During hearing for alleged sending of “derogatory tweet about race,” Police Commission Chairman states: “You’ll be held in contempt if you don’t shut up!”

Louisiana State Police Trooper William R. Woodward, III, who was told at the July 8, 2021 Louisiana State Police Commission to “shut up, or you’ll be held in contempt,” by Commission Chairman Eulis Simien, Jr.

On or about January 21, 2020, LSP Trooper Treone Larvadain became the first African-American female to be promoted to Captain in Louisiana State Police (LSP)’s history.  Much fanfare was made about the accomplishment, and perhaps none more so than this WAFB (Channel 9 in Baton Rouge) feature on the accomplishment.

WAFB, on the day after the above feature aired, January 29, 2020, posted to its Facebook page that congratulations were in order.  LSP Trooper William Woodward, III, the same trooper on whom we recently reported entailing his attorney, Michael DuBos,  asserting that LSP Col. Lamar Davis fails miserably to comply with proper investigative procedures, posted this tweet to his personal Twitter account.  Here’s the content of the Tweet:

The first African-American female to ever….Wow, what country in Africa are you from?

Let’s take a minute (literally) to hear LSP sum up the above events:


At the July 8, 2021 LSPC meeting, Larvadain’s accomplishment and Woodward’s Twitter post are conveyed.

Next up, let’s again spend less than a minute to hear LSP outline all of the alleged violations Trooper Woodward committed in posting the above eight-word tweet:


LSP outlines Woodward’s alleged violations.

Next, we believe in permitting the accuser (Larvadain in this case) to be able to air his or her views in full with no editing, so for those willing to invest the time, here’s a 15-minute audio of Larvadain on the witness stand espousing on her feelings about the Twitter post and why she feels it was inappropriate for Woodward to have posted:


Larvadain explains why she took offense to Woodard’s post and the rationale for why she filed the complaint against him.

At the 3:52 mark of the above audio clip, Larvadain seems to desire to point out the fact that Woodward is employed at Troop F, which has gained national attention entailing the alleged use of excessive force during arrests of African-American individuals.

Nevertheless, when Woodward, who represented himself, questioned Larvadain entailing why she felt the need to emphasize that Troop is the one at which he is employed, Larvadain denied having stated that Woodward worked at Troop F.

When Woodward pointed out that she had in fact stated that he worked at Troop F, Larvadain said that, if she did state the troop at which Woodward is employed, it was meant as nothing more than being informative of which LSP Troop Woodward is employed and that nothing further should be read into her disclosure of that fact.

The next witness called was Bryon Sam, who performed an EEOC review of Woodward’s tweet, and Woodward sought to hone in on the fact that LSP failed to conform to the timeframes for conducting an investigation on the matter.

LSPC Chairman Eulis Simien, Jr., once again demonstrating his propensity to place himself as Judge over the proceedings accused Woodward of “wasting time,” and further told Woodward that, “You’ll be cited for contempt if you don’t shut up!”  Let’s again take less than a minute to have a listen, shall we?


LSPC Chairman Eulis Simien, Jr. asks Woodward why he is “wasting time,” and further admonishes him that, “You’ll be cited for contempt if you don’t shut up!”

We will once again stress the fact that Simien is supposed to serve merely as a member of the LSPC for hearings and permit Lenore Feeney, the actual judge or “referee,” to handle the proceedings.  Instead, just as we’ve stressed in the past, Simien declares himself to be the de facto judge (is there anyone else in a courtroom who can inform any individual that he or she is “in contempt”?) of the proceedings.

We will give Simien credit for one thing.  At least he did not come down from his position (Commissioners sit on elevated seats), and forcefully shove anyone in attendance the way Cosmetology Board Chairman Edwin Neill, Jr., did on Monday, August 2, 2021 entailing shoving Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns.  We’ll have another feature on Neill in coming days that we think our subscribers will find very interesting.

