Terrebonne Sheriff trying to use criminal statute to unmask online critic

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Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s deputies raided a Houma Police Officer's house this week, under the theory that he was involved in an anonymous web site questioning the sheriff's public contracts.

Attorneys representing the police officer, as well as independent ethics and First Amendment attorneys, question the constitutionality of Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry Larpenter’s effort to unmask someone for questioning his use of public money.

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Some of the anonymous posts ask why Larpenter's wife works for an insurance agent named Tony Alford, whose agency bills the sheriff's office monthly. They also point out that Alford just lined up new insurance coverage for the parish government as well, without going through a public bid process and without an authorizing ordinance that the parish attorney has said is required.

Jerri Smitko, a lawyer who is helping Anderson, said the sheriff’s willingness to go after people who comment on his use of public money is “scary.”

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Loyola Law Professor and ethics attorney Dane Ciolino says these and other contracts discussed on the ExposeDAT site raise questions under state ethics laws.

“Those contracts should be examined. And the notion that search warrants are issuing and the house of a media commentator is being searched for the content of speech posted on a public website is absolutely extraordinary,” Ciolino said. “It’s amazing we’re having this conversation in Louisiana rather than in Iran.”

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