Louisiana Gov. Elect Jeff Landry, who has openly stated that his first priority is a Special Session of the Louisiana Legislature to address Louisiana’s violent crime problem.

Gov. Elect Jeff Landry has indicated to the world that his #1 focus, as evidenced by his intention to convene a special session of the Legislature devoted exclusively to crime prevention, is indeed enacting legislation designed to deter the commission of violent crimes against the people of Louisiana.

While that’s a noble cause, we openly question whether Landry’s commitment will extend to members of the law enforcement community.  Why do we openly question Landry’s commitment to be “tough on crime” when it comes to the committing of such crimes by law enforcement officials?  Well, we’re more than happy to explain precisely why!

Though anybody has been hard-pressed to read a word about it in the mainstream media, we at Sound Off Louisiana have extensively reported upon the alleged domestic abuse committed by former LSP Trooper Michael Lynn Satcher.  Here are the links for our past features on him:

1.  November 4, 2020:  Attorney General Jeff Landry’s office provides assurance that LSP Trooper Satcher’s alleged domestic abuse and related charges to be prosecuted as felonies.

2.  November 19, 2020:  LSP Chief of Staff Cain admits no administrative investigation commenced for alleged domestic abuser Satcher until soon after Col. Kevin Reeves’ departure.

3.  December 27, 2020:  Amid widening allegations of improprieties at LSP’s Air Support Unit, Trooper Satcher resigns ahead of trial for pending felony domestic abuse charges.

4.  February 23, 2021:  As former LSP Trooper Satcher files Brady Motion, former domestic dating partner expressed fear for her life; didn’t report alleged abuses due to retaliation fears.

After delaying the trial more times than we could count, finally (and perhaps not coincidentally as the October 14, 2023 election date neared), Landry, on September 11, 2023 (a mere 33 days before the election), permitted Satcher to plead no contest and enter into this soft and cushy plea deal.  The plea deal speaks for itself (and particularly so as it pertains to being “tough on crime” regarding allegations of domestic abuse), so we’re not even going to dignify it but instead let subscribers and casual visitors to this site view it for themselves!

The bottom line is that the only “assurance” Landry kept was that Satcher’s charge would not be reduced to a misdemeanor, but even that was what originally got filed into the Rapides Parish Clerk of Court but was subsequently “corrected.”

We’ll point out that the DA in Rapides Parish had to recuse himself from prosecution because of his, “close friendship with Satcher” to include being his hunting buddy.  We’ll also point out that our most reliable LSP sources told us that the reason no internal administrative investigation was even launched into Satcher until after we exposed the matter (see November 19, 2020 feature above) is because he was “tight” with then-Colonel Reeves.

Interestingly enough, as we’ve previously pointed out, Reeves also deferred taking any internal action against former LSP Trooper Chris Hollingsworth until days after we exposed the Ronald Greene matter on September 10, 2020.

We had reliable sources who periodically kept us advised on the Satcher matter, and they indicated that Landry’s office came under “intense pressure” to go easy on Satcher from some “highly powerful people.”  Apparently, Landry ultimately caved to that pressure and, as we’re about to present, it has already blown up in his face.

Our admonition to Gov. Elect Landry and to soon-to-be LSP Colonel Robert Hodges and Chief of Staff Frank Besson then is that we’d advise #1) running a tight ship and #2) being proactive in handling internal problems (because trust us, we have no doubt whatsoever that plenty of them are going to arise under Landry’s watch).  Otherwise, the same embarrassment and shame as Gov. Edwards and his LSP upper brass have endured over the last eight years will surely crash down upon their heads as well.

Now, one of the conditions of Satcher’s plea agreement was that sentence would be deferred and that he would be on two years of active supervised probation.  Well, he didn’t quite make it through his probationary period.  In fact, only 89 days into it, yesterday, December 9, 2023, Satcher was arrested again and placed in the Rapides Parish Detention Center for essentially the same identical charges (with kidnapping added).  Let’s take a look at what’s posted so far (it’s too fresh to be available on the Rapides Parish Clerk of Court’s Office):

Inmate Detail – Satcher, Michael Lynn II

LSP Major Robert Hodges, who is Gov. Elect Jeff Landry’s choice to be LSP’s next Colonel.

LSP Major Frank Besson, who is Gov. Elect Jeff Landry’s choice to be LSP’s next Chief of Staff.

In today’s Sound Off Louisiana feature, we provide our response to Gov. Elect Jeff Landry’s selection of Louisiana State Police (LSP) Majors Robert Hodges as the new Colonel of LSP and Frank Besson as the new LSP Chief of Staff.  Here’s video of that response:

December 3, 2023:  Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns provides the official Sound Off Louisiana response to Louisiana Gov. Elect Jeff Landry’s selections of Major Robert Hodges as LSP’s next Colonel and Major Frank Besson to serve as LSP’s next Chief of Staff. [Video clips of Landry’s news conference courtesy of KLFY (Channel 10 in Lafayette)].

Ms. Mona Hardin, mother of Ronald Greene, sees her son sometime after his death on May 10, 2019 at the hands of Louisiana State Police troopers and Union Parish Sheriff deputies.

We realize that our last feature entailing the dropping of Louisiana State Police (LSP) Lieutenant John Clary’s Obstruction of Justice charge for allegedly, “withholding a body camera video from investigators” was an in-depth and very much “in the weeds” production.

Let us summarize it in one sentence:  John Belton’s criminal case against Clary was utterly laughable and would have been near-impossible for him to prevail upon.  That’s the one sentence summary, but the more perplexing question is how in the world he actually got an indictment on something so flimsy and lacking even an a modicum of foundation.

At any rate, as we stated in that article, Ms. Mona Hardin appeared on Gerod Stevens’ “reality check” program on Thursday, October 19, 2023.  Sister Belinda Parker-Brown, founder of Louisiana United International and Mr. Stevens have invited Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns on the show about four times in 2023 (and even more in 2022) to provide updates on the Ronald Greene trial.

We want to provide our subscribers and casual site visitors with the opportunity for Hardin to inform everyone just what all has transpired from the outset of the in-custody death on May 10, 2019 through present day.  What all she describes is absolutely incredible and, for those who’d like to hear her explain it all in her own words (and vent plenty of frustration with “everyone who has touched this case,”) here’s your chance:

Episode of Gerod Stevens’ “reality check” program of October 19, 2023 wherein Ms. Mona Hardin, mother of Ronald Greene, informs listeners of all that has transpired entailing her son’s in-custody death at the hands of LSP Troopers and Union Parish Sheriff Deputies on May 10, 2019.

We think anyone would have to admit that the above account of Ms. Mona, including all of the frustrations she conveys in that broadcast, are almost unbelievable, but it all really did happen!

We felt a duty to inform the Greene family of our take on Belton dropping the Obstruction Charge against Clary and that it almost certainly may not be for the reason(s) Belton likely conveyed to the Greene family.  Quite simply, we would never believe he would admit to the family that the trial would be downright laughable as one LSP investigator after another testified to having no trouble viewing Clary’s video and that he made no attempt whatsoever to block them from doing so.

That fact notwithstanding, Clary may be called upon to testify in the upcoming trial of Union Parish Sheriff Deputy Chris Harpin, which is presently scheduled for March 25, 2024.  Harpin’s Motion to Quash the charges against him was denied by State Judge Thomas Rogers on November 22, 2023.  Here’s what Judge Rogers had to say in his ruling:

Count 12 of the indictment alleges that Mr. Harpin applied OC spray after he had been subdued and Count 13 alleges he placed his foot on Mr. Greene sometime thereafter.  These are separate and distinct actions even though they were reportedly within 16 seconds of each other.  Although 16 seconds sounds like a very short span of time, it was sufficient to have given Mr. Harpin time to reflect on the result of applying the OC spray and to make a deliberate decision to apply his foot to Mr. Greene.  This was not an automatic reflective response immediately following the application of the OC spray.

Code of Criminal Procedure Article 61 grants the Office of the District Attorney vast authority over criminal prosecution.  This broad discretionary power allows the office to determine whom, when, and how he shall prosecute.  In the present case evidence was presented to a grand jury who with the guidance of the District Attorney determined that there were 2 distinct offenses of malfeasance.

LSA-R.S. 14:8 defines one form of criminal conduct as an act that produces criminal consequences combined with criminal intent.  Louisiana Courts have consistently held that where a law enforcement officer commits a battery in the course and scope of his duties this would constitute malfeasance in office under LSA R. S. 14:134 A(1) or A(2).  Simply put, he violated a lawfully required duty by performing it in an unlawful manner.  Both Counts 12 and 13 describe batteries separate and distinct from each other.  As pointed out by the State if Mr. Harpin was tried on either Count 12 or 13 alone the disposition as to only one count would not give rise to a claim of double jeopardy as to the other.  The Court agrees with the State.  The fact that two actions occur only sixteen seconds apart is of no consequence.  Accordingly, the Motion to Quash is denied.

THUS DONE and SIGNED this 21st day of November, 2023 in chambers at Ruston, Louisiana.

Here’s a brief update on the status of the other Greene defendant, Kory York.  On October 5, 2023, Judge Rogers denied York’s Motion to Quash after the Kastigar Hearing.  York’s attorney, J. Michael Small, immediately vowed to appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.  York succefully obtained an extension of time to apply for writ application to Friday, November 24, 2023 (last Friday).  In the meantime, Judge Rogers granted a Stay of all Court Proceedings pertaining to York pending that appeal.