Retired judge to hear case in taser death

January 26, 2009
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A retired state judge has been assigned to hear the manslaughter case against a former Louisiana police officer accused of repeatedly jolting a handcuffed man with a Taser before he died.

The Louisiana Supreme Court last week named retired Judge John Joyce to replace Judge Jacque Derr, who recused himself from the case shortly after he was sworn in as a Winn Parish state judge.

Joyce will preside over the case against Scott Nugent, who was a Winnfield police officer when he allegedly shocked 21-year-old Baron Pikes nine times while arresting him in January 2008.

Derr said he withdrew from the case because he had "associated" with Nugent on several occasions when he was a city judge in Winnfield.