LAFAYETTE, La. – In a shocking turn of events, Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal and Lieutenant Colonel Gerald Savoy have been charged with civil rights violations arising out of the beatings of five pre-trial detainees at the Iberia Parish Jail (IPJ) on April 29, 2011.
According to the indictment, Ackal and Savoy conspired with each other and with other officers to assault five inmates, identified by the initials C.O., S.S., A.T., A.D. and H.G., and that members of the conspiracy failed to intervene and stop the assaults.
The indictment alleges that the beatings were a result of a conspiracy between Ackal, Savoy, and several other officers. The group allegedly failed to intervene and stop the assaults, allowing the abuse to continue.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Lafayette Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph G. Jarzabek of the Western District of Louisiana, Special Litigation Counsel Mark Blumberg and Trial Attorney Tona Boyd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are leading the prosecution.
Eight former Iberia Parish Sheriff Office employees have previously entered guilty pleas in related cases before U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi of the Western District of Louisiana. The eight officers include former IPJ Warden Wesley Hayes, former IPJ Assistant Warden Jesse Hayes, former Lieutenant Bret Broussard of the Narcotics Unit, former narcotics agent Wade Bergeron, former narcotics agent Jason Comeaux, former narcotics agent David Hines, former narcotics agent Byron Benjamin Lassalle and former K-9 handler Robert Burns.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted, Ackal and Savoy each face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each of the civil rights violations, as well as a potential $250,000 fine for each count.
The charges against Ackal and Savoy add another layer of corruption to the already troubled Iberia Parish Jail. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and bring you updates as more information becomes available.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Violent Crime|Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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