Ex-Homer Mayor to face LA Supreme Court
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Former Homer Mayor David Newell will face the Louisiana
Supreme Court on Wednesday, January 19, to find out if he will be suspended
from his law practice.
According to records, Newell faces several charges of
violations of the Attorney’s Rules of Professional Conduct, and the Office of
Disciplinary Council has recommended that he be suspended for one year and one
day.
“The evidence in this matter clearly and convincingly
demonstrates that Respondent (Newell) engaged in conduct that violated multiple
provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct,” according to the
recommendation to the Louisiana Supreme Court.
“Based upon the cases cited herein, the ABA Standards,
and the facts of this matter, the Board recommends that Respondent be suspended
for one-year-and-one-day,” the recommendation continues. “The Board further
recommends that Respondent make appropriate restitution to Emily Jones (Count I),
Merry Wallace (Count IV), and Wilma Holcomb (Count VII). Finally, the Board
recommends that Respondent be cast will all expenses and costs associated with
this disciplinary hearing.”
Over the last several years, some of Newell’s clients had
filed grievances (or complaints) against the attorney for violations of
professional conduct. According to the complaints, he took money from clients,
but allegedly did not perform the work. Or if he did perform the work, the
Office of Disciplinary Council also alleged that Newell “improperly co-mingled
personal, client and third party funds.”
Newell has denied engaging in any misconduct, the
recommendation stated.
In all, there were seven charges, and the council is
recommending reprimand for at least three of those counts for violations of
several rules.
The 77-page report lists all counts against Newell, and
in its conclusion stated, “In accordance with instructions received from the
court, when an attorney is suspended for a period in excess of one year, any
conditions or reinstatements should be addressed when, and if, the attorney
applies for reinstatement.”
From Your 911 Director:
The Claiborne Parish 911 Office will be conducting an
address survey for the next several weeks. Surveyors will be in the process of verifying
and correcting addresses throughout the parish. The purpose of this survey is
to update and/or correct the current 911 database. For any questions, or for
more information, please call Walter Johnson at 318-927-9400.
New and
Familiar Faces:
Council members, mayor take oath of
office
New Council Members Linda Mozeke and Don McCalman joined the
familiar faces of the Homer Town Council during a special ceremony on Thursday,
January 6. Pictured from left are District 1 Councilwoman Linda Mozeke,
District 4 Councilwoman Carlette Sanford, District 3 Councilman Don McCalman,
District 2 Councilman Michael Wade and District 5 Councilwoman Patricia
Jenkins. Second Judicial District Judge Jenifer Clason, far right, administered
the oath of office.
Chamber Banquet slated for January 24
The Guardian-Journal
The 46th
annual Claiborne Chamber of Commerce Banquet will be held on Monday, January
24, at 6:30 p.m. with special guest KTBS Reporter Rick Rowe as the speaker.
The
banquet will be held at the Claiborne Parish Fair Complex in Haynesville.
Banquet reservations are $35 per person, and all reservations must be paid in
advance to confirm seating. Reservations will NOT be available at the door the
night of the event. Seating is limited to 400 people, so those wishing to
attend must return their reservation card as soon as possible.
Business
dress shall be appropriate for the evening.
Sponsorship
opportunities are available for those who wish to make larger donations than
the set$35 per person. The levels and benefits are as follows:
•
Diamond Sponsor ($1,000): Receives special recognition, 12 tickets and reserved
tables.
•
Platinum Sponsor ($700): Receives eight tickets and a reserved table.
• Gold
Sponsor ($400): Receives four tickets and a reserved table.
•
Silver Sponsor ($200): Receives four tickets and reserved seating.
•
Bronze Sponsor ($100): Receives two tickets and reserved seating.
For
more information on reserving a table or a seat, please call the Claiborne
Chamber of Commerce at 318-927-3271, where John Watson is the executive
director.
Police recipients of tactical equipment
Pictured above from left are OEP Director
Dennis Butcher, Homer Police Officer Roger Smith, Homer Police Chief Russell
Mills and Haynesville Police Chief Anthony Smith.
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The
Homer and Haynesville Police Departments are the recipients of some much needed
equipment that will provide more security for their officers.
Thanks
to a $10,000 grant from the Claiborne Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness
and Homeland Security, each department received six ballistic helmets and two
ballistic shields. These military grade shields and helmets are designed to
protect an officer while he/she is on the move. It allows them to be more
mobile in a tactical situation.
