District attorneys contend they should not be required to share the proceeds of LACE tickets because their offices pay the off-duty police officers and state troopers who work the extra-duty shifts that generate the tickets. But the practice has sharply reduced the amount of money generated by regular traffic tickets in several parishes. The controversy caught the attention of Louisiana's chief Supreme Court justice, who in March asked every district attorney in the state to submit three years of data to show how often prosecutors are steering cases away from the courtroom and into pretrial diversion programs.
Last month, the Southern Poverty Law Center filed an ethics complaint against four Louisiana district attorneys, claiming their diversion programs amounted to an improper "money-making enterprise. State auditors did not find that Gary Evans, the DeSoto Parish district attorney, had used diversion money to fund any function of his office other than the program itself. A state district court judge struck down that agreement last month, saying it created an unconstitutional conflict of interest because the public defenders in DeSoto Parish would owe "duties to a party whose interests are adverse to those of the defendant.
Some district attorneys have acknowledged using diversion funds for other functions in their offices, but that has not been the case in DeSoto Parish. Evans, in his response to the audit, argued that his diversion program — and the issuance of LACE tickets — has improved public safety. He noted that there was only one traffic fatality in his parish during the first half of last year, when officers were regularly working LACE details.
That number rose to five in the second half of the year, he wrote, when the program had been suspended. Edit Close. Toggle navigation. Francisville St. Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera. According to court records, on October 8, , Evans planned to launch an investigation, by calling witnesses before a grand jury, to determine if deputies working the LACE detail committed crimes while former Sheriff Arbuckle headed the agency.
In the courtroom gallery for the second time in a week, was Arbuckle, along with dozens of deputies and other high-ranking DPSO officials. However, the final report in that investigation has yet to be released. However, Evans attorneys argued he should be allowed to go forward with investigating potential criminal conduct by individual deputies.
But Judge Adams disagreed, ruling any investigation conducted by Evans into the LACE program would look politically motivated in the eyes of the public and barred Evan from moving forward with his grand jury.
A motion was also filed by Evans office, asking Chief Judge Adams to recuse himself from the proceedings. Chief Judge Adams refused to stay matters or withdraw from hearing the motions.
Sentencing on those charges is set for Monday, but that finding is also being appealed to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal. Skip to content. Getting Answers. Great Health Divide. Taking Back Our Streets. Ida Coverage — New Orleans. Ark-La-Tex Weekend. High School Football. Programming Schedule. Latest Newscasts. Investigate TV. Gray DC Bureau.
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