Sheriff Ackal: 'Sitting duck' without gun
Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal is asking Federal District Judge Donald Walter to allow him to carry a firearm in light of the recent killings of police in Baton Rouge and Dallas.
Ackal, who was indicted earlier this year in U.S. federal court for allegedly ordering the beatings of multiple pre-trial inmates, filed an appeal Monday to allow him to carry a gun, and argued that as the parish's chief law enforcement officer and a 50-year veteran, he feels like a "sitting duck" without one.
Ackal and his second-in-command, Lt. Col. Gerald "Bubba" Savoy, in March pleaded not guilty in federal court. After recordings were released of Ackal threatening to shoot a federal prosecutor right between his "Jewish eyes" after the prosecutor vowed to send him to prison, he was prohibited from carrying a weapon.
That prohibition, Ackal said, was supposed to be merely an understanding and not to be announced in open court.
"It's a right that a police officer has," he said. "I've only been indicted. I'm supposed to be 'innocent until proven guilty.' In federal court, it feels like I'm guilty until proven innocent."
MORE: Sheriff Louis Ackal speaks about charges against him
Ackal has since contended that he wasn't being serious when he threatened the prosecutor.
"I have no intention of doing something dumb like attacking a prosecutor," he said. "I've been working closely with prosecutors in the courts for years."
Ackal's lawyers argued in court papers filed Monday that he needs a gun because "police are under attack." He said Tuesday he's gotten threats, as well.
"Threats have gone through the roof," he said.
The recently re-elected sheriff said his being denied the right to carry is also a violation of due process, and that going to crime scenes and calls unarmed can put his life in danger. Prosecutors asked a federal district judge to forbid Ackal from possessing any weapons while he awaits trial on charges accusing him of telling guards to assault jail inmates.
"I'm going fight like hell to prove my innocence," he said.
Ackal said he's expecting a ruling on the motion from Walter any day now. The motion also requests approval of unannounced inspections of Ackal’s home, vehicle and office. Ackal said he's had his weapons, as well as his brother's weapons, cataloged by court order.
ACKAL: Iberia Sheriff Louis Ackal faces additional inmate beating charges
The Associated Press reported that Ackal's lawyers called it “disingenuous” for prosecutors to release private statements “which may contain inflammatory language, and at the same time, seek to deny him the right to carry a firearm for protection.”