Former New Orleans Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Being an Accessory After the Fact to Civil Rights Violations

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that GERARD DUGUE, age 66, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty today to a Superseding Bill of Information charging him with being an accessory after the fact to the deprivation of rights under color of law.  U.S. District Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt accepted the plea and sentenced DUGUE to a one-year term of probation. 

Sometime after the shooting on the Danziger Bridge, DUGUE replaced ARTHUR KAUFMAN as the NOPD’s principal investigator of the incident.  KAUFMAN continued to assist DUGUE as a co-investigator.  During the course of the investigation, KAUFMAN, under color of law, willfully deprived Lance Madison of rights secured by the Constitution and laws of the United States by having him falsely arrested, preparing a false report, fabricating evidence, and failing to disclose exculpatory evidence.  DUGUE knew or was deliberately ignorant of the crimes committed by KAUFMAN and thereafter assisted KAUFMAN by preparing a report implicating Madison and exonerating the officers involved in the shooting.  DUGUE knew that any report or conclusion to the contrary could lead to further investigations and possible prosecutions, and did the above act intending to hinder and prevent KAUFMAN’s apprehension, trial, and punishment.