Man, 55, indicted in February rape of girls

A 55-year-old Baton Rouge man has been indicted in the Feb. 22 rape of two young girls.

The girls were 5 and 7 years old at the time, according to the East Baton Rouge Parish grand jury indictment.

The grand jury charged Paul Louis, 1588 Swan Ave., on Thursday with two counts of aggravated rape.

An aggravated rape conviction carries an automatic sentence of life in prison.

Baton Rouge police arrested Louis on May 2.

He is accused of raping the girls at their home on Cadillac Street, an affidavit warrant says.

The case has been assigned to state District Judge Don Johnson.

Comments

1) Comment by JimmyCee2 - 29/07/2012

@BayouBoy: Grand juries hear evidence presented by a prosecutor ONLY and --after that-- they decide whether there is probable cause to believe that a specific person MAY have committed a crime -- sorta like those Duke lacrosse players were indicted by a grand jury at the hands of an over-zealous prosecutor on charges that were later found to be completely false. Remember THAT? A prosecutor who wants an indictment can get one as it ALL happens in secret, behind-closed-doors proceedings. As a citizen, you cannot wander into grand jury proceedings and just watch what is happening to obtain an indictment -- although, thankfully, our courtroom proceedings are public. Plus, finding probable cause by some back-room grand jury is one thing -- PROVING the charges beyond a reasonable doubt in a public courtroom is quite another. Indictment or not, until your government proves guilt by airing the charges in an open courtroom where the defendant and his counsel can marshal their own evidence and cross-examine their accusers, a citizen is PRESUMED INNOCENT. It amazes me how easily Americans just overlook this fundamental constitutional protection after breezing through a 5 or 6 paragraph news story and before they know ANYthing else about the case. (Until it's THEIR fanny in the governmental vice, however. THEN I'm sure they would have a VERY different view.)

2) Comment by ABayouBoy - 29/07/2012

If he was indicted by a grand jury there must be reason to believe that he did it.

3) Comment by RiverRat - 29/07/2012

You can’t rehabilitate pedophiles!

4) Comment by Whatnow - 29/07/2012

Sure... I'll rephrase that then. If found guilty....

5) Comment by JimmyCee2 - 29/07/2012

@Whatnow Well, how about we catch our breath a second, regroup from hair-trigger judgment and remember that--until the State proves beyond a reasonable doubt that something happened--this guy is entitled to an ongoing presumption of innocence. You have already labeled this guy as an animal to be imprisoned without climate control -- simply because you read some story in the paper. And, of course, we ALL know the cops and the paper NEVER get it wrong. We know people are NEVER falsely accused of crimes. Sheesh...if your government ever comes erroneously looking for YOUR hide, you may be glad to have what remains of the presumption of innocence in this country.

6) Comment by Whatnow - 27/07/2012

How disgusting. I hope he gets what he deserves in prison. I guess this is the type of animal that needs air-conditioning. Not!