Tagged: crime

Former Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard has asked a federal judge to move his corruption trial out of New Orleans, saying extensive media coverage could prejudice jurors.

The Times-Picayune reports that prosecutors have not responded to the request filed the motion Aug. 31. Trial is scheduled Oct. 1 before U.S. District Judge Hayden Head Jr.

Broussard was parish president from 2004 to 2010. A 27-count indictment charges him and former parish attorney Tom Wilkinson with conspiracy, bribery, wire fraud and theft. Both have pleaded innocent.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office says a 29-year-old man has been booked with second-degree murder in the death of a funeral home employee whose decomposing body was found in the apartment where he lived in the funeral home.

The sheriff's office says Alfred R. Scott of Marrero was arrested Wednesday and booked in the stabbing death of 51-year-old Noah Stoute.

Stoute was a caretaker and embalmer at Mothe Funeral Home in Harvey. His body was found Tuesday, but he apparently was killed Aug. 28, as Hurricane Isaac was approaching.

Police in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner say a traffic stop led to two arrests after a passenger allegedly asked an officer to find some marijuana he had dropped on a levee bank.

The Times-Picayune says 18-year-old driver Chad Nicholson of Reserve and 21-year-old Jason Ray Sr. of LaPlace were booked on marijuana charges.

Police said the car smelled of marijuana when they stopped it Aug. 27 near businesses that closed ahead of Hurricane Isaac.

St. Mary Parish sheriff's investigators are looking for three men accused of taking $6,500 and cell phones from alligator buyers in Morgan City.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Traci Landry says three alligator buyers were winding up a day of purchases shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday when a dark gray four-door car arrived. Two passengers, one armed with a gun, got out and ordered the buyers onto the ground. Both wore blue jeans and had blue bandannas over their faces.

Trial in New Orleans has been delayed for an Alabama football fan arrested after a video was posted on the Internet that showed what prosecutors say was sexual battery committed on an unconscious LSU fan.

Hurricane Isaac last week left defense attorneys unable to prepare for the trial of 33-year-old Brian Downing of Smith's Station, Ala.

Defense lawyer Michael Kennedy said Isaac forced closure of attorneys' offices and that power failures left attorneys unable to review electronic evidence.

Tuesday's trial was delayed until Oct. 2.