BELLE CHASSE, La. (Legal Newsline)- A suspended state Judge in Louisiana pleaded not guilty Tuesday to theft and malfeasance charges stemming from his role as a judge.
Plaquemines Parish Judge William Roe is accused of double-dipping on reimbursements for legal seminars.
Court papers say he asked the state Supreme Court to cover $6,581 in expenses incurred at three annual retreats, even though the Plaquemines court paid for the trips.
The expenses were from Summer School for Judges in San Destin, Fla., in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Roe has said he repaid the state court, and money must have disappeared.
A scathing legislative audit in April pointed to mismanagement in the Plaquemines Parish Court in Belle Chasse.
The audit specifically found that Roe also submitted reimbursements for $3,078 that was spent for "extra nights in San Destin, Fla., for which there was no public purpose."
The Louisiana state Supreme Court removed Roe from the bench Aug. 1.
In a single-page order, the high court deemed Roe "disqualified from exercising any judicial function."
From Legal Newsline: Reach reporter Chris Rizo at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.