The US attorney’s office in Washington, D.C., faces challenges in securing grand jury indictments, as evidenced by a recent case where a grand jury voted “no” three times on a felony assault charge. The case involved an incident with an FBI agent and an immigration officer. The grand jury’s repeated rejection of the indictment comes amid increased scrutiny of the office’s crackdown on crime and aggressive charging practices, particularly regarding assaults on police. Ultimately, the accused will face misdemeanor charges instead of a felony.
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New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has been indicted on federal charges of defrauding the city to conceal a romantic relationship with police officer Jeffrey Paul Vappie II. The indictment alleges Cantrell and Vappie conspired to commit wire fraud, obstruct justice, and make false statements. Prosecutors claim the pair used their positions to maximize their time together, engaging in personal activities while Vappie was on duty and paid. During their three-year scheme, Vappie accompanied Cantrell on numerous trips, and the city spent $70,000 on his travel.
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Twelve years after Aliza Sherman’s murder, Gregory Moore, her former divorce attorney, has been indicted on multiple charges, including aggravated murder and conspiracy. The indictment alleges Moore orchestrated Sherman’s stabbing death to prevent her upcoming divorce trial, luring her to his office building and subsequently attacking her. New evidence, including text messages and phone calls, and a re-investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations, led to the indictment. Moore’s prior guilty plea to bomb threats and providing false statements during the initial investigation further incriminated him.
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John Q. Hosedrinker