Louisianna Mayor gets away with killing motorcyclist

REST IN PEACE Jim  Pickholtz, killed by Louisiana Mayor
Mayor Brenda Melancon

On Tuesday May 13, 2008 SAM-I-AM published:

http://rider-sam.blogspot.com/2008/05/should-mayor-of-sorrento-louisiana-be.html
(click on the above for the whole story)

Excerpt:

On Monday, October 14, 2007, in Sorrento, Louisiana, the local Mayor, Brenda Melancon, hit and killed a motorcyclist and severely injured his wife. The Mayor said, "I didn't see them coming."

Well, no duh. That's why when you get behind the wheel of a car, you're supposed to follow the laws of driving - and that means stop and look both ways before proceeding. But Mayor Melancon didn't do that. She pulled out of a private drive without stopping or looking and mowed down Jim Pickholtz and his wife, Amy. Jim is dead. Amy has suffered devastating and permanently crippling injuries, and her family is left without income.

And if that isn't bad enough, Amy must live life, such as it is, without her husband now, the love of her life. Their children must now live without their father. Jim was 41 years old. I call that murder, even if the criminal justice system does not. The Pickholtz family are the victims here, as are their extended family and friends. The perpetrator, namely the Mayor, must pay for her failure to value life enough to obey traffic laws. She must pay for her failure to not bother looking. The buck stops here, Mayor Melancon.

Mayor Brenda Melancon was arrested for negligent homicide, negligent injuring, and failure to yield from a private drive, a felony booking in the state of Louisiana. Well that's something anyway. Most of the time, no arrest is made, and often only a traffic ticket is handed out. That's how much value society places on the death of a motorcyclist. So this arrest and charges are a step in the right direction, right?

Well, the Mayor posted bail shortly after being arrested and continued to hold office while going through the legal system, even though she was booked on a felony! Does that make you feel all warm and fuzzy about our justice system?

Now, you can bet your last dollar that had this been you or I, in our civilian jobs, we would be without a job, in a heart-beat. That she was arrested for these crimes, and crimes they are, should warrant suspension in the very least! But the plot thickens..... read on.

Recently, Prosecuting Attorney, Paul Knight, who was working on the criminal case against Mayor Brenda Melancon, has been removed from the case. Hmmmm, do you suppose maybe the Mayor has some behind-the-scenes influence going on here? Maybe the Mayor didn't like Mr. Knight calling a spade a spade.

Well apparently Sam called it cause she just sent this from WAFB.com

Grand jury decides not to indict mayor in connection with deadly crash

Posted: March 17, 2009 06:54 AM

Updated: March 17, 2009 06:54 AM
Sorrento Mayor will not face trial for deadly motorcycle accident -

SORRENTO, LA (WAFB) - A grand jury has decided not to indict the mayor of Sorrento for a deadly motorcycle crash that happened in 2007.

The decision means Mayor Brenda Melancon will not face a trial on a number of charges, including negligent homicide.

Melancon was accused of pulling into the path of a motorcycle in October 2007. The motorcycle hit the mayor's car, throwing both riders.

The driver, 41-year-old James Pickholtz, died at the scene. His wife, Amy, was badly injured, but survived.

Attorney General Buddy Caldwell says there was no gross negligence in this case.

Mayor Melancon was initially booked on negligent homicide, negligent injury, and failure to yield from a private drive charges.

No gross negligence in this case????????????  OH HELL YEAH THERE IS GROSS NEGLIGENCE!!!!!!!!!   Or at least GROSS anyway.  A FREAKING GROSS MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE!!!!!!!!!!Add to Technorati Favorites

hmmmm so what does the Grand Pooba of ABATE of Florida know that the rest of us don't

In the post below we published a scan of the most recent ABATE of Florida Newsletter wherein the ABATE of Florida President/lobbyist/office manager stated NCOM was working on the Myrtle Beach "gig".


We asked then and we will reiterate or question now, is it a covert action Doc?  Is it a biker underground secret that for some reasons bikers should not know about?  Consider the following response to a letter by Bruce from @ Bruce and RC's Biker Forum:

From: Matt Danielson [mailto:matt@tommcgrathlaw.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 6:51 AM
To: Bruce Arnold
Subject: RE: McGrath vs. NCOM re Myrtle Beach

Bruce,

Thanks for the scan of the minutes from Abate of Florida.  It helped me
understand to what you were referring.  I am embarrassed to say that I could
barely read it but that was more due to age than the quality of the
attachment.

I do not know what that person is talking about and I have no idea what NCOM
may or may not be doing in Myrtle Beach.  I suppose you need to contact NCOM
about that.  I can only tell you that our efforts in Myrtle Beach (by that I
am referring to the legal efforts of my firm) have nothing to do with NCOM
nor have we received any assistance, support or advice from NCOM.  That is
not to disparage NCOM nor is it to say that we would not work with NCOM
should they wish to help in this matter. 

It is possible that the person who made that assertion is assuming that the
lawsuit in Myrtle Beach is someway related to NCOM.   As I have stated
before, Tom takes AIM (Aid to Injured Motorcyclists) referrals in Virginia.
Based upon that perhaps someone has made the assumption that the lawsuit was
prompted by AIM or NCOM.  However, I am engaging in speculation.  What I do
know is that my firm's efforts in Myrtle Beach have nothing to do with
either AIM or NCOM.

That being said, keep in mind that NCOM is comprised of many different
organizations.  Many of whom may or may not have been represented at the
protest ride or may be working in other ways to address the problem
currently going on in Myrtle Beach.  However, once again, that would be
speculation on my part.  I can only tell you that our firm has not been in
contact with NCOM concerning any of our efforts in Myrtle Beach.

I hope that this addresses your question.  Thanks again for making me aware.

OR could be like another one of thesee Lopez-Cantera Deals? First your working

with him, then your not, then you are, then you aren't, you know which ever way the

wind blows.......

Matt Danielson
Tom McGrath's Motorcycle Law Group
1-800-321-8968
Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists
1-800-437-9434
 

Then again, "you don't need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows....."

Bob Dylan

"Cause you can always tell when it blows across a garbage pit..... "

Care to clear the air Doc boy? We will be glad to print it.Add to Technorati Favorites