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Monday, October 12, 2009

Thoughts on the Sentell resignation

26th JDC District Attorney Schuyler Marvin announced today that he has accepted the resignation of Chief Webster Parish ADA Sherb Sentell and that his investigation into the matter has closed. He also announced that he is contacting the office of the Attorney General to take over the prosecution.

The Bossier City Police Department Investigation into the charge of Public Intimidation is continuing.

A reserve officer has been fired and a regular officer is on administrative leave. These were the two officers who transported Sentell to jail from the Horseshoe.

Sentell and his wife will hold a press conference on Tuesday from the office of their attorney, H. Lyn Lawrence.

On a personal level, I have a couple of observations, as I was brought into it by a call from Minden attorney Eric Johnson to The Inquisitor. Johnson made three allegations:

  1. That my son had a grudge against the DA’s office over the disposition of a case which I outlined here. This was a blatant lie.
  2. That I had been critical of the DA’s office in my blog. That is true, but I have also been supportive on other occasions. That’s what the blog is about. I give my opinions and plenty of commenters add theirs. In case no one has informed Mr. Johnson, our system allows public criticism and questioning of our elected officials. I still have some misgivings because the information he used was obviously fed to him by someone in the Bossier DA’s office who was familiar with my concerns about the case. This was out of line.
  3. That I am a friend of Judge Burchett. True. Most of you reading the blog are aware that Mike Craig challenged Judge Burchett last fall and won the election. Even after thinking about it for almost a week, I can see no relevance here. These guys need to realize that most people judge candidates by their merits and not by the clique they belong to. Most people don’t associate with a particular clique. This is the 21st century, it is time to let the past go and look to the future.

I will also observe that I thought The Inquisitor handled it fairly by contacting me so that I could respond to the allegations. I believe that the article they wrote fairly represented the events as they transpired.

Hopefully after this week the Sentells and everyone involved can resume a somewhat normal life.

47 comments:

  1. Jim, in this posting you wrote: "I still have some misgivings because the information he used was obviously fed to him by someone in the Bossier DA’s office who was familiar with my concerns about the case." Are you referring to things you only mentioned to the Bossier DA or things you posted on your blog. If it is the things you posted on your blog, I am sure that Schuyler Marvin is familiar with and probably reads your blog regularly. Just curious.

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  2. No, things I discussed with an ADA and no one else. Oh, they read the blog!

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  3. the first and foremost great error the da's poor judgment was "investigating" the charges....then, and after too much time and too many comments turning the case over to the ag....his ego has hindered the preservation of law and order not to mention the confidence in an office that is there to serve the public...not his agenda!!! Shame on you da!!! I am ashamed you ever got my vote!!!

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  4. Yeah, Marvin is turning the case over to the Attorney General after he has compromised it any way that he could.

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  5. Ok. So Marvin took five working days to investigate this mess(Sentell actually resigned on Friday). That seems reasonable to me

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  6. In the course of this 5 day "investigation", he made statements to the press that Sentell was just trying to kiss his wife, and he claims that the audio from the police car proves that the officers lied. None of this is reasonable for someone who was elected to prosecute crime, not to cover it up.

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  7. i agree with comments above. the thing is, marvin did this right in front of our face, even with video evidence. of course, even the lay person who is not privy to associates who have dealings with marvin must ask themselves what he does when things are not in the "public view". its a sad state of affairs, and we need to work on cleaning this up. sentell resigning was a small step in the right direction, getting marvin out of there would be another step.

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  8. I must have seen a different tape. The tape I saw indicated that the disturbance was insufficient for passersby to notice. The reaction of the law enforcement was obviously over reaction and reflected poor training.

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  9. Yes, Anonymous @ 4:41, I think that you did see a different video. The one featuring the Sentells showed people stopping in their tracks and looking at a woman being shoved against a column and held there by Charles Sherburne Sentell III, while he yelled into her face. Mrs. Sentell is saying this was a "private" argument, but it is my understanding that people have homes in which to conduct private affairs. This took place in a very public venue.

