Month: October 2010

Just asking – Does Branch ESI deposition schedule suggest defendants conspired to obstruct justice?

Staying up late reading Gresham’s latest legal thriller is probably not something I should do the night before a day I’ve set aside to write for SLABBED.  On the other hand, who could know what’s up on the 19th of November and not wonder what’s up when none – nada, not a single one – of the Branch defendants was able to schedule an ESI deposition until December.

A quick review of what went up on SLABBED in October explains a lot.  You’ll find a discussion of Allstate’s ESI capacity here; an update on the Branch case here; and an update on the Denenea case here.

The 19th of November is D-day and what’s up then are the hearings Judge Vance will conduct on more motions than I can count – some to dismiss individual defendants, others the entire the Branch qui tam case.  The Allstate and Pilot motions to dismiss the Denena qui tam case are also scheduled for a hearing on the 19th.

“Conspiracy” can be defined an act that is innocent in itself but becomes unlawful when done by the combination of actors and “obstruction of justice” as one that involves interference, through words or actions, with the proper operations of a court or officers of the court.

So, when every single defendant insurer selects a date to give ESI depositions two or more weeks following hearings that could result in the dismissal of certain defendants or the entire case, have they conspired to interfere with the operation or officers of the court, given that “Federal courts have read…[18 U.S.C.A. §§ 1503]…expansively to proscribe any conduct that interferes with the judicial process”? Continue reading “Just asking – Does Branch ESI deposition schedule suggest defendants conspired to obstruct justice?”

James Gill strikes again plus Geoff Pender sets the record straight.

Around a week ago I spoke with a new reader who paid me the ultimate compliment IMHO when telling me I distilled the subject matter and made things understandable.  I tell you folks no one in these parts can hold a candle to T-P OpEd columnist James Gill along those lines and today’s column illustrates why. It is about the post Katrina Danziger Bridge shootings, a subject we’ve occasionally blogged on. Here is a snippet:

The latest prosecution motion can hardly do much to taint the jury pool, because it is good and tainted already. Media coverage has been so exhaustive that, if you can find a potential juror who comes to the case fresh, you have found an idiot.

Geoff Pender has a great story in today’s Sun Herald on the Mississippi 4th Congressional District race. In the piece Pender debunks many of  the BS talking points that have been repeated to the point that smaller minds often quote them as gospel such as the meme that Gene has not risen in the ranks given his seniority.  The sad lesson here is that simply doing your job well isn’t good enough when the other political party results to telling lies and half-truths to gain traction.  Unfortunately too many people sleep walk through life and do too little due diligence when picking candidates to support the result of which is they end up as dupes, voting against their own best interests. Continue reading “James Gill strikes again plus Geoff Pender sets the record straight.”

Somehow I missed this: Mark your calendars and come see Martina McBride and Michael Grimm.

Under Slabbed’s version of a day late and a dollar short I missed that Martina McBride is teaming up with homie Michael Grimm to perform concerts on November 19th and 20th at the Hancock County Multi-purpose Center on the Kiln-Delisle road.  The concert is to promote Mississippi’s West Coast according to the WLOX report on this subject but I am told reliably that it is the local Rotary Clubs which made the event possible, the proceeds of which are slated to benefit the Hancock County Food Pantry, an organization which I am very familiar. Mark your calendars and plan on attending.  Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.

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Slabbed News Miscellany: A week’s worth of Jefferson Parish news we broke on Slabbed plus the continued fight against conflicts of interest.

There have been several area news stories which touched upon topics we cover, including 2 stories we broke this past week in the request for resignations from unclassified Parish employees and Anne Marie Vandenweghe’s disappointing day in court. In going back through the week in news I thought WWL TV (Channel 4) was “there with the most” on these news items so it is with them we stop first. Dominic Massa filed a report on Anne Marie’s day in Ross LaDart’s courtroom which was very good. This story ran at 5 last Tuesday but unfortunately the companion video was not posted online. It contains one good nugget of information, Anne Marie has lawyered up with Northshore attorney Bobby Truitt.  Truitt’s selection is meaningful, especially as it relates to LaDart and his curious public records rulings, as it appears he was instrumental in bringing down crooked 24th Judicial district court judge Alan Green of Operation Wrinkled Robe infamy.  My own opinion is that AMV’s tastes in lawyers is very good.  I’d be remiss if I did not add that the women of Truitt Law not only appear to be highly intelligent, professional and “sophisticated” but also are hotties too.

On the same topic Rich Rainey at the Times Picayune filed a short report Friday which falls into the category of several days late and relies upon their own prior stories on this general topic as illustrated by the fact that neither Mr. Truitt’s name or the fact AMV now has outside council is not mentioned.  I’ll add this appears to be round 1 of a 3 round fight and to that extent the headline over Rainey’s story is a bit misleading IMHO.   I suspect we have not heard the last of AMV and her public records suit against the Parish.

Finally I’ll add the file photos of AMV used in both reports are hideous.  I’ll see if I can get the Slabbed Nation a better pic besides wind blown AMV and car door AMV. Continue reading “Slabbed News Miscellany: A week’s worth of Jefferson Parish news we broke on Slabbed plus the continued fight against conflicts of interest.”

