This story is just appalling. How local political infighting led to competing police forces, the issuance of tickets for municipal infractions to bolster the budget of one side of the dispute, the rank conflicts of interest that permeate rural towns (particularly in the South), and the hiring of clearly unqualified and dangerous police officers (one of whom was previously charged - twice! - with aggravated rape and has five lawsuits pending against him). Ultimately, a six year old autistic boy is dead after being shot five times while the car he was riding in was riddled with 18 bullets.

You can’t make this shit up, folks. There’s so much to read but let’s start here.

Stafford has been charged twice with aggravated rape in nearby Rapides Parish. According to the indictment, one 15-year-old victim said Stafford committed rape on the victim’s birthday in 2004. In a separate incident, a second victim said Stafford committed rape in 2011.

In 2012, the charges were inexplicably dropped. In court documents, the attorney listed as representing Stafford is Piazza, the same judge he now works under as a marshal deputy.
Monique Metoyer, who prosecuted the rape case, declined to explain why the charges were dropped. But she confirmed that Marksville’s judge served as Stafford’s lawyer.

In what universe is it OK for a judge to represent people in criminal court? And what hopelessly compromised judge would do this, AND then, knowing of the charges, actually proceed to hire the guy?

If an author opened his or her next dystopian novel this way, a publisher would reject the premise as too outrageous. Life out-crazies art altogether too often.