City HallWednesday, October 28
Lamont Cole's corruption indictment has been cut from five counts to three
The Daily Baton Rouge team
If you've followed the City Hall corruption probe, here's the latest. A superseding indictment stamped Oct. 14 replaced the original August one against Cole, the East Baton Rouge school superintendent and former Metro Council member. One conspiracy count and one money laundering count are gone.
Cole's counts fell from five to three
Counts by charge
AugustOct. 14
Bribery plot 2Laundering 2Malfeasance 1
1 −50%1 −50%1 0%
Source: WBRZ
View as table
| August | Oct. 14 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bribery plot | 2 | 1 | −50% |
| Laundering | 2 | 1 | −50% |
| Malfeasance | 1 | 1 | 0% |
The attorney general's office said it was "to simply clarify the indictment for the jury." Defense lawyer Lewis Unglesby called it "either a big fluke, or it's a screw-up," and said no one told them. WBRZ reports the lawyers now want the remaining charges dropped.
- Cole's court date moved to next year
- The new indictment no longer mentions the $40,000 in bribes
- Challenge pending: whether the AG needed DA Hillar Moore's recusal
How Cole's case has moved
- Aug.Cole is indicted and turns himself in at the parish prison.
- Oct. 14A superseding indictment replaces the original, with three counts.
- 2027Cole's next court date, moved from this week.