By LEONARD GRAY

LAPLACE – The St. John the Baptist Parish Grand Jury cleared a sheriff’s deputy this week of any wrongdoing in the shooting death of a Mt. Airy man, which happened May 23 in LaPlace.

As a result, Deputy Charles Wale III, 23, of LaPlace, will not be prosecuted in the matter and is back on duty.

“I’m not surprised by the Grand Jury’s findings,” Sheriff Wayne L. Jones said. “It’s what I expected.”

The deputy, according to Jones, was defending himself from being stabbed by a broken pair of scissors when he fired.

Edward P. “Peanut” Stewart, 41, of 222 Marquez St., Mt. Airy, who had suffered from schizophrenia for at least 25 years, but with no history of violence, had come into the Hibernia Bank branch at 1200 W. Airline Highway to ask for money from his account.

A problem arose, though, when a teller informed Stewart he did not have an account and a verbal disturbance followed, during which he threatened bank employees. Stewart left the bank, walking west toward Wal-Mart.

Wale, a three-year veteran on the force who was assigned to the Road Division eight months before the incident, got a message from the concerned bank, and he rolled alongside Stewart to ask him to stop.

Stewart allegedly responded with an obscenity and kept walking. Wale got out of his vehicle and tried to physically stop him.

Instead, according to Jones, Stewart pulled out a pair of scissors with one blade broken and slashed at Wale. He was struck three times “and he was probably going down” when he pulled his firearm and fired twice.

At least one struck Stewart in the abdomen and he died within minutes.

“I thought the officer showed great restraint,” Jones said, and added, “However, I can understand the (Stewart) family being upset.”

Wale sustained cuts on his neck, forehead and mouth, requiring several stitches.

Jones recalled one incident where Stewart allegedly was threatened with having his electricity cut off for not paying his bill and responded with threats.

As for Wale, Jones said he did well at the police academy. “I felt he would be a special officer.”