Cedar Creek Depositions begin next week, Judge rules

Deposition of witnesses and principals in the Cedar Creek civil lawsuit can begin next week, Ad Hoc Judge Jimmie Peters ruled this morning in Third Judicial (Lincoln, Union Parishes) District Court in Ruston.

The suit was brought last year by the parents of a Cedar Creek student who allege that several other students bullied, assaulted and harassed their son, and that the school’s faculty and administrators knew of the situation, but failed to act

Last week, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, who is investigating any potential criminal wrongdoing, asked that the depositions be delayed until their investigation is complete.

The 3rd JD District Attorney recused his office from the case. Likewise, Peters was assigned the case after all the Third JD Court judges recused themselves.

Assistant AG Darwin Miller argued that the depositions might be detrimental to the state’s investigation, and could be unfair to any of the civil defendants who might become criminal defendants as a result of their investigation.

Miller called Ruston Police Chief Steve Rogers to the stand to bolster his argument, but the judge was not swayed. The Ruston PD is cooperating with the AG in the investigation.

Rogers noted that recently a potential witness contacted the investigators and wanted to make a statement. He also said that he had not read the lawsuit.

Throughout Miller’s arguments, it was evident that that the State was quite uncomfortable with both the civil litigation and the criminal investigations, perhaps because Attorney General Jeff Landry wants to run for governor of Louisiana, and a high-profile case like this could damage that effort.

The judge noted that there was no case law that supported the State’s argument, and that their argument was basically what “could” happen.

Arguing for the school, Monroe attorney Jan Christiansen noted that criminal and civil cases often parallel each other, and this one was no different.

Appearing for the plaintiff, Johnny Dollar said his client was not opposed to the speedy depositions.