...The wife of Chief Assistant District Attorney Sherb Sentell III was visibly upset and crying when she spoke to officers following an altercation with her husband... "You'll only make things worse for me... They'll take care of him and make it all go away." Mrs. Sentell said her husband lived "with virtual immunity due to his political influence"...RESIGNED WEBSTER PROSECUTOR DENIES ABUSE
Associated Press
October 14, 2009 8:34 AM ET
[Excerpts] Former Webster Parish Assistant District Attorney Sherb Sentell says he will vigorously defend himself against charges of domestic abuse battery and public intimidation. Sentell, who resigned last week, was arrested after an Oct. 3 incident at a Bossier City casino. Authorities accuse him of manhandling his wife in the casino and threatening the jobs of police officers. Authorities have released security video that shows Sentell grabbing his wife's arm serveral times. At one point he appears to push her against a pillar. But at a news conference Tuesday with her husband, Julianna Sentell said she was not abused... [Full article here]
WEBSTER ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY RESIGNS
Shreveport Times
By Vickie Welborn vwelborn@gannett.com
October 13, 2009
[Excerpts] ...Webster Parish District Attorney Schuyler Marvin confirmed Monday that Sherb Sentell resigned Friday. It was a "mutual decision," Marvin said when asked whether it was voluntary on Sentell's part... Bossier City police charged Sentell with domestic abuse battery after a security guard and a Bossier officer witnessed Sentell grab his wife's arm several times and hold it firmly to keep her from leaving. He also was observed pushing his wife against a pillar... The public intimidation charge stems from statements Sentell allegedly made threatening the jobs of two officers during his transport from the casino to City Jail... Bossier City attorney H. Lyn Lawrence is representing Sentell... Sentell, 43, has been employed as assistant district attorney for 10 years. He was the chief prosecutor for the Webster district attorney's office. [Full article here]
LAST WEEK:
POLICE: ASSISTANT D.A. MANHANDLED WIFE, THREATENED OFFICERS' JOBS
KTBS
Posted: Oct 4, 2009 2:51 PM
Updated: Oct 6, 2009 11:27 AM
[Excerpts] ...Police said Sentell, who had been drinking, had grabbed his wife by the arm and was pulling her toward an exit when an officer intervened in the argument, which had been going on since earlier in the evening. Mrs. Sentell had tried to pull away on more than one occasion, police said, and her husband had yelled at her... A casino security officer told police he saw the Sentells appearing to have an argument and saw him push or pull her four times. Police Officer M.D. Wells said in his report that Mrs. Sentell repeatedly asked him not to arrest her husband, saying: "You'll only make things worse for me," and "They'll take care of him and make it all go away." Mrs. Sentell said her husband lived "with virtual immunity due to his political influence" and nothing would be done to him, police said... On the way to jail, police said, Sentell - who had told them numerous times he was a prosecutor -- threatened repeatedly to use his "political influence" against the officers if he was arrested. Sentell's comments were captured by an in-car video system, police said... District Attorney Schuyler Marvin has placed him on leave with pay until the case is resolved. Marvin said he will recuse his office from prosecuting the case. [Full article here]
REPORT: ASSISTANT DA WAS THE AGGRESSOR
Shreveport Times
By Vickie Welborn
vwelborn@gannett.com
October 6, 2009
The wife of Chief Assistant District Attorney Sherb Sentell III was visibly upset and crying when she spoke to officers following an altercation with her husband in a Bossier City casino early Saturday morning... District Attorney Schuyler Marvin is conducting an internal investigation into the incident... The 12-page report of Sentell's arrest details observations made by Wells and casino security officer Joshua Averitt inside and outside the casino... Julianna Sentell attempted to get away from her husband, but he reportedly held onto her and at times yelled in her face. Averitt said he watched Sherb Sentell grab Julianna Sentell by the arm, shake her and pull her toward the exit. After he reported the incident via radio, Averitt said he noticed Sherb Sentell appear to push his wife against a pillar in the pavilion, holding her there as he yelled at her... Wells said he could hear Sherb Sentell talking loudly and mentioned several times that he was the chief assistant district attorney and worked for Marvin. He questioned Julianna Sentell more and that's when she said her husband had "grabbed and pushed her in an attempt to keep her from leaving on numerous occasions. She had not said anything because there was nothing that anyone could do. Her husband had lived with virtual immunity due to his political influence and family, and this incident would simply 'go away like everything else had,'" the report states... At the jail, officers told Wells that Sherb Sentell made numerous threats to sue them and to "adversely affect their employment with the police department by using his political influence if he was arrested." The officers also said the threats were made during transport, too. The statements were recorded in the patrol car's video system. Sherb Sentell denied doing anything wrong or touching his wife. He also said they had not been arguing, Wells said in his report. [Full article here]
[public official involved domestic violence law enforcement teflon fear louisianna recant]
Update to this story: After being cleared of all charges and all allegations by three investigating agencies, the police officers were fired who lied in their reports and the Asst. D.A. was rehired by the District Attorney's Office.
ReplyDeleteTell the whole story. Feb 4, 2010, the officer was reinstated by the civil service board with a ruling that stated the board believed the officer involved perceived his job was threatened and there was no malicious prosecution. The termination was overturned by the civil service board and the decision to overturn the termination stood in district court. Nothing but a political cover-up and smoke screen to clear one of their own.
ReplyDelete