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  10. What I saw was a very cooperative person when the officers showed up. I saw nothing conclusive on the video to indicate more than aggressive body language. Certainly, not conclusive evidence of criminal behavior. At one point his wife is obviously laughing. Apparently people blogging on this website are trying to find guilt rather than looking at the evidence objectively. It is apparent that the officer entered this situation with "arrest" in mind. Of the 15 or 20 people that passed them, the only one that lingered (looked) was the Horseshoe employee that called security. By the way, officers are taught to separate people and take them from the public area to a more isolated environment to determine if cooler heads can prevail in such situations. I happen to know two of the people that are on the tape and they didn't think it was a big deal. They aver that the incident was blown way out of proportion by the security people. This whole thing was nothing more nor less that an argument.

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  11. Anon at 7PM. Since you know them, what are their names and why havn't they come forward to defend Sentell? Surely the Inquisitor would have this information. The simple truth is you are full of SH##!!

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  12. He clearly slapped her on the butt, and pulled her arm and then pressed her against the column in the lobby.....the casino worker called security to stop this from escalating any further....why did he resign if he didnot think he was in the wrong and why did marvin say it was mutual!!! If he does this in public, what does he do in private...officer intimidation to boot...as another poster said, i hope he was under the influence...he looked as though he was...his wife said he had 2 drinks at home, and had been drinking there....this was all either reported or videoed.....

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  13. They wiil at the proper time.

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  14. I cannot believe what i read in the times and saw on the news...statements by Sentells..i am glad of the resignation...if anyone can make such statements, then he has no business in public office...he wouldnt know the truth if he heard it obviously.....marvin was right to agree about the resignation...i have no respect for any of these folks now involved....you have lost no matter how you try to spin it...shame, shame on all of you...

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  15. anon@4:41 and @7:00 seem to be the same poster...

    "The tape I saw indicated that the disturbance was insufficient for passersby to notice."

    "I saw nothing conclusive on the video to indicate more than aggressive body language. Certainly, not conclusive evidence of criminal behavior. "

    "They aver that the incident was blown way out of proportion by the security people. "


    Hmmm... Sounds to me to be highly polished "legaleze"! "Aver" is not a word used by the average citizen. I guess it should have been anticipated that the laywers and spin doctors would eventually come to this venue to try to sway public opinion.

    The political corruption in this area has been well known for a very long time, but I guess most voters either have been ignorant of it, have turned a blind eye, or condoned it. This incident and it's aftermath brings to light this corruption, and should remove any ignorance or doubt. From now on, any voter should be knowingly either fighting or condoning this corruption when they cast their ballot.

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  16. these anons(alias da cronies) who say no one stopped dead in their tracks when seeing the abuse/well, have you ever heard of periferal vision/people going to the boats are there for their own agendas and know the casinos handle the inappropriate behavior//mrs saying that it was private/am afaid that dont wash/your hubby made it public as a public official in a public place/lyou guys need to grow up 2 even with money to out dollar the legal system, you dont gonna win/evil never wins in the end//a temporary fix that will fester in some other way//3not that any of you care!

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  17. To all of you defending Sherb, how do you explain away the fact that he was quoted as saying "I never touched her". The guy is delusional and didn't think anyone would ever challenge his imaginary authority.

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  18. NotSoFast at Oct 13th 2009 9:47 PM Clyde, I'm sure these people are your friends and this may well be an overreaction by authorities, but as a Webster Parish resident I am not okay with you saying people who have too much to drink and have a public spat like this are among the "finest" people in Webster Parish. The mere absence of physical damage doesn't lessen the obvious bad behavior beneath the standards for a public official and the disrespect to his wife beneath the standards of a gentleman. Maybe not deserving of criminal charges, but clearly deserving of losing the status of "finest" citizens.

    ktbs commeter

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  19. Smells Fishy at Oct 13th 2009 9:45 PM This is nothing more than legal posturing. This guy is an experienced lawyer and is doing and saying the things he needs to in order to get out of these charges. His next step will be to discredit the arresting officer with some half baked story that this whole incident is simply retaliation against him from an officer who does not like him.

    I am not judging the guy or saying he is a wife beater. However, the video clearly shows he crossed the line with his wife. This guy argues cases for a living. In any of those arguments, is he allowed to physically grab a witness and force them up against a wall? Is he allowed to restrain them forcibly while he yells in their face? I don't think so. You never have to lay your hands on someone in an argument. Once you do that, it becomes a physical altercation. She obviously did not ask him to grab her, so he did this against her will. That by definition is battery. This may not be indicative of their relationship, but it did happen that night and it happened in public. It was disruptive enough for the casino private security to ask for help from the Bossier police...
    What a sad state of affairs...

    ktbs comment

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  20. Sickofpolitics at Oct 13th 2009 7:47 PM If the Sentells didn't want their "private" matter handeled publicly, perhaps they should have stayed home. They're pathethic and deserve each other. His statement today was extremely disappointing. I had half hoped that this "fine" man would have publicly apologized to his wife for any embarrassment caused, but like the coward he is, he couldn't even muster that. I will save my praise for real men of character, because Mr.Sentell has none.

    ktbs post

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  21. i have seen the entire video of the casino and read all of your posts. I think the cop definitely over-reacted in this situation. why not just tell the people to move along and go home. it just doen't seem like a big deal to me. If I were a cop and witnessed this, that is what I would have done.

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  22. sounds like the above poster condones the behavior-in louisiana it constitutes a battery (any unwelcomed touching) the only reasonable person that would say something the above poster did is someone who participates in the same type of cowardly and bullying behavior

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  23. The whole matter was caused by overzealous police. The recent matters involving BCPD show an out of control police force that is terroizing unarmed citizens. I hope someone comes in to protect the civil liberties of Bossier City residents.

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  24. plus, it appears that his wife is saying that was not an "unwelcomed touching" (as you say the law states). If she says that, how can the cops say otherwise? I think the cop was trying to hit on the wife (not literally.)

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  25. Anon at 2:28, you've obviously never seen the arresting officer's wife. That mans got no reason look anywhere else! So, that argument is a bust! Try again...

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  26. OK, let's all reflect and try to put this behind us.....unless you are the two officers that are on leave or fired. It is obvious by now that he is guilty and yes he was guilty because he did the first thing all cowards do when caught, RUN. A lot of people didn't see the 4th video that first aired on the news because they (meaning corrupted officials) had it taken off the net from most places. The only videos you could watch were the not so bad ones, so to speak. More than likely he will pop back up in another position after things calm down and continue to work inside the corrupted system. Not one reasonable “CHRISTIAN” person can say he was innocent that saw ALL of the video’s that were caught by the security cameras and now that he has resigned that should have put away any doubts that anyone that was on the fence had…….all 5 of you! We can only move forward and hope to weed out as much corruption as possible and continue to use our “FREEDOM OF SPEECH” to call out all these wrong doings and keep our voices heard.

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  27. I have a new spin for this case----plead temporary insanity, claiming you have been around too many criminals that you prosecute and took on their actions----lying, abuse, intimidation, but you have rehabilitated yourself by resigning------and if lucky, will get the judge who set your bond!

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  28. Attorney General King said We are sending a strong message that no one is above the law.
    This verdict proves that even judges who break the laws they apply are accountable for their actions.

    My commitment to the people of Covington County and to citizens throughout Alabama is that, as their Attorney General, I will prosecute those who break the law and betray the public trust, and that I will take action to preserve the integrity of our government.

    taken from a ktbs post Hopefully, our ag has the same integrity!!!

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  29. Too bad you bunch of numb nutts are more worried about the ADA getting arrested for a misdormeanor than an UNARMANED man getting shot to death ! ! ! ! WOW talk about priorities ! ! !

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  30. What a juvenile way to argue: name-calling and bringing up a completely unrelated matter!

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  31. There are two posts on the blog about the shooting, have you commented there, or would that not serve your purpose?

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  32. What language is "UNARMANED" - that fella must not be from around here?

