St. Landry Parish DA Issues True Bills In Indecency Cases

Posted: Mar 2, 2010 11:38 AM by Rob Kirkpatrick

OPELOUSAS, LA- On February 24, 2010, the St. Landry Parish Grand Jury reported to and filed the following with the 27th Judicial District Court, Judge Ellis J Daigle presiding:

1. A True Bill (indictment) was filed against Troy Calais, 34, 154 Park Street, Opelousas, LA., for forcible rape.

2. A True Bill (indictment) was filed against Ben Bruno, 46, 117 W Leonard Street, Opelousas, LA for indecent behavior with a juvenile under the age of seventeen (17).

A person convicted of forcible rape shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not less than five years, but no more than forty years. At least two years must be served without the benefit of probation, parole and suspension of sentence.

A person convicted of indecent behavior with a juvenile under the age of seventeen (17) shall be imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than seven years.

An indictment (True Bill) is a formal charge by a Grand Jury for the crimes indicated. A Grand Jury consists of twelve residents, with two alternates, who are empanelled by the 27th Judicial District Court. By Louisiana law, the DA's office is prohibited from commenting on the evidence presented to the Grand Jury. Specifically Code of Criminal Procedure Article 434, requires that "...members of the grand jury, and all other persons having confidential access to information concerning grand jury proceedings, shall keep secret the testimony of witnesses and all other matters occurring at, or directly connected with, a meeting of the grand jury..." For this reason there is never a discussion about the evidence upon which the Grand Jury based it findings.