As 19th JDC Judge Jorden agrees to view LSP Clair video in-camera & render ruling on 3/18, LSP attorneys seek leniency on attorney fees, costs, penalties after giving WAFB runaround and stall tactics.

One Louisiana State Police (LSP) Trooper’s reaction upon reading a WAFB Facebook Page summation of the Matthew Clair court hearing of Thursday, February 26, 2026.  The Trooper added:  “That’s BS!  They (LSP) train on defensive tactics every year, without fail.”

Today’s Sound Off Louisiana feature focuses on a court hearing which transpired on Thursday, February 26, 2026 in 19th JDC Judge William Jorden’s courtroom regarding WAFB’s lawsuit against LSP on which we reported on December 16, 2025:.

3/1/26:  Overview of Gray Media (WAFB) v. LSP court hearing of February 26, 2026.

In the above video, Sound Off Louisiana founder Robert Burns makes it clear that his focus is on the specificity of the court hearing and that, if anyone wants background on the Clair matter, to go to this feature.  Accordingly, let’s provide that background:

The Clair incident occurred in April of 2022 at the Avoyelles Parish Detention Center in Louisiana. It pertains to an interaction during the booking process of an arrestee who had been arrested for DWI.

The event was captured on surveillance video from a camera inside the detention center (operated by the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office), as Trooper Clair did not activate his body-worn camera during the encounter. According to accounts from state police representatives and testimony presented to the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC), the handcuffed inmate (restrained in front) charged at Trooper Clair, prompting the trooper to employ physical restraint measures, which included striking or hitting the individual to control the situation.

Trooper Clair maintained that the force was necessary to stop the charging inmate and prevent escalation. The inmate later pled guilty to assaulting the trooper. The Avoyelles Parish DA declined to file criminal charges against Clair.

An internal review by a five-member LSP Use of Force Board in 2022 was divided: three members deemed the force justified, while two found it excessive. Under then-Colonel Lamar Davis, the actions were classified as excessive, resulting in a 40-hour suspension without pay for Clair.

Clair opted to appeal the discipline on procedural grounds (alleging the investigation did not commence within the required 14-day window). Following a leadership change—Colonel Robert Hodges assumed command in January 2024—the discipline was reduced to a non-disciplinary “letter of counseling,” effectively nullifying the suspension and rendering related records less accessible to the public under agency policy.

The surveillance video has not been publicly released. WAFB-TV’s I-Team, led by Chief Investigator Chris Nakamoto, pursued multiple public records requests starting in early 2025 (approximately April onward) to obtain it, citing public interest in transparency regarding alleged excessive force. LSP initially provided conflicting responses (e.g., claiming ignorance of the request or non-existence of records), then confirmed possession of a copy of the video but denied WAFB’s request for release, invoking the trooper’s privacy rights. The Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office reported providing a copy to LSP but deleting their original footage.

We encourage the watching of the above video to obtain a pretty detailed account of the courtroom dialogue of this past Thursday, February 26, 2026 and, on that video, we have strategically inserted a few short excerpts which, we assert, provide incredible reinforcement compliments of former Ascension Parish Sheriff Captain C. J. Matthews.

As stated on the video, we look forward to attending the March 18, 2026 hearing at which Judge Jorden makes public his decision and, we believe, soon thereafter watching a feature on WAFB to see just what all is on this video because we think it’s likely going to be quite revealing, especially given some of the commentary made by LSP attorneys referenced on the video above!

 

 

With taxpayers shelling out $205K to LSP Lt. James Jefferson III in 2024, we believe we’re owed more than a “late Loudermill letter” explanation on his 2/6/25 arrest for alleged domestic abuse with child endangerment.

Screenshot from Govsalaries.com demonstrating that Louisiana State Police (LSP) Lt. James Jefferson III’s compensation for 2024 totaled $205,536.

In today’s Sound Off Louisiana feature, C. J. Matthews, former Ascension Parish Sheriff Captain on whom we conducted an extensive series entailing his pursuit of colleague Fred Corder, joined founder Robert Burns to discuss the lack of transparency to the public regarding LSP Lt. James Jefferson III’s arrest and subsequent appeal of the suspension handed down by LSP Col. Robert Hodges entailing that arrest.

We do issue a warning to anyone viewing the following video:  be advised that Burns defends Col. Hodges’ pursuit of his 84-hour suspension handed down to Jefferson:

2/25/26:  Matthews educates viewers on the criteria for probable cause to effectuate an arrest and discusses with Burns the lack of meaningful transparency to the public regarding the arrest of Jefferson on February 6, 2025.

As mentioned near the very end of the video, the WAFB Writ of Mandamus hearing entailing its lawsuit against LSP to obtain a video regarding LSP Trooper Mathew Clair in which questions of potential excessive force have been raised is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning (February 26, 2026).  We look forward to attending the hearing and reporting upon its outcome.

After LSP Lt. James Jefferson’s domestic abuse, child endangerment charges dropped by DA Moore, State Police Commission grants summary disposition vacating 48-hour suspension citing violation of no timely Loudermill letter.

Louisiana State Police (LSP) Lt. James Jefferson III embraces his attorney, Jill Craft, after his Motion for Summary Disposition was granted by the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) on Thursday, February 12, 2026.

