Who is King Dawson?

Just who is King Dawson, the man to whom Monroe City Judge candidate Jeff Joyce gave $5 thousand for ‘canvassing?’ At one time he was the District F representative on the Ouachita Parish Police Jury (OPPJ). And back in the late 90s and early 00’s, he was knee-deep in the problems that surrounded that agency.

See this 2/12/03 report from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor (LLA).

Employees Perform Work at Juror’s House

At the direction of management, two Police Jury employees rented equipment and cleared a sewer line at Police Juror King Dawson’s residence while on Police Jury payroll and using Police Jury funds.

And there is this from the same audit.

Camel Road

At its January 31, 2000 meeting, the Police Jury approved paving 1,360 feet of Camel Road. In July 2000, the entire length of the road was paved by Public Works.

Visions Unlimited Land Development, L.L.C. (Visions Unlimited) purchased 179 acres of land that borders both sides of Camel Road on October 20, 1998. Mr. Leonard Tims, director of the Police Jury’s Louisiana Jobs Employment Training Program, stated that Visions Unlimited is an investment group between a group of friends. Mr. Tims further stated that he and his wife along with Mr. King Dawson, Police Juror, and his wife joined with others to purchase property, which included the property on Camel Road.

Minutes of the Police Jury’s January 31, 2000, meeting indicate that Mr. Dawson was present and voted to approve, among others, the paving of the portion of road on the private property owned by his investment group, Visions Unlimited.

According to Police Jury records, the cost to pave the additional 1,040 feet of Camel Road was $4,212.

And this, from 2007.

Police Jury agrees to pay Jones for defending Dawson

The Ouachita Parish Police Jury agreed Monday to pay most of the legal bills police juror King Dawson incurred in his defense against public corruption charges.

The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office dropped charges against Dawson in December on grounds that there was a “lack of credible evidence.”

Dawson’s attorney, state Sen. Charles Jones, originally requested the parish pay $56,770.61. He charged Dawson $225 per hour to represent him.

Dawson was one of eight people indicted in 2003 by a Ouachita Parish grand jury. Dawson was charged with one count of malfeasance in office and one count of unauthorized use of a movable.

Those indictments lead to convictions of the seven others, including former police juror Daryll Berry and former public works director Bo Boyte.

And remember this item about Dawson’s church parking lot.

Louisiana Headlines

Jones also represents Police Juror King Dawson, whose trial date is July 18th. Dawson was indicted on charges of unauthorized use of a moveable and malfeasance in office.

The former charge says Dawson’s church at Gilbert received recycled asphalt pavement on its parking lot from stockpiles owned by the jury.

That’s who is King Dawson.