A quick political thought while I have a second here at lunchtime…..

This morning on WWL AM the debate last night on WWL TV between Diaper David Vitter and Charlie Melancon was one of the topics for discussion.  I didn’t see any of last night’s debate, which apparently got ugly when Daiper Dave crawfished when asked if he broke the law by using his campaign cash to pay for prostitutes before he launched into a weird diatribe against mexican roofers and ditch diggers. From the sound of it no new ground was broken and the voters who turned in were disgusted.

All that said I did see part of the senatorial debate on Channel 6 a few nights ago moderated by Norman Robinson (of MR Go fame) and remember thinking that Gidget counted more than a few former customers on that debate set. Norman liked ’em blonde to hear Gidget tell the story, the blonder the better in fact not that Wendy Cortez wasn’t a looker herself.  Mrs Vitter isn’t bad looking herself but she obviously drew the line at dressing up her hubby in huggies before sex.  😉 Lest I digress…….

We’ve had a few folks ask lately about getting a subscription to Slabbed including our posts being sent straight to your email inbox.  Click here and type in slabbed.org in the blog subscription box.  After doing that hit the “Subscription settings” hyperlink on the upper right of the blog frame and select how often you want our post delivered to your inbox.  As always we thank you for your support.

There are phone calls I have yet to return as well as emails and for that I apologize in advance.  Please bear with me while real life intrudes and interferes with my routine blogging.

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As different as the two brothers Darryl – the other Allstate qui tam case: ex rel Denenea v Allstate

Although their shared name is sufficient reason for thinking the two brothers Darryl are one in the same, an examination of available evidence reveals two distinctly different individuals.  In this third of an intended four-part series, SLABBED examines the evidence available on the most recently unsealed Katrina qui tam case, ex rel Denenea v Allstate – a distinctly different case from the other also named Allstate, ex rel Branch Consultants v Allstate.

In an attempt to convince the federal courts in Louisiana these two qui tam cases are one in the same and both should be dismissed, Allstate has launched what can best be described as a “wool-over-the-court’s-eye scheme“.  A key element of the scheme and the centerpiece of Allstate’s defense is, of all things, the qui tam case filed in Mississippi, ex rel Rigsby v State Farm – perhaps because several years ago Denenea caught the yarn the Company was trying to spin and unraveled their knitting right in front of none other than the federal district judge assigned to Denenae’s qui tam case, Judge Sarah Vance.

Every bit of yarn in Allstate’s knitting bag was tossed at Denenea in the Company’s Motion to Dismiss but Denenae’s case has a needle that makes it as distinctly different from both Branch and Rigsby as one “brother Darryl” is from the “other brother Darryl”: Continue reading “As different as the two brothers Darryl – the other Allstate qui tam case: ex rel Denenea v Allstate”

Slabbed is gettin’ ziggy with the Zombie: A Cedric Richmond Charity Looting Update.

 Well, you know folks, my people have been getting with his people and some people don’t like that per the comments.  😉

I am proud to say that we’ve taken part in making the anal sphincters of two undeserving would be politicians twitch mightily lately and that does not count the Jefferson Parish Council nor Jimbo the Clown and his sidekick Mikey the Cook. I’d be remiss if I did not add our own Poldawg has a cyber brother over NOLA way on Team Richmond.

Now we are a bipartisan bunch over here at Slabbed and we exhibit a strong streak of independence like our own Congressman Gene Taylor so I have no compunction to say everyone in NOLA should vote for Joseph Cao with a clear conscience because one can never go wrong voting for an honest man.

As always we thank the Slabbed Nation for your support.

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Wednesday Musical Repeat: Dedicated to Mamo

I laid the timestamp down on today’s rumor here. Kidd’s commentary has been useful to understanding how Mamo plays in today, especially with Moon’s progeny representing the State in the US Senate and as Mayor of New Orleans. Throw in John Georges who ended up with some of Carlos Marcello’s businesses and yesterday gives today an entirely new context. The rise of legalized video poker spreads the moula around a good bit more but I do not want to jump too far ahead of myself in the narrative.  😉

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OK folks, I’ll pass along one of the rumors I’ve been hearing.

I’m not rumor averse per se but sometimes passing along gossip has a downside but I sense the Slabbed Nation wants to hear what we’ve been hearing behind the scenes and not just about Magnum JD coming to blows as it were with one of his new uptown neighbors on St Charles.

In this instance I think it is time we pass along something that is not widely known or reported but which I beleieve to be 100% accurate, especially in light of how long I’ve been hearing about it and the fact it involves a governmental entity in Jefferson Parish just not Parish Government. So I’ll repeat what I’m hearing below the fold for those so interested (drumroll please): Continue reading “OK folks, I’ll pass along one of the rumors I’ve been hearing.”

All for Young and Young for all: Parish Prez Young begins purging the ranks

The resignation notices are being hand delivered through out the Yenni Building.  The process began a week ago Monday and given what we are hearing is likely to take some time as John Young is being “methodical” in his personnel decisions.

[scribd id=40250739 key=key-cy395bnrsq024kz3evv mode=list]

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