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  33. Jim, 6 out of the 10 headlines on your blog are about the Sentell matter. Why don't you come out of the closet and admit that you are biased against Marvin and the DA's office. I understand free speech and all but why do you insist that you don't have an axe to grind with Marvin. You have ZERO credibility. Aren't there other things happening out there??

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  34. Good try, but since Eric Johnson contacted the Inquisitor last week with lies about me (and my son), using information that could only have been fed to him by the Bossier DA's office, it has certainly demanded 60% of my attention.
    Fortunately, Danny Lawler has more regard for the truth than the people who were putting these lies out.

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  35. anon at 8:23, thats funny. Funny, but true

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  36. one more thing, what does Eric johnson have to do with the DA office. He doesn't work there, has never worked there, and everybody seems to agree that he has no credibility or authority to speak for anyone

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  37. What he has to do with the DA's office is that the information he fed Danny Lawler could ONLY have come from the Bossier DA's office.

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  38. My answer to Anon 8:23
    Bias: Having a preference for something ( or against ) based on gossip or emotion , Instead of logic or reason
    Your male that you defend, I would not call a gentleman, will have his day in court, and if justice is served, he will be penalized for what he did...what has made this so in the headlines in all the blogs, not just this one, is the attempts to lay blame where people only doing their jobs are now the victims...had Sentell and his buddy Marvin recognized that only inflames decent people. No apology has been given...perhaps, you are the biased one,the one with the ax...start your own blog

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  39. Jim, sounds like someone from the DA's office is on here and is a tad bit sensitive...maybe they should spend some time doing some work and not defending their bosses mistakes. Now I understand why everything in Bossier is nol prossed. Lazy...

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  40. Re: comment @ 10:58
    Everything in Bossier/Webster is only nol prossed for their cronies. And they throw the book at anyone who is not within their circle. And when a judge does not walk the line and toe the mark that Marvin has drawn, then the DA's office runs a well funded ADA against him.

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  41. Updated: Oct 15, 2009 9:36 AM

    A man arrested for robbing a downtown Shreveport bank apologized to the teller after his arrest, saying his actions were an example of what can happen when a person gets hooked on drugs. He turned himself in. ktbs report

    I have respect for this man. Sherb could have had the same respect if he had been a man.

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  42. LOL! It's as if Jim is the only one talking about this on his blog. Agree with the person who said "start your own blog if you don't like it." This is the most talked about "private argument" since one of Bobby and Whitney's fights, or Chris Brown and Rihanna. Leave that stuff at the house and it will not be "public." If you are in the political eye, you should be mindful of things you do and who is watching you. Your life is no longer private when you toodle down to the Horseshoe and behave badly.

    Also, agree with whoever said the DA's office, including the DA, really should spend more time working than stalking Jim's blog. Don't they have some crimes to prosecute? Or is Webster and Bossier Parish not producing enough? Maybe Caddo could trickle some of their crime across the bridge cause it appears that the prosecutors have nothing better to do than read a blog and whine about it! Geez, grow up!

    Finally, to the anon - IF Jim has "zero credibility," then they and you should obviously not care if he writes that the earth is really square and the President is really Spongebob Squarepants. But you do care, thus you have given him credibility. Seems to me if Jim's opinion did not count, the trolls would stay underneath their bridge.

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  43. lol now "they" are saying Jim is fair, but some of the "anons" are not fair...maybe Jim is posting everything on this blog :) :) that may be their next twist!

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  44. Good catch by the person who recognized the similiar words and obvious legaleeze. I have personally witnessed Marvin and his cronies sit in one big room and get on differrent phones and computers and begin what they call"damage control" spin docotrs or spin lawyers in this case are hard at work

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  45. The cop overreacted. See, that is the thing with Bossier cops in my experience. I have been treated very unfairly by them before, and wasn't even in trouble! I have worked in law firms for the past 10 years, so I am familiar with the law. And when I have a cop lying to me about the law just because he needs an ego boost, then there is a problem. BCPD is shady. They arrest people that don't need to be arrested and they kill unarmed men.

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