In June, Fox 8 received a subpoena for two stories they published concerning New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell as part of its “Outside the Office” investigative series. According to the outlet, this is the second subpoena the station has received regarding its reports on Cantrell’s actions as mayor.
According to Fox 8, the federal investigation into the actions of Cantrell and former New Orleans Police Department officer Jeffery Vappie is heating up, which prompted Rafael Goyeneche, the head of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, to offer his prediction of a forthcoming indictment. Goyeneche told Fox 8, “That, to me, suggests that this investigation is winding down. They’ve already seen the videos on your station’s website, so they have access to that. They need the actual certified copy. They’re going to present that to a grand jury. That’s part of the government’s case.”
Goyeneche continued, “If they’re subpoenaing these records, they want to present it to the grand jury. They’re going to be seeking an indictment. They’ll explain how it fits into the government’s theory of the indictment.”
In April, Goyeneche sent a letter to the NOPD’s Public Integrity Bureau, asking them to investigate concerns raised to the MCC by a source.
“A known source contacted the MCC to report observing New Orleans Mayor La Toya Cantrell and New Orleans Police Officer Jeffrey Vappie dining on the balcony of Tableau restaurant (616 Saint
Peter St.) in the French Quarter on Sunday, April 7th. The source provided the enclosed photographs, which were taken at approximately 5:48 p.m. on April 7th. The photographs depict Mayor Cantrell sitting across from her Executive Protection Unit member, Officer Vappie, along with wine glasses on the table. The MCC was informed that Officer Vappie was on duty the weekend of April 7th. However, it is unclear if Officer Vappie was performing any executive protection duties and, if so, whether he consumed any alcohol while at Tableau.”Dillard University political analyst Dr. Robert Collins hypothesizes that Cantrell’s silence in recent weeks is the result of legal advice provided by Eddie Castaing, her attorney.
“My belief is
that she’s being advised by her attorney (Eddie Castaing) — who’s a very smart criminal defense attorney — not to make any statements to the press or not to make any statements to the public involving any of the evidence in the case,” Collins told the outlet. “Because the prosecutors could then take any of those statements and possibly use them against her at a later time.”Collins continued, “It’s just such a distraction for the citizens of the city. This needs to end, one way or another. We need to know, one way or another. Either there was no criminal activity, and she could be cleared, or there is criminal activity. Then the U.S. Attorney’s office needs to go ahead and indict, so they can present their evidence to a jury, and we can have a trial, and this can be sorted out, once and for all.”
Collins concluded, “For these investigations to just be lingering over the mayor’s office, causing a cloud and rumors to float around in City Hall, that’s not healthy. That disrupts the business of the people, the business of the taxpayers going forward.”
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