Month: October 2023

Dr. Shiva Akula, whose Federal trial entailing 23 counts of alleged Medicare fraud commenced in the Federal Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans on Monday, October 30, 2023.

In today’s Sound Off Louisiana feature, founder Robert Burns, who (along with community activist Belinda Parker-Brown) provided this overview of Day 1 of USA v. Shiva Akula, provides an overview of the second day of the trial, which transpired on Tuesday, October 31, 2023:

October 31, 2023:  Burns provides overview of Day 2 of USA v. Shiva Akula.

As Burns stated he’d do in the video, here’s the link for guidance on the nature of the qui tam lawsuit filed by future prosecution witness Kelly Anderson.  From that Cornell University explanation:

In a qui tam action, a relator brings an action against a person or company on the government’s behalf. The government, not the relator, is considered the plaintiff. If the government succeeds, the relator bringing the suit receives a share of the award. This is also called a popular action.

For example, the federal False Claims Act authorizes qui tam actions against parties who have defrauded the federal government. If successful, a relator in a False Claims Act qui tam action may receive up to 30% of the government’s award.

As Burns stated, the qui tam action is a key reason Akula defense attorney David DeVillers stressed in opening arguments that Kelly Anderson has been provided with, “boatloads of money” for her testimony.

As Burns indicated, today’s (Tuesday’s October 31, 2023) trial segment had to be scored as a win for prosecutors (at least on paper), but that doesn’t mean the prosecution didn’t have a low point in the day’s proceedings.  Here is that low point with near-verbatim dialogue at the trial:

<With Dr. William Blalock on the stand and under direct examination by Assistant U. S. Attorney J. Ryan McLaren.>

McLaren:  “Okay, when the FBI first contacted you in early 2018, what did the FBI agent state to you?”

DeVillers:  “Objection!”

Judge Lance Africk:  “Sustained!”

McLaren:  “Okay, the FBI agent’s communications with you…..”

DeVillers:  “Objection!”

Judge Africk:  “I sustained the objection!”

McLaren:  “Your Honor, I was going to rephrase the question.”

Judge Africk:  “I have sustained the objection!  I don’t care how you rephrase it, it would remain hearsay!”

Burns has attended many trials, and he can recall only one instance in which a future witness was as anticipated to provide the kind of fireworks that are anticipated for future prosecution witness Kelly Anderson:  Brant Thompson (son of long-time State Senator Francis Thompson) in USA v. Murphy Painter.

In that matter, despite all the hype and anticipation of Thompson’s testimony, what eventually transpired during that testimony was a wet blanket.

We certainly don’t expect that to be the case entailing upcoming prosecution witness Kelly Anderson and, as Burns said on the video, he really doesn’t care if her testimony transpires at 5 a.m. in the morning, he wants to be there whenever it does go down!

CLICK HERE for the day 2 minute entry by the court.

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply click on ANY post (this one is relatively short and requires less scrolling) and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or look at the upper right-hand column (desktops).  Simply 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.  Note:  In order to view videos associated with the post, you MUST still click on the headline lettering as Word Press does not facilitate embedded videos in its email distribution.

Dr. Shiva Akula, whose Federal trial entailing 23 counts of alleged Medicare fraud commenced in the Federal Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans on Monday, October 30, 2023.

Sound Off Louisiana subscribers may recall our April 30, 2023 feature entailing USA v. Shiva Akula, who is facing 23 counts of alleged Medicare fraud.

In today’s Sound Off Louisiana feature, founder Robert Burns and community activist Belinda Parker-Brown review the first day of Akula’s trial, which commenced on Monday, October 30, 2023 in Federal Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans, Louisiana:

October 30, 2023:  Burns and Parker-Brown provide overview of Day 1 of USA v. Shiva Akula.

As Burns and Parker-Brown headed for their cars, Burns lamented to Parker-Brown that they’d forgotten to provide the sharp contrast between what the Government claims Akula did regarding corrective action in the aftermath of a 2014 Medicare audit and what Akula claims he did.  Burns indicated that he’d provide that material in the text of this feature, but Parker-Brown convinced Burns to simply produce a quick supplemental video on that matter.  Here’s that video supplement:

October 30, 2023:  Burns provides brief supplement to Day 1 of USA v. Shiva Akula video above.

The remaining days of this trial should prove very intriguing, particularly when witness Kelly Anderson takes the witness stand!

CLICK HERE for the day 1 minute entry by the court.

