Pubdate: Sat, 20 Aug 2005
Source: Advocate, The (LA)
Copyright: 2005 The Advocate, Capital City Press
Contact: http://www.2theadvocate.com/help/letter2editor.shtml
Website: http://www.theadvocate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2
Author: Joe Gyan Jr.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

LUTCHER POLICE CHIEF DENIED BOND

NEW ORLEANS -- Despite an impassioned plea from Corey Pittman's
mother, a magistrate ruled Friday that the Lutcher police chief must
remain in federal custody while awaiting indictment and trial on
charges he allegedly sold crack cocaine and other narcotics to an
undercover Drug Enforcement Administration operative for more than
$5,000.

Pittman, who was arrested by federal authorities Wednesday, could be
indicted as early as next week. A federal grand jury in New Orleans
met Thursday to consider his case. The grand jury did not meet Friday.
U.S. Magistrate Louis Moore Jr. agreed with a federal prosecutor and a
U.S. Pretrial Services official who said Pittman posed a danger to the
community if released on bond. When a chief law enforcement officer is
accused of selling drugs, Moore said, "it gives the citizens grave
concern." "This is a grave charge," the magistrate said, reminding
everyone in his courtroom that Pittman is presumed innocent until
proven otherwise. "It casts a long shadow across the community. You
pose a danger to the community."

Moore gave Pittman and a half-dozen members of his family seated in
the back of court a glimmer of hope, saying he would reconsider the
bond request if additional evidence comes forward. Pittman's family
declined comment after the detention hearing. Pittman was dressed in
sandals and red prison garb, and his wrists and ankles were shackled.

Pittman's court-appointed attorney, Valerie Jusselin, and his mother
had pleaded with Moore to place Pittman under house arrest in his
mother's home in Lutcher and subject him to electronic monitoring.
Until his arrest, the 29-year-old Pittman lived with his wife -- who
has a full-time job -- and two children. Pittman's mother lives within
walking distance of his home. "You put him with me, he'll be good
because I'm an on-track mother," she said. Jusselin argued that
Pittman, who has no previous arrests or convictions, would be closely
watched by the people of Lutcher if released on bond. "Four thousand
people also supervise Mr. Pittman," she said. Pittman is accused of
selling cocaine powder June 9, crack cocaine June 24, crack cocaine
and 40 tablets of the prescription painkiller hydrocodone Aug. 8, and
crack cocaine Aug. 12. Jusselin said authorities could have arrested
Pittman well before Wednesday, but did not.

"They let him continue with his job. Did they think he was a risk
then? Did they take him down? No," she argued.

But Moore said the fact that Pittman was not immediately arrested
after the earlier of the alleged drug sales is the nature of law
enforcement investigative techniques. Moore, as did Assistant U.S.
Attorney Jay Quinlan, also expressed concern over the safety of the
confidential informant used in the case if Pittman were to be released
on bond. The magistrate said the informant could be someone Pittman
knows.

"There are just too many unanswered questions," Moore said. Quinlan
said allegations that a sitting police dealt drugs, particularly crack
cocaine, are enough to keep such a person locked up until trial. "It's
per se a danger to the community -- a police officer dealing crack
cocaine," he said.

Pittman became Lutcher's first black police chief with his election in
October 2002. He started his job in January 2003.

A criminal complaint filed Tuesday in federal district court in New
Orleans alleged that the June 9 drug sale occurred in Lutcher at a
construction site on North Nobel Street; the June 24 transaction took
place in front of Garyville/Mount Airey Magnet School on La. 54 in St.
John the Baptist Parish; and the Aug. 8 and Aug. 12 sales occurred at
a Shell Truck Stop on West Airline Highway in Reserve, also in St.
John.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin