St. Charles Parish Deputy Cleared Of Assault Claim Against Black Woman

A St. Charles Parish sheriff's deputy has been cleared of allegations of assault and wrongful arrest involving a Des Allemands woman in January 2002. Louise Robinson Young and her daughter, Earlyndra Robinson, filed the lawsuit in federal court against Deputy Mark Smith. They sought unspecified damages. A four-day trial ended last week when the six-person jury ruled in Smith's favor. The case stemmed from an incident in front of Hahnville High School. According to the lawsuit, Young was waiting to pick up her daughter on the left side of the road in front of the school. Smith asked her to move, and an altercation ensued, during which Smith handcuffed Young and dragged her backward, causing her to fall. Smith booked Young with resisting arrest, intimidating a police officer and obstructing a public passageway. Young claimed that Smith violated her rights during the altercation. She said she will contact the NAACP before deciding whether to appeal, saying race played a factor in the jury's decision. Smith is white, Young is black, and Young said there were no black jurors. [more]