To subscribe to The Times go to https://help.shreveporttimes.com/subscription-services Henrietta Wildsmith, Shreveport Times
Last week, the Caddo Parish attorney sent a letter to the Shreveport chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) demanding the Confederate Monument outside the parish courthouse be removed in 90 days.
But local attorney Arthur R. Carmody Jr. argues the removal notice is invalid.
Carmody wrote parish attorney Donna Frazier in a letter dated Thursday, Sept. 5, and containing multiple explained reasons he believes the removal notice given to the UDC is "legally incorrect."
A redacted copy of the letter was provided to The Times. The redaction excludes certain names of individuals associated with the local chapter of UDC.
In it, Carmody argues that the Louisiana Civil Code article used for the removal notice applies only to land owners who did not give consent to the improvement on the property; that the Commission has violated certain provisions of state and federal constitutions by “attempting to take and destroy private property without the payment of just compensation”; and more.
MORE: Caddo Parish Commissioner: The clock has started on their 90 days
He also states in the letter that he has been working as a consultant, pro bono and without fee, for members of the group.
"In sum, we do not believe it equitable, legal or just for this government agency, after one hundred years of peaceful acceptance, to take and obliterate this substantial piece of private property, based on a totally inapplicable law," Carmody wrote in the letter.
“The $350,000 figure placed in the Commission’s 2020 budget request for monument expense reflects that a substantial sum is involved and should be recognized accordingly.”
Toward the end of the letter, Carmody states that discussion on the matter and further issues are welcome as they develop.
“A good starting point might be a letter of apology to the Daughters for the expense, heartache and the trouble that it has initiated,” Carmody wrote.
Read the redacted letter here:
- Read more:
- Split Caddo Commission votes to move Confederate monument
- Court rejects bid to save Confederate monument at Caddo Courthouse
- United Daughters mounting appeal after Caddo Confederate monument defeat
Emily Enfinger is the breaking news reporter for The Shreveport Times, covering crime and court. Follow her on Twitter at @EmilyEnfinger.
Have a news tip or a story idea? To email Emily, click here.
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