On February 6, 2025, LSP Lt. James Jefferson III was arrested by Baton Rouge City Police on allegations of domestic abuse with child endangerment, to wit:

2/6/25 WAFB Feature on Jefferson’s Arrest

On April 15, 2025, DA Hillar Moore formally announced that he would not be pursuing charges against Jefferson, to wit:

4/15/25 WAFB Feature on DA Moore’s announcement of no prosecution of Jefferson

It should be noted that this March 26, 2025 WAFB feature essentially served as a prelude 20 days before Moore’s just-linked announcement.  From that feature:

Based off of reviews of evidence and reports, District Attorney Hillar Moore told the I-TEAM Wednesday the charges are likely to be dismissed against James Jefferson.

Jefferson was arrested for one count of domestic abuse battery with child endangerment last month. Officers who responded say they observed fresh scratches on Jefferson’s hand. But now, we’ve learned prosecutors are reviewing the case and there are serious questions about whether there was even probable cause to arrest Jefferson.

The arresting officer who put Jefferson in handcuffs was placed on administrative leave following Jefferson’s arrest. Baton Rouge Police said the officer was placed on leave on February 27th. He was moved to desk duty on March 11, which restricts him from driving a unit or working extra duty.

Sources told the WAFB I-TEAM there were problems with the arrest that night, and upon further review of other cases involving the same officer, there was a problem involving evidence in a different case. Sources said that’s what led to the officer being put on leave and then desk duty.

At an LSPC meeting of Thursday, February 12, 2026, LSP Col. Robert Hodges explained why he and his Disciplinary Review Committee imposed a 48-hour suspension on Jefferson notwithstanding DA Hillar Moore’s declining to pursue criminal charges:

2/12/26 LSP Col. Robert Hodges explains why he imposed a 48-hour suspension against Jefferson notwithstanding DA Moore’s decision to drop criminal charges.

The LSPC spent a total of 85 minutes (not including another 30-40 in Executive Session) hearing oral arguments by Jill Craft, Jefferson’s attorney, on her contention that no hearing for Jefferson was necessary and why his 48-hour suspension should be summarily dismissed.  We will be providing a link for the entirety of the oral arguments for that summary disposition; however, let us provide a sort of quick and fast overview of Jefferson’s contentions vs. LSP Col. Robert Hodges’ contentions:

=== Both sides agreed that the internal investigation of Jefferson, which by LSPC rules must wrap up within 60 days, concluded on April 9, 2025.  Craft, arguing on behalf of Jefferson, asserted that the investigation began on February 6, 2025, which meant that it lasted 62 days, two (2) days longer than permitted by LSPC Rules.  Hodges, on the other hand, was very adamant that the investigation did not commence until February 13, 2025 (even reading into the record a communication from LSP Chief of Staff Frank Besson that the investigation “commenced on February 13, 2025”) and therefore concluded in 55 days, five (5) days before the deadline.

=== While LSP admitted to a “procedural error” in not providing Jefferson with a Loudermill letter until May 15, 2025 (weeks after Jefferson’s suspension had been established by Hodges and the suspension even served), Hodges and LSP attorneys argued that the “error” was correctable by refunding Jefferson his pay for the suspension served, and proceeding with a redo of the whole matter.  Craft asserted that LSP failed miserably to “fix” any “error” and that correspondence to her in mid to late July of 2025 in no way constituted a Loudermill letter.  LSP admitted that no second Loudermill letter was sent after May 15, 2025 and admitted that Jefferson should have been afforded an opportunity to respond, in writing, to present “his side of the story” prior to any discipline being handed down to Jefferson.  Nevertheless, Jefferson, after a Disciplinary Review Committee meeting on or around August 6, 2025, received another formal 48-hour suspension, which he served for a second time.  The initial suspension, served during the week of April 20, 2025 through April 24, 2025, dates chosen by Jefferson as an accommodation while his children were on Spring break, had been refunded to him by LSP.

That’s the summation, but we do want to present a video of the oral arguments in their entireties and draw specific attention to Hodges’ portion of the hearing, which transpires from the 29:00 – 1:08:15 mark.  Here is that video:

2/12/26:  James Jefferson III’s oral arguments regarding his Motion for Summary Disposition with particular focus on LSP Col. Robert Hodges testimony transpiring from the 29:00 – 1:08:15 mark.

The only commentary we’re going to make about Hodges’ testimony is twofold:

#1) Craft easily frustrates him on numerous occasions even though she appeared to be exerting no effort at all on her part to do so, and

#2) Hodges, in our opinion at least (but viewers can watch the video and draw their own conclusions), seems to be very emphatic that a “hearing next month” entailing Jefferson would transpire, which could happen only if the LSPC denied Jefferson’s Motion for Summary Disposition.

Regarding point #2) above, Hodges would be disappointed because the LSPC, led by Member Michael “Mickey” DuBos, Granted the Motion for Summary Disposition and awarded Jefferson $1,500 in attorney fees to Craft:

LSPC Grants Jefferson’s Motion for Summary Disposition and awards him $1,500 in attorney fees.

While the above presentation concludes this feature, we reserve the right to supplement (a favorite word of Billy Broussard) this feature in the future based on any findings from our public records request to Baton Rouge Police for the incident report and any body camera footage applicable for Lt. Jefferson’s arrest and/or our public records request of the LSPC for all material provided to the LSPC Commissioners for Jefferson’s Motion for Summary Disposition and/or our our public records request of LSP for the investigative file for Lt. Jefferson.