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply click on ANY post (this one is relatively short and requires less scrolling) and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or look at the upper right-hand column (desktops).  Simply 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.  Note:  In order to view videos associated with the post, you MUST still click on the headline lettering as Word Press does not facilitate embedded videos in its email distribution.

Louisiana State Representative-Elect of House District 81 (and long-time former Ascension Parish Sheriff) Jeff Wiley.

In today’s Sound Off Louisiana feature, C. J. Matthews, who unsuccessfully ran for Ascension Parish Sheriff and was defeated by incumbent Sheriff Bobby Webre by an 87-13 margin, describes the angst and turmoil which he indicates has transpired at the Sheriff’s Office in the immediate aftermath of Webre’s victory.

Matthews also responds to Representative-Elect (and former long-time Ascension Parish Sheriff) Jeff Wiley’s claims that Matthews acted in “haste to play ‘gotcha'” regarding Matthews claim on October 12, 2023 that Wiley engaged in an illegal campaign act when he visited a nursing home within seven (7) days of the October 14, 2023 election.

Let’s take a look at all that Matthews had to say regarding the matters presented above:

10/23/23:  Matthews describes the angst and turmoil he asserts exist in Ascension Parish Sheriff Bobby Webre’s office in the immediate aftermath of Webre’s successful re-election of October 14, 2023 and follows that up with countering Wiley’s recent claim that he, “acted in haste to play ‘gotcha'” on Wiley’s campaign nursing home visit days before the October 14, 2023 election.

The various denials of Matthews’ public records requests which are postmarked 10/16/23 (two days after the election) may be viewed by clicking here.

We were also provided with a copy of another public records request response from Webre.  That request entailed obtaining, “all documentation concerning the telephone records of Sheriff Robert “Bobby” Webre from October 2, 2021 – October 31, 2021.”

The response letter, which was dated October 20, 2023 and was signed by Deputy Kyle Gautreau, Paralegal/Custodian of Records, Legal Affairs Section, stated:  “This office has no records responsive to your request.”

The request was made by Kelsey Delatte, who claims that she was raped by outgoing Parish Councilman Dempsey Lambert’s son on October 2, 2021.  Lambert was defeated in his re-election bid by challenger Michael Todd Varnado.

The request for the records was made by Delatte about four (4) months ago; however, it wasn’t until October 20, 2023 that Webre’s office got around to informing her that it has no records responsive to her request.

In the above video, Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns indicated that he’d provide the link for a number of lawsuits he filed against the Louisiana Auctioneer’s Licensing Board, the majority of which entailed either public records or alleged open meetings violations.  Here is that link.

Now let’s provide the text messages Matthews references in the video above that he received from Wiley.  Here they are:

Now, it’s not our norm, but since the above video is just shy of 40 minutes long, we’re going to point out a few key spots on the video entailing points regarding State Representative-Elect Jeff Wiley’s nursing home visit:

19:13   Transition to Wiley discussion (away from Webre turmoil Matthews discussed).

20:10   Burns states the unfortunate aspect of Wiley stating to him that he’d allow no videotaping of a forum conducted just before the election because Burns indicated that Wiley’s responses to questions would indicate that Wiley is likely to vote as a State Representative in a manner consistent with the manner in which Burns would desire him to vote.

20:30  Burns emphasizes that, similarly to Wiley, Gubernatorial candidate David Vitter certainly had a mindset that prompted Burns to, early on his Sound Off Louisiana‘s formation, publish a feature in which Burns did a “7-minute sermonette” on why Vitter was the clear choice for Governor.

21:00  Burns states the unfortunate reality that, Vitter’s philosophy about the way Louisiana should be governed (particularly regarding tort reform) matching Burns’ philosophy notwithstanding, Vitter had the obvious problem that he consorted with prostitutes, and that completely destroyed his bid to become Governor of Louisiana in 2015.

21:12  Burns states, “Now I’m certainly not prepared to suggest in any manner that Jeff Wiley has ever consorted with prostitutes.”

22:05  Burns again reiterates that he’s not prepared to suggest in any manner that Jeff Wiley has ever consorted with prostitutes.

22:30  Burns transitions to Matthews to counter Wiley’s texts messages provided above regarding the nursing home visit by Jeff Wiley days prior to the election on October 14, 2023.

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply click on ANY post (this one is relatively short and requires less scrolling) and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or look at the upper right-hand column (desktops).  Simply 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.  Note:  In order to view videos associated with the post, you MUST still click on the headline lettering as Word Press does not facilitate embedded videos in its email distribution.