Former School Board Member Wants To Remain Free

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — Former St. Landry Parish School Board member Quincy Richard Sr. wants to push back the March 4 deadline he faces to report to federal prison for a 33-month sentence on bribery charges.

The Advocate reports Richard filed court motions over the weekend requesting that U.S. District Judge Richard Haik allow him to remain free pending an appeal of his conviction and the sentence the judge handed down on Feb. 4.

A federal grand jury indicted Richard and former board member John Miller in 2012 for soliciting bribes of $5,000 each from superintendent candidate Joseph Cassimere in return for their vote of support giving him the job.

It took a 12-member jury about an hour to return a unanimous guilty verdict against Richard after a two-day trial in August.