Former Mayor Morial Let Down by Allies' Guilty Pleas

"New Orleans lawyer Pat Fanning, who represents Morial, said that during a phone conversation this week with his client, the ex-mayor relayed feelings of sympathy for his three former associates, but added that he is "disappointed" by their courtroom admissions.

"He is sad for his friends, and particularly their families, because there is a distinct possibility they will go to jail," Fanning said. "At the same time, if they did what the government said they did -- and he has no knowledge of the facts of this case other then what he has read in the media -- he is very disappointed that they would have done those things."

For the record, businessman and Morial confidant Stan "Pampy" Barre; Kerry DeCay, the city's former property management director; and construction company owner Reginald Walker have pleaded guilty to multiple felonies in connection with a scheme to loot a massive energy-management contract awarded by Morial in the waning months of his eight years in office. As part of their respective pleas, all three men have agreed to cooperate with prosecutors." |Read more|