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| Louisiana official pleads not guilty |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 07/12/2006 |
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BATON ROUGE, LA - The outgoing head of the Louisiana prison system's farm operations has pleaded not guilty to a witness tampering charge. James H. "Jim" Leslie of Marthaville is on administrative leave and awaiting retirement after serving as head of Prison Enterprises, an agency of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections. U.S. Magistrate Stephen Riedlinger ordered Leslie released without bond. The charge carries up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A grand jury returned a sealed indictment against Leslie on Feb. 16. Prosecutors unsealed the charge June 28 after St. Francisville rodeo producer Dan Klein Jr. disclosed he had been assisting the FBI in an investigation at Louisiana State Penitentiary. Klein alleges Angola Warden Burl Cain forced him to give money in April 2004 to Cain's prison chapel-building fund under the threat of losing a contract to supply livestock for the Angola prison rodeos. Cain has denied pressuring Klein for money. |
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