Posted on 05/15/2015 1:40:53 PM PDT by BBell
Two former St. John the Baptist Parish utilities workers were convicted Tuesday of lying about collecting and recording water samples at a site where a potentially deadly brain-eating amoeba was found in the water system, the state Attorney General's office announced Tuesday (May 12).
However, former inspector Kevin Branch, 55, of LaPlace and Danielle Roussel, 43, of Paulina will avoid jail after accepting a plea agreement to a lesser charge that includes a suspended one-year sentence in parish jail, six months probation and a $400 fine.
According to the news release, both pleaded guilty before 40th Judicial District Judge Sterling Snowdy to false swearing. Branch was convicted on two counts and Roussel was convicted on one count. Branch also was ordered to perform 80 hours of community service, while Roussel was given 40 hours.
The two were indicted last year on charges of malfeasance in office and filing or maintaing false public records. Both of those charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in jail with or without hard labor and a fine up to $5,000.
"These individuals ignored their responsibility to ensure the safety of the parish's drinking water supply, and they are being held criminally culpable for their disregard for the public's welfare," Attorney General Caldwell said in a written statement. "In addition, as a result of this investigation and in consultation with state and federal public health regulatory agencies, the Parish has made and continues to make significant personnel and policy changes in order to have a much safer and much more stable water supply."
A retest on Dec. 3 indicated that the elevated levels of chlorine – called a "burn" - that were infused into the system were effective in removing the amoeba.
Health officials say the parasitic organism can be deadly if it
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
let registered Democrats drink the water.
Umm...I think they already have.
Just be glad you have water..deadly amoeba lasted or not, I tell ya.
They charge these guys with attempted murder and but sodomite who have AIDS having unprotected sex?
World has gone nuts.
Well at least this doesn’t have anything to do the Michelle Obama School Lunch Program. I though maybe it did.
HA!!!!!!!!!
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