Council member asks police to take action on colleague
By KEVIN BLANCHARD
Acadiana bureau
Published: Jul 6, 2006 Page 1 of 2
single page view

LAFAYETTE — Councilman Randy Menard asked the Police Department to file a report against fellow Councilman Chris Williams for criminal damage to property after Williams wrote “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive!” in permanent ink on the council lectern before Tuesday’s council meeting.

Williams and Councilman Louis Benjamin have been trying for months to get the council to approve renaming a major road in Lafayette after the slain civil rights leader.

In recent weeks, Benjamin has been placing a bumper sticker saying “It’s a King thing,” on front of the lectern near his name plate, where the public can see. Williams said that he decided to write the message in permanent ink because after the past five meetings someone has taken down Benjamin’s bumper sticker.
 
Menard said after Tuesday’s council meeting that he requested the Police Department to file a report. Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft said the report would be filed with the City Prosecutors Office, where the decision would be made whether or not to prosecute.

“That is, in my opinion, criminal damage to property,” said Menard, who is also a lawyer. “It’s a criminal offense.”

While Menard was chairman of the council he asked Williams not to carve and doodle things on the council lectern — in an area outside of public view, Menard said.
Simple criminal damage to property is defined as “the intentional damaging of any property of another, without the consent of the owner.”

If the damage amount is determined to be under $500, the penalty can be up to $500 or a maximum of six months in jail. Damage worth more than $500 carries heavier fines.

The rest of the council seems to have a problem with the message, Benjamin said.

“Would they call it criminal damage to property if he put ‘Ragin’ Cajun?’ ” Benjamin said. “That (Menard’s action) isn’t anything but some intimidation and expression of their hostility toward us.”

Menard said he has no problem with the continuing protests and picketers who come to every council meeting on the name issue.

HOME