Prosecution of Crimes and Representation of the School Board and Police Jury

The most important duty of the District Attorney is to oversee the prosecution of criminals in Avoyelles Parish. This is in all courts and involves convening the Grand Jury for purposes of deciding which crimes to prosecute. In addition, the District Attorney has wide lattitude in his discretion as to which crime to charge individuals that do not go before the Grand Jury.

The prosecuting Assistant District Attorneys are Michael Kelly, 1st Assistant; Norris Greenhouse, Assistant District Attorney, Chief Section A; Miche Moreau, Assistant District Attorney, Chief Section B, and Chief Prosecutor of the Special Victims Section; Dan McKay, Assistant District Attorney
Section A, and Assistant Prosecutor, Special Victims Section; and Tony Solario, Assistant District Attorney Section B and Asset Forfeiture.

In addition, Renee Roy will be the Assistant District Attorney for juvenile offenders and handle prosecutions in Bunkie City Court.

Pre-Trial Diversion

Pre Trial diversion is a method used by many districts for first offenders of non violent crimes. This is in an effort to divert certain individuals from trials, if they are non violent offenders and to allow them to undergo necessary and helpful treatment or require attendance of classes to teach them and help prevent them from committing more crimes. No method is fool proof, but a major part of the battle against crime is won if the criminal act is prevented. The District Attorney’s office can utilize its authority
and vision to create efforts to prevent crime.

If anyone is interested in Pre-trial diversion contact Joyce Corner at the District Attorney’s Office.

Requiring inidividuals to participate in public or community service is another method of handling non violent offenders. This is an effort to prevent filling our jails with non violent offenders to allow more room for the more serious violent criminals. This is an important step in the overall management of our criminal justice system.

Police Jury and School Board

In Louisiana, the District Attorney is the legal counsel for the Police Jury and the School Board. These two governing bodies are vital to the progress
of a Parish. The Police Jury is the governing body over the Parish operations and economic development. The Avoyelles Parish School Board, with a budget of over $40 million, is in charge of public education in the parish.

James T. Lee, of Bunkie, is the Civil Assistant District Attorney, assigned to represent the majority of these bodies. He will be present at the regularly scheduled meetings of the Police Jury and School Board. (First Tuesday of each month).  Cory Roy assists Mr. Lee in civil matters for the District Attorney's office.

Hot Check Collections

Many businesses are frustrated with collecting from customers who write hot checks. The District Attorney’s Office has the statutory authority to assist those who receive checks with insufficient funds. This is done without expense to the business. A Hot Check Coordinator will be assigned to work with businesses in an effort to assist them in collection of these checks. It is important to stop small criminal acts to prevent individuals from going on to bigger crimes. The worthless check coordinator to contact is Golda Scharpon-Sampson.