Contest hearing to wait a week

Published 12:01 am Saturday, November 3, 2007

VIDALIA — The election contest filed by sheriff candidate Glenn Lipsey was delayed Friday so both sides of the contest can take care of legal matters.

Fourth Judicial District Judge Sharon Marchman recessed the court until 10 a.m. Nov. 12 so depositions can be taken for the case.

Marchman was appointed to hear the contest by the Louisiana Supreme Court.

Email newsletter signup

Before moving the hearing to the later date, Marchman called all subpoenaed witnesses in the courtroom forward to identify themselves.

Along with several citizens, those witnesses included Clerk of Court Clyde Ray Webber, Chief Deputy Clerk of Court Becky Zerby, Assessor Monelle Moseley, Registrar of Voters Golda Ensminger and board of election supervisors member Justin Conner.

Marchman told those witnesses present that their subpoenas would be extended and they would need to appear at the Nov. 12 hearing.

The depositions will be taken Nov. 7, 8 and 9, and the parties involved will have a pretrail conference on the last day.

After the court recessed for the day, Marchman had Webber and Ensminger bring election machine envelopes to chambers so they could be examined.

Lipsey filed the election contest after losing the Oct. 20 primary by only 21 votes.

When the short proceeding began Friday morning, everyone entering the courtroom had to pass through a metal detector — which is not normally a fixture in the Concordia Parish courthouse — and the courtroom doors were locked once proceedings began.