Morial Ally Pleads Guilty to Felonies

"In a dramatic last-minute development, one of the three members of former Mayor Marc Morial's inner circle who were scheduled to stand trial in federal court Tuesday pleaded guilty Friday to two felony counts involving mail fraud, delivering a potentially devastating blow to the prospects of the remaining defendants in a case that alleges extensive corruption at City Hall.

Following several hours of closed-door negotiations Friday with top officials in U.S. Attorney Jim Letten's office, New Orleans construction company owner Reginald Walker entered his guilty plea about 6 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier.

Walker, 59, who has maintained his innocence throughout the case, also agreed to testify against the primary remaining defendants: restaurateur and Morial confidant Stan "Pampy" Barré and former city property management director Kerry DeCay."
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