Former Councilman's Middleman Sentenced To Probation

Yesterday, Judge Vance sentenced Joseph Jourdain to probation for his role in acting as a middleman in the bribery scheme between convicted Councilman Oliver Thomas and convicted ex-restaurateur and ex-political operative Stan "Pampy" Barre. While sentencing Jourdain, she noted the major role he played in obtaining a conviction against Thomas.

"Without your assistance, it would have been Mr. Thomas' word against Mr. Barre's," she said, noting that corruption cases are difficult to detect unless those involved turn against each other.

We all know this was crucial to the case because Stan "Pampy" Barre's word can never be trusted.

Jefferson's defense team uses stall tactics

First Congressman William Jefferson's defense team wanted his trial moved out of Virginia because they felt that the jury pool would not consists of blacks, thereby hindering Jefferson's chances of a fair trial. Now they are trying to block one of the government's witnesses from testifying.

The defense team filed papers in federal court Tuesday seeking to keep Abner Mikva off the witness stand, saying his service as an appellate court judge would unduly influence the jury.

"The government refers to him as " 'Judge Mikva' no less than six times," attorney Robert Trout protested in legal papers referring to the Department of Justice's witness list. "This unnecessary emphasis reveals the government's true intentions in proffering the witness and his testimony should be excluded."

Wow, the government refers to the witness as "Judge". Oh, oh , oh, he should be disqualified. Right. A bribe is a bribe. We all know what a business deal consist of. Come on Jefferson. Play another card.

Housing Threat - New Orleans

With the demolition of public housing slated for demolition, this weekend, who could have sent such a threat? Could it be former tenants or someone who possibly want you to believe it is the former tenants?

If former tenants are involved, in making such a threat, they would garner less support for their plight. People who previously agreed that the public housing units should not be completely demolished may feel somehow that their safety is at issue. After all, we don't want another Rodney King catastrophe.

Canadaville - New Way of Life

Canadaville, the brainchild of Magna founder Frank Stronach, goes well beyond corporate largesse and into the realm of social engineering. Stronach envisioned an experiment arguably more Canadian than American that would transform low-income city dwellers into enterprising organic farmers. Along the way, he aimed to raise them out of poverty, offering five years of free rent and other services, such as transportation to work, as an economic springboard.

As happens with many planned communities, Canadaville -- officially dubbed Magnaville by the company -- ran into predictable difficulties early on. Only a handful of residents took to the idea of farming; they tend a row of garden plots and care for a small flock of chickens and a herd of goats. Many residents, particularly the younger ones, feel constrained by the rural surroundings and hope to return to New Orleans.

The residents estimate only about 30 of the original 110 evacuees who first settled in Canadaville remain there, although a company official puts the number at around 50. After it first opened in December 2005, the village took in evacuees who ended up in central Louisiana after the storm and new residents continually replaced those who left; the enclave now includes about 170 people.

Considering the regional tensions that historically defined New Orleans' relationship with the rest of Louisiana, Canadaville has coexisted remarkably well with the surrounding small towns. Most residents said they feel welcome in Simmesport, population 2,200, although the teenagers say they often feel singled out at school, where they say teachers and students eye them with suspicion.

Only one local politician has made the newcomers an issue, but he's an important man in Simmesport: Mayor James "Boo" Fontenot. At one point this summer, Fontenot blamed the New Orleans emigres for local business robberies, a claim the mayor made with no supporting evidence, according to the parish district attorney. That provoked a distinctly New Orleanian response from community leader Harold Brooks, who organized 40 residents to march on Simmesport's town hall wearing shirts that read, "I'm from Canadaville and I'm NOT a criminal!"

Senator's honesty called into question

Senator Derrick Shepherd's honesty has once again been put under the microscope. In an earlier Times Picayune report:

An FBI agent testified in open court that state Sen. Derrick Shepherd helped a twice-convicted felon launder nearly $141,000 in fraudulently generated bond fees last year, keeping close to half the money as part of the arrangement.

Shepherd was easily re-elected to the state Senate winning 61 percent of the vote. Last year, he finished a strong third in a 2006 run for Congress and then endorsed the embattled incumbent, U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, helping him secure a ninth term.

Special Agent Peter Smith testified that Shepherd, a lawyer who often handles personal-injury cases, attempted to make his dealings with bond broker Gwendolyn Joseph Moyo appear legitimate by writing the words "settlement proceeds" on the memo lines of the checks.

However, investigators have found no evidence that Shepherd did any legal work for Moyo, Smith said, although he said that Shepherd had delivered a "vague invoice" to a federal grand jury to explain the payments. The document was basically illegible, Smith said.

Now questions have been raised regarding the Senator's residency:

When Derrick Shepherd qualified to run for re-election to the 3rd Senate District, he signed an affidavit declaring his address as a modest brick house on Garden Road in Marrero.

Twice this year, however, he signed public documents, including mortgage papers and an affidavit attached to a building permit, promising to keep a two-story house bordering a golf course in the upscale Stonebridge subdivision as his primary residence. The posh neighborhood sits in unincorporated Gretna, about six miles outside his Senate district.

Shepherd signed his name to documents submitted to his mortgage company, Jefferson Parish code enforcement and the clerk of court that he would keep the $450,000 home at 3701 Lake Michel Court as his primary residence.

Will this just be another news story or will the Senator be held responsible for his actions?