According
to Homeland Security Director Dennis Butcher, this is enough equipment for each
department to form two three-man teams.
“This
will help secure the safety of officers in a crucial entry situation,” Butcher
said. “These shields and helmets are designed to offer additional protection to
officers.”
Haynesville
Police Chief Anthony Smith expressed his gratitude to Butcher for the equipment
saying it was definitely an added benefit for his officers. The smaller
departments, like his and the Homer Police Department, need this type of
equipment because they deal with some of the same situations that the bigger
departments, like Shreveport or Bossier, deal with.
“It’s
excellent because we’re not exempt,” he said of the equipment. “We’re all one
unit and for this equipment to be available is extraordinary.”
Homer
Police Chief Russell Mills also expressed his gratitude for Butcher’s support
not only now but in the past.
“I
don’t think people realize just how much he does for the departments,” Mills
said. “This equipment will be utilized by a special arm of the Homer Police
Department when serving narcotics and felony warrants as well as special
tactical situations.”
Officer
Roger Smith, who heads up this special arm called SPEED (Strategic Police Entry
Enforcement Division), said teams like this police department’s need this
equipment to better protect themselves.
“You
just don’t know what can happen,” he said. “It takes good equipment like what
we’ve received to better protect our officers.”
The
SPEED team can be called and get together within minutes, Mills said. According
to Smith, SPEED handles situations such as serving felony and narcotics
warrants, barricaded suspects, school shooters and any number of situations
where they might be needed.
The
SPEED team is made up of five officers, which include Smith, Officers Van
McDaniel, Mike Rimsky, Mario Thomas, Shane Huffstetler and Reserve Officer Ken
Wood, who is a POST certified officer by the state and certified in basic SWAT
training.
Mills,
Smith and Wood attended the SWAT training at the North Louisiana Criminal
Justice Academy in Bossier Parish.
So far,
the SPEED team has trained in several scenarios including barricaded suspects,
a school shooting, high risk felony stops and sniper training. According to
Smith, more training will follow this year.
Homer fire claims one
A Homer
man died as the result of a fire last Saturday.
According
to Fire Chief Dennis Butcher, first responders were called to 1116 Hwy. 79,
from a call received from a passing motorist. When emergency personnel arrived
on scene, a search and rescue team was sent into the house, where they found
82-year-old Joe Tucker.
“A life
was lost that day,” Butcher said. “My heart and prayers go to the Tucker family
at this difficult time.”
According
to a news release from the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, there department
as well as the Louisiana State Fire Marshal was called in to investigate.
At this
time, the cause of the blaze is yet undetermined.
Butcher
said a spike in calls to fires happens around this time of year.
“In
weather this cold, people will do what is necessary to stay warm,” he said.
And
because of this, he is recommending that all homeowners and citizens have a
working smoke detector, because this is one of the biggest ways to prevent the
loss of life and property.
The
Homer Fire Department has smoke detectors available for those in need. For more
information, please call Homer City Hall at 318-927-3555.
Looking back at 2010: A Year in Review
The Guardian-Journal
Editor’s
Note: This is Part II of the 2010 Year in Review. In this edition, the top
stories from July through December 2010 will be shared.
July
Boat Parade and Fireworks Show a Success
The
2010 Claiborne Boat Parade and Fireworks Show was a complete success. More
boats were in the parade and the fireworks show was better than ever. This
year’s event was dedicated to the memory of the late Dick Dorrell, who played a
vital role on the Claiborne Boat Parade and Fireworks Show Committee. Dorrell
passed away in May 2010.
Girlfriend accused in fatal stabbing
Patishi
S. Kirk, 21, of Homer, was arrested Saturday morning, July 3, and charged with
second degree murder. She is accused of fatally stabbing her boyfriend, Vincent
Dunn. According to police, he was found deceased in a bedroom of the residence.
Police cuffed her and transported her to the Claiborne Women’s Facility for her
safety. During the initial investigation, Homer Police collected evidence at
the scene, which included clothing and other items that might be of interest to
the case. Later, Kirk went before the judge for a bond hearing, and her bond
was reduced.
