Post by WaTcHeR on Jan 30, 2007 11:39:36 GMT -5
01.30.2007 - COUSHATTA, La. — A Red River Parish sheriff's deputy who claims an arrest was used an excuse to oust him from his job has been cleared of wrongdoing, a prosecutor says.
An investigation by state police into the arrest of Sherman Newton Jr. of Coushatta exonerated Deputy Alvie Myers, said District Attorney Bill Jones.
But Sheriff Johnny Ray Norman said he would not reconsider his decision to fire Myers last month. Norman said Myers used a nonauthorized weapon in the arrest.
Myers, who is white, claims his dismissal was instigated by black deputies in leadership positions who disagreed with the arrest in November of Newton, who is black.
"I still think I was fired because of prejudice by black deputies who put pressure on the sheriff," Myers said Friday. "I knew I hadn't done anything wrong. I wasn't worried in the least about the state police report. It turned out like I thought it would."
Norman asked the state police to investigate Myers' handling of Newton's arrest.
The report established legal cause for the arrest of Newton, who was charged with violation of a protective order and resisting an arrest prior to the completion of the report, Jones said.
Authorities said that on Nov. 12, Myers responded to a call from Newton's sister who had a restraining order on her brother and reported that he was at her home and was known to cause problems in the past.
After Myers and another deputy went to the residence, Myers said he retrieved from his patrol car a stick he uses for protection. At the time, he said his official tactical baton was in his personal vehicle because he had swapped patrol cars. Myers said Newton was struck with the baton after the suspect grabbed the stick.
When asked if he was going to take legal action, Myers said: "That's up to how the sheriff's office acts." Myers had worked for the sheriff's office for 15 months and retired prior to that after 15 years as a state parole agent.
www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-30/1170013457110710.xml&storylist=louisiana
An investigation by state police into the arrest of Sherman Newton Jr. of Coushatta exonerated Deputy Alvie Myers, said District Attorney Bill Jones.
But Sheriff Johnny Ray Norman said he would not reconsider his decision to fire Myers last month. Norman said Myers used a nonauthorized weapon in the arrest.
Myers, who is white, claims his dismissal was instigated by black deputies in leadership positions who disagreed with the arrest in November of Newton, who is black.
"I still think I was fired because of prejudice by black deputies who put pressure on the sheriff," Myers said Friday. "I knew I hadn't done anything wrong. I wasn't worried in the least about the state police report. It turned out like I thought it would."
Norman asked the state police to investigate Myers' handling of Newton's arrest.
The report established legal cause for the arrest of Newton, who was charged with violation of a protective order and resisting an arrest prior to the completion of the report, Jones said.
Authorities said that on Nov. 12, Myers responded to a call from Newton's sister who had a restraining order on her brother and reported that he was at her home and was known to cause problems in the past.
After Myers and another deputy went to the residence, Myers said he retrieved from his patrol car a stick he uses for protection. At the time, he said his official tactical baton was in his personal vehicle because he had swapped patrol cars. Myers said Newton was struck with the baton after the suspect grabbed the stick.
When asked if he was going to take legal action, Myers said: "That's up to how the sheriff's office acts." Myers had worked for the sheriff's office for 15 months and retired prior to that after 15 years as a state parole agent.
www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-30/1170013457110710.xml&storylist=louisiana