NEW ORLEANS — The Fifth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals needed less than eight hours following oral arguments on Wednesday to render a unanimous judgment for former federal agent Jerry Rogers over St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Randy Smith and two of his deputies.
"This ruling is a lightning bolt that has struck three law enforcement officers who tried to stand taller than the United States Constitution," said attorney William Most.
The civil case surrounded Rogers' 2019 arrest for criminal defamation after he criticized members of the STPSO as "clueless" following failure to solve Nanette Krentel's murder investigation
Rogers won a lawsuit for false arrest and imprisonment in 2022. But Sheriff Smith and his deputies appealed the decision to the Fifth Circuit.
Three judges ruled that federal judge Jane Triche Milazzo of the Eastern District of Louisiana was justified ruling in favor of Rogers last year.
"This is a great day for my family and the citizens of St. Tammany Parish," exclaimed Rogers.
See the complete court documents below:
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