Haynesville recognizes kids for sports achievements
The
Haynesville Town Council celebrated the kids of the community as they were
recognized for their sportsmanship and skills on the ball field. Coach Ronnie
Fields, head of Haynesville’s recreation, touted several good things about the
boys and girls who played baseball and softball this summer, saying that some
were even still playing in all-star tournaments. The recreation program started
with approximately 150 kids this summer, T-ball through 13-14 year olds.
Coaches included Draper Robinson and Bubba Jackson for T-ball, Clarence and
Brenda Tate for the 7-8 year old girls softball teams, Bomani Roberson for the
7-8 year old boys, David Franklin and Sharon Watts for the 9-10 year old girls,
Michael Turner for the 9-10 year old boys, Mae and Deidra Williams for the
11-12 year old girls, David Franklin and Lorenzo Jackson for the 11-12 year old
boys. Coach Fields, Coach Sims and Coach Jonathan Robinson coached the 13-14
year old boys’ team. Eight girls from the 7-8 year old division went to
all-stars. Four boys from the 7-8 year old boys’ division also went to
all-stars.
August
Monroe suit
settled
The
civil suit against the Town of Homer and two officers involved in the shooting
death of a Homer man has been settled. Bernard Monroe sr. was shot and killed
by former Homer Police Officer Tim Cox on Friday, Febryar 20, 2009, in the
front yard of his home. According to police, Cox and former Officer Joseph
Henry were pursuing Monroe’s son, Sean. The foot pursuit ended in Monroe’s front yard where Cox allegedly chased the younger Monroe out of the house.
Initial reports say Monroe was shot when he allegedly engaged the two officers
with a loaded handgun. Witnesses, family members and friends say Monroe did not have a gun in his possession at the time of the shooting. The town settled
for a sum of $125,000, while the Monroe family agreed never to try to sue the
police department again, and release both officers from any liability.
DART representatives attend training
Representatives
with DART and other organizations that deal with domestic abuse attended a
training in Ruston which centered on how to deal with domestic abuse and what
to do to diffuse the situation. The seminars addressed such issues as threat
assessment, “ownership” of the victim, stalking, hostage-taking, religiosity
and power and control.
Homer Lions get Claiborne ‘Super Bowl’ preview
The
head football coaches of the Homer Pelicans and the Haynesville Golden Tornado
were in the same room without a gridiron between them. Also attending was Claiborne Academy’s head football coach Tommy Reeder. Pelicans Coach Glen Kyle was
optimistic about his team, saying that even though he’d lost some seniors, his
team was working hard in practice. Tornado Coach David Franklin said he’d lost
many of his seniors as well, basically beginning again with training. However,
both were optimistic about the biggest rivalry in Claiborne Parish. The
Pelicans ended up taking the 2010 victory this year. Reeder also said he was
optimistic about his team having a chance this year. After suffering losing
streaks for a couple of years, he said his boys worked hard over the summer in
conditioning and training as well as practice. He looked forward to a good
season, which he got!
Fire District #6 gets new firehouse
Claiborne
Parish Fire District #6 had a lot to celebrate as it held its grand opening in
August. The new fire station, across the street from Summerfield High School, boasts six bays for their fire trucks and equipment, a work out room, office space
and a multipurpose room with a full service kitchen. Several trainings from LSU
have been held there where firefighters from departments all over the parish
have attended. The property was donated by the Bays brothers, mainly
spear-headed by the late Brian “Butch” Bays.
September
Operation TBOS
The
Homer Police Department arrested more than 40 people in connection with a drug
ring. According to police, they’d received complaints from several people about
prescription drugs being sold as well as several overdoses, one even fatal.
These arrests were made possible due to undercover drug buys with money
supplied partially by the town and some from monies seized in evidence. Over
the next several weeks, more arrests followed on charges of drug distribution
with bonds set for thousands of dollars each.
Fire bug hits Claiborne Parish
On Friday,
September 10, a fire bug hit Claiborne Parish. That afternoon, Claiborne Parish
Fire District #6 and the Department of Forestry were called to several grass
fires along Chatman Loop and Highway 9. Firefighters sprayed a perimeter of
water around each burn site to keep it from spreading before heading to the
next one. The Department of Forestry provided dirt work to stop the spread of
flames. According to officials on scene, these fires were intentionally set,
but the cause is yet undetermined.