While Simien felt Woodward’s defense was largely a “waste of time,” we will point out some written material Woodward supplied to the LSPC before the meeting which we believe to be noteworthy irrespective of Simien’s overall take that Woodward did nothing more than “waste time.”  In Woodward’s response letter to LSP dated March 17, 2021, he makes the following assertions:

1.  No violation shown by LSP;

2.  LSP violated Woodward’s First Amendment right of free speech afforded by the U. S. Constitution and Louisiana’s Constitution;

3.  The suspension should be removed from his record and he be compensated for the lost pay and costs associated with the suspension;

4.  Request for a hearing (he got that on July 8, 2021, which is the very subject of this post).

5.  Double jeopardy given that Woodward asserts he, “was subjected to verbal berating from Lieutenant Eric Cuenca and removed from my honorable service on the Honor Guard and suspended from working overtime details for an extended period of time in 2020 in direct relation to the alleged violation of policy in regards to my tweet on Twitter this suspension came from.”

6.  Violation of LSPC Rule.  Specifically, he asserts:  “The decision to suspend me came twelve (12) days prior to me being served with the notice to be suspended as evident in email dated 12/29/2020 and the letter notifying me I would be suspended was given to me on 01/10/2021. This is in violation of Commission Rule 12.19 (f).”

7.  Another allegation of failure of LSP to conform to timelines.

8.  That the objectionable tweet was made on his own personal Twitter account and that LSP had failed to provide any evidence that he made any post on any social media platform sponsored by WAFB.

While it’s understandable that Woodward could not verbally assert everything above, we do question Simien’s characterization that he was “wasting time” before the LSPC, particularly regarding assertion # 2 above.  Who knows, perhaps once the dust settles from all this, Woodward may contact The Louisiana Chapter of the ACLU and see if they may have interest in taking on his case for alleged violations of Constitutional rights of free speech.

Next up, LSP Col. Lamar Davis took about 10 minutes to provide his thoughts on the matter and justify his imposition of the suspension.  As with Larvadain, we’ll provide his full commentary on the matter.  Here it is:


LSP Col. Davis testifies entailing what LSP policies he asserts Woodward violated and why he suspended Woodward for the tweet.

We’ll point out that, at the 3:18 mark of the above audio, Davis indicates that Woodward’s action negatively affects the trust that the community has in LSP and emphasizes that troopers are to protect all citizens, irrespective of race.  His point is well-taken; however, we cannot help but note the utter hypocrisy of Davis making such a statement given the fact that, according to the Associated Press, on May 20, 2021, Davis accompanied his Chief of Staff, Doug Cain, on a trip to Monroe to attempt to convince District Attorney John Belton NOT to lodge formal criminal charges against the arresting troopers in the Ronald Greene matter.

We can only openly ask just how adverse Davis’ alleged (we use the word “alleged” because he declined comment to AP reporter Jim Mustian) action is regarding the Greene matter?  Specifically, we wonder just how his own action impacts “community trust,” especially among the African-American community?  Will they now view him as a total sell out?  A total fraud?  An Uncle Tom?    We’re not sure, but somehow we believe trying to block criminal charges wherein troopers beat the living daylights out of a black arrestee who was crying out, “I’m sorry,” and “I’m scared,” and, “I’m your brother,” and who would be beaten nevertheless to the point he died would erode “community trust” far more than Trooper Woodward’s tweet!  That’s just our opinion, though.

At any rate, it would seem particularly inappropriate for someone who now looks to have quite likely engaged in obstruction of justice (Davis) to sit in judgment of someone who, while he certainly may have failed to use common sense in making the Twitter post, hasn’t been remotely accused of a criminal act the way Davis is now directly accused of having committed!

Also, Davis stated that he took past infractions on Woodward’s part into account.  In the interest of full disclosure, those past infractions (which the LSPC members had access to as part of their packages for the hearing) entailed a 2000 incident in which Woodward told a driver over the LSP vehicle’s PA system to, “get over into the G/D right lane!” and also a 2010 incident entailing abandoning an off-duty detail to work DWI and other traffic incidents.

As the hearing drew to a close, Chairman Simien again lit into Woodward as Woodward made his closing arguments, asserting that he was “lecturing to the Commission.”  Again, for investing a minute of time, anyone can hear Simien’s chastising Woodward for the content of his closing arguments:

LSPC Chairman Simien chastises Woodward for the content of his closing arguments.

