[StBernard] Trial for St. Bernard Parish Judge Wayne Cresap delayed until October

[Westley Annis]

Trial for St. Bernard Parish Judge Wayne Cresap delayed until October
by Chris Kirkham, The Times-Picayune 
Friday August 14, 2009, 10:58 AM

A federal judge has postponed the trial date for St. Bernard Parish Judge
Wayne Cresap to October, although a recent filing in his judicial corruption
case indicates that a plea deal may be in the works.

Cresap and two lawyers, Victor J. "V.J." Dauterive and Nunzio Salvadore
"Sal" Cusimano, were formally charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud
July 1.




According to the bill of information outlining the charges, Cresap allegedly
took more than $1,000 in cash from each lawyer in exchange for allowing
inmates to be released from the St. Bernard Parish Prison without putting up
bond money.

A pretrial conference for Cresap was originally scheduled for this morning,
but U.S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon granted his attorney's motion
to continue the trial.

Cresap's attorney, Patrick Fanning, filed a motion early this week stating
that "plea negotiations are under way in earnest. It is likely that with
additional time this matter may be resolved without the need for a trial."

Lemmon, who has been presiding over Mose Jefferson's federal bribery case
this week, ordered the trial continued to Oct. 19. A pretrial conference is
scheduled for Oct. 1.

Dauterive and Cusimano are scheduled to appear before Lemmon next month