By LEONARD GRAY

EDGARD – A Metairie attorney has an uphill battle to save the life of David Roy of Garyville. Roy is charged with the first-degree murder of his wife and three children.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin April 15, 2003, almost a year to the day from the incident.

Roy, 35, has entered two pleas on each count before 40th Judicial District Judge J. Sterling Snowdy, that of innocent and innocent by reason of insanity. A sanity commission ruled in July his competance to stand trial.

Roy’s attorney, Joseph P. Raspanti, hoped Snowdy would reconsider the decision following a second evaluation, but was disappointed.

“I felt he had the duty to ask for a re-hearing,” Raspanti said of the judge.

Roy is accused of killing his wife, Melissa, 32; and their daughter, Asher, 9, their son, Christopher, 2; and their infant daughter, Alyssa, 11 months.

St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Wayne L. Jones reported the crime on April 18. After the slayings, Roy then sat in the home all day, then surrendered to authorities.

Roy has now been twice examined by forensic psychiatrist Rafael Salcedo and St. John Parish Coroner Dr. Christy Montegut and found to be able to understand the charges and participate in his own defense.

In other high-profile murder cases in the River Parishes –

• Ryan Caldarera, 15, is still awaiting the outcome of his sanity commission examination. The panel reported to 23rd Judicial District Judge Guy Holdridge in September, but the matter is under advisement. Nothing can progress until Holdridge rules on whether the teen-ager can stand trial for the April 2001 shooting deaths of his father and stepmother, Victor “Sonny” and Tracy Caldarera of Lutcher.

Ryan Caldarera, a 14-year-old, seventh-grade student at Lutcher Junior High School at the time, allegedly shot and killed the couple in their home, leaving behind his 6-year-old half-sister.

He is charged with two counts of second-degree murder. On Aug. 17, 2001, Judge John Peytavin of the 23rd Judicial District ruled Caldarera should be tried as an adult, but a stay order was issued at the same time to permit attorneys to appeal the ruling to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The appellate court denied Caldarera’s writ application Sept. 21.

He is being represented by Dale Petit and the prosecution is led by Assistant District Attorney Thomas Kliebert Jr.

• David Joseph, who faces a charge of first-degree murder, has a hearing on pretrial motions set Nov. 7.

On Feb. 21, Joseph, 22, of Minden, allegedly beat and choked 8-month-old Derica Wallace of New Sarpy, while babysitting her. The child was taken off life support systems two days later. Joseph surrendered to authorities around the same time.

Joseph, the boyfriend of Jessika Wallace, 20, the child’s mother, had been left in charge of Derica and her two siblings, while Wallace was at work.

Prosecuting the case before 29th Judicial District Judge Emile St. Pierre are Assistant District Attorneys Juan Byrd and Howat Peters. Joseph is represented by New Orleans attorney Jim Williams.

• Finally, a status conference is set Nov. 6 at 9 a.m. for Brandon Stein, 18, of Reserve; Calvin Couvillion, 21, of Paradis; and Timothy Prudhomme, 16, of LaPlace. The three are charged with the Feb. 12 murder of 17-year-old LaPlace resident James Rogers.

Rogers was reported missing by his father. The East St. John High School student left his residence at 8 p.m. on Mardi Gras night to visit a neighbor, driving a white pickup truck.

After being reported missing and an intensive search launched in St. Charles and St. John the Baptist parishes, Rogers’ remains were found. He had been beaten, choked and tossed off the Interstate 310 access ramp near St. Rose.

Rogers’ truck was later found in Park Place Subdivision in LaPlace.

Representing Couvillion is Luling attorney Manina Dubroca; for Prudhomme is Luling attorney Wendy J. Williams; and for Stein is Destrehan attorney Mark Marino.

Prosecuting the case before 29th Judicial District Judge Robert Chaisson are Byrd and Peters.