Baker council: Choice for prosecutor inexperienced

BAKER — A majority of the Baker City Council rejected Mayor Harold Rideau’s appointment Tuesday of newly minted lawyer Christopher R. Dassau to serve as the prosecutor in City Court.

The city’s home-rule charter gives the mayor the authority to appoint a prosecutor and several other officials, but the appointment requires council concurrence.

Councilmen Robert Young, John Givens and Charles Vincent voted against the motion by members Pete Heine and Joyce Burges to concur in Rideau’s appointment, with Givens and Vincent saying Dassau does not have enough experience for the job.

Dassau, 28, graduated from Southern University Law School in May and passed the Louisiana bar exam in July.

He is working as a judicial clerk in the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge.

Heine reminded the council members of a Louisiana attorney general’s opinion issued in the summer after the council balked at concurring with Rideau’s appointment of City Attorney Ken Fabre and several other city officers.

“The attorney general was very clear: It’s his (Rideau’s) appointment. It is not our appointment. It’s the mayor’s appointment. If we don’t concur, the ball’s back in the mayor’s court,” Heine said before Givens cut him off.

“We understand what you’re saying,” Givens said.

Vincent said he could not support Dassau because the recent graduate had no experience as a prosecutor.

“I think we’re going to have to get someone with a little more experience,” Vincent said.

Rideau said he likely will put Dassau’s name before the council again, as he did with Fabre and other key officials.

He said Dassau would work with Fabre, who now serves as prosecutor without pay.

“Chris is going to be able to learn and grow,” Rideau said.

Fabre said Dassau has participated in moot court competition that gives him experience in a courtroom setting.

“We’re not trying criminal cases. We’re only dealing with misdemeanors and traffic violations,” Fabre said, adding that as head of the city’s Legal Department, he will not “throw the whole ball of wax at him.”

The arguments continued for several minutes after the
concurrence motion failed, with Rideau at one point challenging Vincent to publicly state whom he supports for the job.

Dassau said his moot court and judicial administrative experience would enable him to take over Fabre’s role.

“There’s nothing that can hold me back,” Dassau said.

Comments

1) Comment by fellbell - 24/10/2012

a mayor appointments someone inexperienced for a job. the council is in an uproar. it's all taking place in east baton rouge parish? no surprise there. sounds like the council needs to dig a bit more. there's a connection. because there are lots of lawyers who could do this job. no shortage of those aroung good ol' baton rouge and baker. the city has two law schhols for goodness sake. pumping them out every 6-8 months. he ain't the only one. keep digging. dig and then dig more. that wire is always right below the surface. pull on it. see who's sitting on either end. good day.

2) Comment by 2tractor2 - 24/10/2012

"There’s nothing that can hold me back" What? This is hilarious. Who is this guy? There's lots that can hold you back. A law license for one. And let's say for arguments sake that you've got one of those (although, I'm impressed with the last commentor's research), how about some experience, buddy? I get it, it's Louisiana. No one makes it on merit. You just need to know the right people. But in this case, this guy could do some real damage if he's not ready for the job. Just because he's qualified to do the job, doesn't mean he should be doing the job. Get it? Put it this way, I wouldn't bring my lawsuit to him. Maybe in a year or two. So hold your horses bucko. Your enthusiasm is cute. Don't worry, there will be other jobs. The mayor should put you in as an assistant first. Practicing law is nothing like those forms you saw in law school. I'm speaking from experience. If you're in a clerkship now, then learn from it. Get to know the attorneys who do GOOD work. And do not get caught up in politics. Even though the way this article reads, you may be in over your head already. Not a good introduction to legal community, buddy. But, if you really want the job, there are plenty of lawyers who will be happy to whip you into shape. Sounds like you don't mind learning the hard way. "There’s nothing that can hold me back." I needed this laugh. Good luck, buddy.

3) Comment by killowat - 24/10/2012

I agree with the previous comment. But here's what makes it even more crazy...Dassau took the bar in JULY. That doesn't mean he was licensed at that time. In fact, he likely just found out this month that he passed. DOn't know that he's been sworn in yet! He's NOT even listed on the bar website yet as an admitted attorney. LSBA.org, click on member directory. SO TRUTHFULLY SPEAKING, he's not even practiced a week! Really...he's not EVER practiced. Let's just call it was it is. A favor. The council needs to find out who the mayor owes a favor to and why. There are experienced attorneys in Baton Rouge and Baker who need this job. Nothing against Dassau but he probably needs an apprenticeship more than he needs to be put in charge of the prosecutor's office of a city that grows by the day.

4) Comment by Duckyluve - 24/10/2012

The mayor wants a guy whos been a lawyer for 4 months to be the cities d.a.? Way to be tough on crime mayor