Trial delayed for Louisiana mayor charged with malfeasance

OPELOUSAS, LA. -- A Louisiana judge delayed the trial of a former Opelousas mayor indicted on charges of malfeasance, theft of public funds, public records tampering and forgery.

The Daily Advertiser reports former Mayor Reggie Tatum's trial was set to start Monday and is now scheduled for early July. The delay was due to Tatum dismissing his original defense attorney on Wednesday. The cause of the dismissal is unclear.

Tatum was arrested in 2017, and most of the charges relate to time sheets for city aldermen. The Federal Emergency Management Agency paid Tatum and the aldermen for working at a shelter at the city's civic center.

The state auditor's office says Tatum wrongfully claimed overtime on those time sheets, while Tatum says he was told he and the aldermen were eligible for reimbursement.

Read more: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article228071454.html