LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / September 1, 1999

LAPLACE – Parish President Arnold Labat and others entered the St. JohnHousing Authority office last week and were subsequently charged with criminal trespass by the new housing director.

Misdemeanor summons were executed Tuesday morning, Chief Harold Klibert of the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office said, on Labat, parishadministrator Pat McTopy, executive assistant Madeline Edwards and housing board chairperson Sheila Morris.

The warrants set a court date of Nov. 15 at 9 a.m. Morris had not locatedby deputies as of press time.

“We come out the bad guys when we’re trying to protect the public?” Labat questioned afterward. “It’s stupid!”District 4 Justice of the Peace Eliana Defrancesch verified that she accepted a sworn statement Aug. 25 from newly-appointed housingdirector Clara S. Lewis, which charged Labat, McTopy and Edwards, withcriminal trespass.

Defrancesch said that according to Lewis’s statement, employees and residents in the LaPlace housing development saw and photographed the three entering the housing office, where they changed the locks on the building, denying access to Lewis. Ironically, Labat named Lewis to herposition.

Labat confirmed that he, McTopy and Edwards entered the office on Aug. 23when housing authority employees failed to show up for work. He said theygained permission from housing board chairperson Sheila Morris.

He added he was getting calls from housing residents of maintenance problems, and the “criminal element” was moving back in and “people were saying they didn’t have to pay rent anymore.”Labat continued, “It was anarchy.””I’m the one who actually entered the building,” Labat said, adding he used his own key to do so.

He explained that he invoked his executive authority as parish president to collect the names, addresses and telephone numbers of employees to instruct them to return to work.

Letters were delivered to those employees. The office was re-opened byHUD on Wednesday.

Whether Labat actually has that authority remains in question. AssistantDistrict Attorney Charles Lorio, who is also the parish attorney, commented, “I’m sure that’s going to be an issue.”However, director of the New Orleans office of HUD, Chester Drozdowsky, said Labat had no right to enter the building.

“The parish has no authority,” said Drozdowsky, “because the Housing Authority is funded by the federal government, and the parish has no part in it.”The Housing Authority’s lawyer, William O’Regan, agrees.

“The Housing Authority is a political subdivision of the state,” said O’Regan. “It is not under parish rule. The Housing Authority does not workfor the parish. Plus, it is funded 100 percent by the federal government.”Lorio added that as of Monday afternoon, the district attorney’s office had not received the warrant, meaning that arrests had not yet been carried out by the sheriff’s office.

He continued that the matter would likely be turned over to the state Attorney General’s office and that the 40th Judicial District would likely recuse themselves from the case.

“The criminal element was moving back into the housing and I had to take over,” Labat said, adding he acted to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of the community, abiding by his oath of office as parish president.

McTopy likewise said he accompanied Labat on the mission.

“I went there on Mr. Labat’s orders on the good faith and belief he had the authority,” McTopy said.

McTopy also said they were admitted “with the permission and approval of Sheila Morris,” who at the time was the sole remaining member of the St.

John Housing Authority.

Since then, new board members were sworn in at a meeting held Aug. 26.Those new members joining Morris include Stella Barnes, the Rev.

Alexander White Sr., Pedro Francisco and Thomas “Lucky” Stayton.Drozdowsky said Labat had told him they were going to go into the Housing Authority office.

“We told him to check with an attorney before he did anything. Obviously,he did not,” said Drozdowsky.

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