DA threatens to sue police jury if budget is cut

The Rapides Parish District Attorney's Office is threatening to sue the Rapides Parish Police Jury if the police jury votes to cut $500,000 from the DA's budget.

In an explosive Police Jury meeting Monday afternoon, the police jury's treasurer, Bruce Kelly, called the DA's pre-trial intervention program the "elephant in the room" - putting the blame on a $400,000 deficit on them.

The treasurer claims that PTI, a program that essentially re-routes money from the criminal court fund, is taking the parish broke.

District Attorney Phillip Terrell fought back, saying they discussed giving $325,000 back to the criminal court fund and that this wasn't their fault.

"What I am suggesting to you is this," said Hugo Holland, special prosecutor, "If you make me sue you, which I will do, but if you make me sue you, I'm not just going to be asking for the $887,000. I'm also asking for the $1.8 million that comes from the criminal court fund and I'm also asking for the $2.8 million that is self-generated. So, the risk that you run is this."

Ultimately, the police jury voted to table the matter for now and to start talking about getting legal representation if this matter goes forward and the DA decides to file suit.