AG denies release of report due to open records debate
The
Louisiana Attorney General still denies the release of the state police report
in the officer involved shooting death of Bernard Monroe Sr. Citing a current
lawsuit against the Louisiana Supreme Court, the Attorney General is asking the
supreme court to better define public records law due to a case in New Orleans. According to that suit, after the grand jury did not return any indictments
on a doctor and two nurses accused of allowing patients to die during the
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. CNN and the Times-Picayune asked the attorney
general for the patient records of five deceased individuals; however,
representatives from the hospital balked, saying that they were still
confidential records because of HIPPA laws. The two news companies disagree and
are suing for the release of those records. Until a judgment is made in these
cases, the attorney general is not releasing any records that have not been
prescribed.
October
Davidson, Woodard named to PJA Board
Scott
Davidson, of Claiborne Parish, was elected Region IV President for the upcoming
year, along with David Cox of Caddo Parish as Region IV vice president. In
addition, Claiborne Parish’s Dwayne Woodard was elected secretary/treasurer.
Bill Altimus of Bossier Parish was re-elected to serve as Region IV’s state
executive board member. The Police Jury Association meeting was held in
September in Lincoln Parish. Claiborne Parish will host the 2011 Association
meeting in February.
Therapy Dog for school? Maybe…
Haynesville
Elementary Teacher Miranda Dennis approached the Claiborne Parish School Board
about bringing in a therapy dog for the special education students at the
school. The idea is to help students through pet therapy to raise test scores
and help the students with behavior issues. Since her approach to the school
board, nothing else has been said. Schools Superintendent Dr. Janice Williams
said she would look into the legalities and liabilities of such an endeavor.
Prayer, vigil held for shooting victim
Citizens
of the Pearl Street neighborhood in Homer cried for peace in a prayer vigil
held for the late Jeremy Willis, who was shot and killed in early October.
Neighbors gathered for a short sermon and prayed for peace after the
neighborhood saw a spike in violence.
DART holds vigil
Claiborne
Parish DART held a domestic violence vigil in memory of the lives lost due to
domestic abuse. Family members and friends gathered at the Claiborne Parish
Courthouse to honor their friends and loved ones. A candle for each victim was
lit by family members in remembrance. Silhouettes were placed on the courthouse
lawn that week, which represented those lost in Claiborne Parish. Claiborne
Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey, who is a strong advocate for DART, says, “It should
never hurt to go home.” His deputies are specially trained in how to handle
domestic violence calls when they are called to one. Statistics show that many
who die from domestic abuse die at the hands of their spouse or another loved
one.
November
Homer Bypass Ribbon Cutting
Claiborne
Parish officials held a ribbon cutting for the long awaited Homer Bypass, also
known as La. Hwy. 3244. Enjoying a fish dinner with all the trimmings,
officials and citizens gathered for a short program in which state representatives,
senators and local officials thanked those who worked so hard to make it
possible. Afterwards, Claiborne Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey led them on a short
tour of the bypass. It officially opened a week later.
Claiborne Parish celebrates Veteran’s Day
Claiborne Academy and
Haynesville Elementary each held programs in honor of United States Military
Veterans. Several veterans were in attendance of both programs where they
enjoyed music and a short program from the students at Haynesville Elementary.
Veterans also enjoyed a delectable lunch at Claiborne Academy served by members
of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Masonic Lodge #152 donates to FUMC
With
the funds raised for charity, Homer Masonic Lodge #152 donated their monetary
efforts to First United Methodist Church for their toy drive for Christmas.
December
Santa Train A Success
This
year’s Santa Train was better than ever! Along with the Christmas Parade, kids
from all over the parish got to enjoy a visit with Santa Claus, and at each
train stop, one boy or girl won a train set from L&NW. Christian Meadors,
pictured with his sister, Ajai, won this year’s train set. Claiborne Parish
Sheriff Ken Bailey served as the grand marshal for the parade.
Summerfield icon found dead
District
1 Claiborne Parish Police Juror Brian G. “Butch” Bays was found inside his
store on Thursday, December 16, shot multiple times. He was declared deceased
at the scene. Shocking to the small community of Summerfield, Bays is
remembered as the unofficial “mayor. He is also remembered as a person who
would do anything to help someone in need. Two arrests were made just days
later, said Claiborne Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey, who was close to Bays. Both
have been charged with first degree murder.