When the final judgment of the LSPC was rendered, Simien once again could not resist the urge to provide his own commentary at the very end.

Simien’s commentary was completely inappropriate and, we firmly believe that, as a result of it, Woodward’s attorney, Michael DuBos, should seek a Motion for Recusal from Chairman Simien at Woodward’s August 12, 2021 hearing of Trooper Woodward’s appeal for alleged wrongdoing during a DWI arrest Woodward executed on March 24, 2021.

To us, it is abundantly clear that Simien, by his very words at the end of that ruling (beyond his other inappropriate conduct) demonstrates that he in no way whatsoever can serve as an unbiased juror in the upcoming appeal!

Let’s again take just over a minute to hear Simien’s unsolicited commentary at the conclusion of the announcement of the LSPC’s decision on the Twitter post, shall we?:


Simien provides unsolicited (and we believe inappropriate) commentary after the LSPC rendered its decision on Woodward’s Twitter post.

So, that’s the latest, folks!  Fortunately, Sound Off Louisiana’s founder’s mother can only pass away once (a fact for which he is most grateful), so, unlike the July 8, 2021 LSPC hearing wherein Burns simply could not attend with his mother’s passing being imminent, he’ll be there for the August 12, 2021 appeal hearing for Woodward and whatever other noteworthy happenings may transpire at that meeting and have his camera along with him.

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Can we now declare State Police Col. Lamar Davis to be a complete and T-total fraud?

Louisiana State Police Col. Lamar Davis

On February 11, 2021, Louisiana State Police Col. Lamar Davis assured Louisiana citizens that, if LSP is not, “doing the right thing,” then, “we’re going to hold them accountable.”  Let’s take a look at that 15-second clip:


2/11/21 video of LSP Col. Lamar Davis reassuring Louisiana citizens that “LSP is out there doing the right thing.”

It’s now fair game to ask if Col. Davis is a complete, 100% T-total fraud!  We already exposed in a feature earlier this week where attorney Michael DuBos lambasted the living daylights out of him.  Davis, in an utterly weak (and actually downright pathetic) attempt to defend himself, not only didn’t help his cause but, in our opinion, severely harmed his cause.

He did so when he stated that LSP Trooper William Woodward, III had full access to his body-worn camera to prepare for an Internal Affairs interview for which Davis and his administration declined to even tell Woodward what specific violations he engaged in during a DWI arrest.  DuBos then countered stating, “Col. Davis may not be aware of this, but Trooper Woodward was blocked from having any access to his body-worn camera.”

DuBos further stated that, when he asked for specificity on any factual allegations being lodged against his client, Woodward, as he asserted is “required” by LSPC policy, he indicated that he was defiantly told, “You got all you’re going to get!”

Today, Davis’ credibility took a total and absolute free fall as a result of this feature by Associated Press reporter Jim Mustian.  When we say free fall, we mean Davis’ credibility literally fell faster than Enron’s stock when its fraud was revealed years ago!  From the feature:

A key point under scrutiny in the federal investigation came just a day after the AP published the video, when the head of the state police, Col. Lamar Davis, and his chief of staff, Lt. Col. Doug Cain, made a hastily arranged attempt to dissuade state prosecutors from charging troopers in the Greene case, according to several people familiar with the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss it.

Davis and Cain traveled to District Attorney John Belton’s office in Ruston — more than 200 miles north of Baton Rouge — on May 20 to review the video frame by frame and make the case that the troopers’ actions were justified. Belton, who told colleagues he was deeply disturbed by the footage, referred the case to federal authorities in September 2019 but has not ruled out prosecuting the troopers at the state level.

Capt. Nick Manale, a state police spokesman, said the agency is continuing to cooperate with the federal investigation and “intends to release all documents and investigative files at the appropriate time.” He said the federal inquiry “prevents the release of further information.”

Davis has declined repeated interview requests. Cain did not respond to messages seeking comment.

