Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal will get his day in court Monday after months of legal wrangling.<\/p>\n
Monday’s jury selection ends\u00a0a year of investigation into\u00a0alleged abuse and corruption within the Iberia Parish Sheriff\u2019s Office (IPSO). \u00a0 The allegations state deputies and officers violently beat inmates of\u00a0the Iberia Parish Jail.<\/p>\n
Originally, three defendants were scheduled to be tried. \u00a0Because of a plea deal and illness, Ackal will now be tried alone.<\/p>\n
Several\u00a0former IPSO employees have accepted plea deals in exchange for their testimony causing the dismissal of more than 100 criminal prosecutions.<\/p>\n
Ackal faces four charges:\u00a0two counts of deprivation of civil rights, one count of conspiracy against rights and one count of obstruction of justice.<\/p>\n
The start of the trial was in doubt due to rumors among Iberia Parish officials and courthouse personnel\u00a0that Ackal would accept a plea deal.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am ready to fight this,\u201d Ackal said. \u201cI will never accept any sort of felony plea deal.\u201d<\/p>\n
The trial may\u00a0take between two and three weeks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"