s the best part! The LSPC opted to defer a decision until its next meeting, which is Thursday, September 14, 2023. Let’s take a look at closing arguments from August 8, 2023:
Closing arguments in the appeal of LSP Lt. Russell Graham.
As noted in the video above, Chairman Eulis Simien, Jr., indicated that the Commission would, immediately upon convening on Thursday, “go into Executive Session.”
We want to make sure every single trooper in this state is aware that, if he or she is the subject of an appeal hearing, the LSPC can go into Executive Session ONLY if the trooper gives his or her consent! That is pursuant to LA R. S. 42:17 (A)(1)).
We’ll be there on Thursday, and we’ll report upon the LSPC’s decision and, from a selfish standpoint, we sincerely hope Graham invokes his right pursuant to LA R. S. 42:17(A)(1) and insists that the LSPC deliberate in an open forum to where we can videotape everything each Commissioner has to say on the matter!
St. Tammany Parish Assistant District Attorney Cary Menard addresses attendees at a forum hosted by community activist Belinda Parker-Brown on August 5, 2023 in which Menard provided insight on how the criminal justice system works in order that attendees can better understand the rights of friends or relatives who have been accused of crimes.
On May 11, 2023, India Ratliff appeared before 22nd JDC Judge William Burris entailing a misdemeanor charge of alleged simple damage to property of less than $1,000 allegedly committed on or about December 3, 2021.
Let us now present the State’s version of the sideshow that developed at the Court Hearing, after which we’ll present Parker-Brown’s version of the sideshow. First, for the State, as reflected in the Court Minutes of the Hearing:
Defense Counsel informed the Court of an interaction regarding Belinda Parker-Brown and her interference with his client. Court ordered Belinda Parker-Brown be banned from the Courtroom unless she is given written authority by the Court, and he will be filing a rule for indirect contempt. Court requested all present parties that were present during the incident be noted so that they may be subpoenaed for a hearing. Attorneys Cameron Mary and James Flammang made statements to the Court regarding the incident.
Later in the day, Belinda Parker-Brown and Attorney, Muriel Van horn were present in the Courtroom and Ms. Van hourn made statements to the Court regarding the involvement of Ms. Parker-Brown in a civil matter in Division A. Court questioned Counsel as to her representation of Ms. Parker Brown in this matter and Ms. Van horn stepped down. Court ordered Belinda Parker Brown be banished from this Courtroom as well as the Division E Courtroom. Court informed Ms. Parker-Brown that a rule for indirect contempt will be filed and the possible sentence. Court informed Ms. Parker-Brown to obtain Counsel by said hearing date if she desires representation. Ms. Parker-Brown stated her address on the record as 1622 11th Street, Slidell, LA 70458. Ms. Van horn objected for the record and Court warned her as to her representation of Ms. Parker-Brown if she does so on the record and said objection was withdrawn. Ms. Parker Brown objected and Court noted said objection.
Parker-Brown provides her version of the May 11, 2023 courtroom sideshow transpiring in 22nd JDC Judge William Burris’ courtroom.
The hearing on the Rule to Show Cause entailing “indirect contempt of court” transpired on Thursday, September 7, 2023 at 1:30 p.m., and Sound Off Louisiana’s founder, Robert Burns, attended and took extensive notes. As noted in the title, Parker-Brown was permanently banned from Judge Burris’ Courtroom (and all misdemeanor proceedings in 22nd JDC). We obtained a video interview with Parker-Brown, her husband, Carl, and Ms. Rita McDonald soon after the hearing. Let’s take a look at what everyone had to say entailing the day’s hearing:
As noted above, Parker-Brown filed a Joint Notice of Removal to Federal Court a few hours before the hearing before Judge Burris. Parker-Brown provided Burris with a copy of the filed Notice of Removal; however, he indicated that, “absent a signed Order from a Federal Judge or a Magistrate Judge, this proceeding continues.” Parker-Brown then indicated that she desired to be represented by attorney Claiborne Brown; however, (Claiborne) Brown informed the Judge that he and Parker-Brown were unable to come to satisfactory agreement entailing him representing her, and so Judge Burris instructed him to have a seat and instructed Parker-Brown to step forward for the matter to commence.
The hearing lasted two (2) hours during which numerous witnesses were called by Judge Burris. Several Public Defenders testified under oath that they’d admonished Parker-Brown that she’d been acting as an attorney with no license. That was the whole basis of Judge Burris’ Rule to Show Cause entailinig alleged violations of LA CCrP Article 23:4 and 23:6.
Upon the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Burris ruled that Parker-Brown had in fact committed, “egregious violations of Sections four and six,” afer which he imposed a fine of $1,000 and taxed Parker-Brown with all court costs associated with the hearing. Parker-Brown indicated to Judge Burris that she would be appealing, to which Judge Burris stated, “That’s fine. You can follow the proper process for launching an appeal.” Parker-Brown then informed the court reporter that she would, “need a transcript of the proceedings as fast as possible.”
We received correspondence to us indicating that Burris had, “shown Contempt for the Federal Court the same way he was accusing Parker-Brown of showing Contempt for his court.” That fact was buttressed in the communication to us with the following:
28 USC §1455(b)(3) The filing of a notice of removal of a criminal prosecution shall not prevent the State court in which such prosecution is pending from proceeding further, except that a judgment of conviction shall not be entered unless the prosecution is first remanded.
Parker-Brown indicated during the hearing to Judge Burris that, “I feel like it’s my organization which is on trial here today!” Burris, who was extremely polite to Parker-Brown throughout the proceeding (as was she back to him), then said, “Yes, tell me a little about your organization.”
We’re going to wrap this feature up with a few videos associated with an August 5, 2023 community forum in which St. Tammany Parish Assistant District Attorney Cary Menard agreed to address attendees to provide some insight on how the judicial system works and how they may be able to help their friends or families in knowing their rights.
Parker-Brown stated throughout the hearing that her role and that of her organization’s is just that: to help individuals understand just what their rights are. She further maintained that she does that through such forums and in being able to assist members with, if they so desire, as Ms. Ratliff stated under oath was the case for her, obtaining private representation rather than relying upon Public Defenders. Here are a few videos from that community forum:
On August 5, 2023, Covington Mayor Mark Johnson addresses a community gathering sponsored by Belinda Parker-Brown.
On August 5, 2023, St. Tammany Parish President Michael Cooper addresses a community gathering sponsored by Belinda Parker-Brown.
On August 5, 2023, Cary Menard Assistant District Attorney with the St. Tammany Parish DA’s Office addresses a community gathering sponsored by Belinda Parker-Brown.
One source told us that, in view of the Federal citation above, the ruling by Judge Burris is, “flatly illegal.” Our response? Irrespective of legality, we can only harken back to the immortal words of attorney Eric Haik (to pro se litigant Billy Broussard), “A judge can do whatever he wants!” Perhaps the hearing of September 7, 2023 entailing Parker-Brown being held in constructive contempt exemplifies that very fact!