What’s our best guess as to why Davis would do something like that when he knew reader comments associated with every media outlet covering the Greene case, along with civil rights organizations across the U. S. were calling for prosecutions of the troopers who arrested Greene?  The only logical explanation (to us at least) is that the “powers that be” beneath him (as well as likely Gov. Edwards) have known since Davis was appointed that he had some hidden skeleton he would never want revealed.  Once the video was released (by Mustian), they played the card!

That would fit in well with what we’ve observed of the way LSP operates.  It would also explain why Davis would say, “We’re out here doing the right thing,” and yet simultaneously approve numerous promotions (and highly questionable hiring decisions even within his own close inner circle) despite what we’ve observed to be widespread knowledge of serious problems existing entailing those hires.

Since Davis refuses to make comment on the matter above, we feel we’re at liberty to speculate, and that’s our best guess of what would otherwise seem absolutely inexplicable!

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Cosmetology Board Chairman Edwin Neill, III (after shoving Sound Off Louisiana’s Burns): “What are you going to do about it?”

Edwin Neill, III at the August 2, 2021 meeting of the Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology.

Our subscribers will recall our May 9, 2021 feature entailing Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology (LSBC) Chairman Edwin Neill’s covert efforts to try to cram another 250 hours of schoolwork down students’ throats to obtain an “advanced esthetician” designation.  The feature showed three practicing estheticians who showed up at the Cosmetology Board meeting of that month and openly stated their opposition to the measure.

At that point, the measure had sailed through the Louisiana House of Representatives (without a single “no” vote); however, when the bill reached the Senate, it died on the vine without even getting so much as a Senate Commerce Committee hearing.  The author of the bill pulled it.

We knew that LSBC Chairman Edwin Neill, III would not be pleased with that development, but even we underestimated the level of his wrath and anger which clearly built up entailing Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns.  At the August 2, 2021 LSBC meeting, however, Neill’s wrath was on full display, particularly after the meeting when Neill openly pushed Burns in front of about 20 witnesses and, when Burns responded with, “You better back off!,” Neill (who is an attorney) upon getting right in Burns’ face (both masked), then inquired, “What are you going to do about it?”

What prompted such a hostile exchange on Neill’s part?  Well, at 9:40 a.m., as evidenced by the following screen shot of Burns phone, his dental office called to confirm his appointment for Wednesday, August 4, 2021.  Here’s the screenshot:

Believing that the incoming call would be as most doctor offices are now and be automated to just confirm the appointment, Burns slid the bar to accept the call in anticipation of merely hitting a couple of keys to confirm the appointment.  Instead, it turned out to be a live person to confirm the appointment, and Burns whispered (video file to be provided shortly) to confirm the appointment.

Neill absolutely exploded in anger and slammed the gavel down so hard it’s a miracle it wasn’t broken.  He further demanded that the phone call “be taken outside.”  The phone call was over with and the appointment confirmed before Burns could even make it fully out of the meeting room, but before exiting, he let it be known that Neill said absolutely nothing as fellow Board Member James Williams’ phone rang (not a vibrate which nobody heard as was the case for Burns’ call), not once, not twice, but three times!  We’re not talking about three rings for one call.  We’re talking about three separate calls, with Williams’ phone ringing aloud each time.

Here’s a two-minute video clip of the three phone calls Williams received and Neill’s nuclear reaction to Burns trying to merely confirm a dental appointment which he thought would be an automated process but instead got a live voice:

Two-minute video of LSBC meeting of 8/2/21 highlighting Board Member James Williams’ THREE ringing phone calls and when they occurred and Burns’ one silent phone call and him whispering to confirm a doctor’s appointment and Chairman Edwin Neill’s beyond-the-pale nuclear reaction to Burns taking the call.

Given Neill’s incredibly hostile reaction above (without even giving Burns the chance to exit the room), does anyone doubt his anger directed at Burns after the meeting?  We would hope not.  After the meeting, Burns drafted this email to LSBC Attorney Sheri Morris (with Gov. Edwards’ Office copied).  We hope nobody has a heart attack over the complimentary words in the email entailing Larry Bankston.  We promise, Burns is indeed the author of the email!

We guess the next LSBC meeting ought to be interesting, huh?

CLICK HERE for the August 2, 2021 LSBC meeting in its entirety.

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.