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Thanks goodness for mom! This week, it was revealed that State Senator
Derrick Shepherd will serve his home detention at his mother’s
residence on Blueberry Court in Marrero, which is located in his Senate
district. He must stay there until his federal trial in October when he
must defend himself on charges of mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail
and wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Why would Shepherd serve his detention at his mother’s house? This maneuver was necessary because Shepherd’s favorite residence is in the Stonebridge subdivision, six miles outside of his legislative district. This is the home where federal agents found Shepherd and where Jefferson Parish deputies encountered him receiving a lap dance the other night. He could not serve his home detention at a residence outside of his legislative district because that would confirm suspicions that he does not reside in the district he claims to represent.
According to Shepherd, the Stonebridge mansion is just an investment property that he plans to “flip.” It is interesting that he spends so much time at his investment property. The property that Shepherd maintained was his real residence is on Garden Road in Marrero. The problem is that this house has been rented to another person for at least a year. So he could not serve his home incarceration at that “official” property. It is interesting that while Shepherd was running for re-election to State Senate District 3 he was not living in his “official” residence and was obviously staying at an “investment property” six miles outside of district lines.
Now the issue of home detention has exposed these falsehoods, so what was the indicted Senator to do? Well, mom rode to the rescue! Shepherd told the court he “lives and sleeps” at all three residences. How can he sleep at a residence that is being rented by someone else?
Shepherd’s behavior distressed U.S. District Court Judge Carl Barbier who called it “very troubling.” In fact, Barbier scolded Shepherd, telling the Senator “I don’t know what you’re thinking.” It seems that Shepherd has been thinking about himself and not his constituents. How can he serve them while in home detention or on federal trial?
Shepherd has a history of questionable behavior. Not only was he arrested on battery charges last weekend, but he was also arrested in 2000 charged with battery against another woman. The residence issues, the federal indictment, the battery charges all add up to despicable behavior for an elected official. He has disgraced his state, his constituents and the Louisiana Legislature. Clearly, he is not fit to serve in the Louisiana State Senate.
Shepherd will likely not do the honorable thing and resign. A recall petition is too difficult to pass because of the extreme number of signatures needed. However, there is another option to extract Shepherd from office. His colleagues in the State Senate can remove him based on Article III, Section 7 of the State Constitution. It outlines a procedure for legislators to remove a colleague for “disorderly conduct or contempt.” Shepherd’s behavior can certainly be considered disorderly conduct if not contempt.
Shepherd has already been kicked off his Senate committee assignments, so he cannot possibly deliver for his constituents. It is a similar situation to Congressman Bill Jefferson who has been removed from key congressional committees. Quite a pair, Jefferson and Shepherd!
Shepherd practices deception toward the voters and the justice system. Eventually, this behavior will catch up to Shepherd. Until now, he has been able to skate by, claiming that he is a hard working State Senator. The ruse has been exposed and the true Derrick Shepherd is now on display. It is not a pretty sight.
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