Bossier Parish DA's office refutes Caddo Commissioner Steven Jackson's claim on plea
The Bossier Parish District Attorney's Office released an official statement Thursday, June 22, regarding the case of Commissioner Steven Jackson and the false impersonation of a peace officer charges.
The DA's office said, "the Bossier Parish District Attorney’s Office does not prosecute nor accept guilty pleas of individuals who we believe are innocent."
On Wednesday, June 21, Jackson released a statement stating that he pleaded guilty to false impersonation charges based on professional responsibility versus paying thousands to pursue a misdemeanor case. He continued by saying that the original evidence provided to police officers described a white male, "I have never been a white male (w/m) and I am the last person anyone could confuse for a white male."
According to the DA's office, there was evidence collected in the felony case against Jackson that they were confident proved beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed the crime.
Caddo Commissioner pleads guilty to misdemeanor charges of impersonating police officer
The evidence included Jackson being selected out of a photo lineup, the license plate of the vehicle in question was traced back to a company Jackson once was affiliated with. And also, the cell phone records registered to Jackson showed that he was receiving and making calls in the area and time in which the crime was committed.
It was reported that on Nov. 4, 2022, Bossier City Police received a complaint alleging that an individual in an unmarked police model SUV identified himself as a police officer after he became involved in a disagreement that took place in the business’s parking lot in the 3100 block of Airline Drive.
"Mr. Jackson was charged with Felony False Personation of a Peace Officer (LRS 14:112.1). There was evidence collected in the felony case against Mr. Jackson that we are confident proves beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed the crime," the statement from the DA's office continued. It said the evidence included Jackson being selected out of a photo lineup, the license plate of the vehicle in question was traced back to a company Mr. Jackson once was affiliated with, and cell phone records of a cell phone registered to Jackson that was receiving and making calls in the area at the time of the incident. "Further Mr. Jackson, on official court record, agreed that he was the individual who was driving the car and flashed police lights and a badge without the authority to do so. Mr. Jackson, on record, admitted his guilt," the statement read.
According to the DA's office, Jackson was offered a plea deal to the amended misdemeanor charge of FalsePersonation for efficiency. "He availed himself of this offer. His other option was a trial by a jury of his peers. He chose to take a plea instead of a jury of his peers seeing all the evidence in this case."
The statement also notes that Jackson agreed in court that he was driving the unmarked police model SUV and flashed his police lights and badge without authority. Jackson admitted his guilt on record.
The DA's office said, "it is disappointing that Mr. Jackson chose to respond to this matter by releasing a statement that is not entirely truthful."
More: Caddo Commissioner pleads guilty to misdemeanor charges of impersonating police officer
Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Bossier Parish DA's office responds to Commissioner Jackson's statement
