[StBernard] Landrieu office suspects will go before magistrate

[Westley Annis]

Landrieu office suspects will go before magistrate
(AP) - 2 days ago

NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has ruled that misdemeanor charges against
four conservative activists who initially were accused of trying to tamper
with phones in Sen. Mary Landrieu's New Orleans office can be resolved
before a magistrate instead of a judge.

U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval Jr. said in an order Wednesday that he
won't hear the case even though the four are charged with a serious crime
involving a breach of security at a federal building.

James O'Keefe, Stan Dai, Joseph Basel and Robert Flanagan will appear before
Magistrate Daniel Knowles III later this month for arraignments on
misdemeanor charges of entering a federal building under false pretenses.

O'Keefe is a videographer famous for wearing a pimp costume in a video that
embarrassed the ACORN community organizing group.