Louisiana news briefs

Dufresne pleads not guilty in student-sex case
HAHNVILLE (AP) — A 32-year-old Destrehan High School teacher accused of having sex with a 16-year-old student was formally charged Tuesday in St. Charles Parish with carnal knowledge of a juvenile.
Shelley Dufresne’s attorney, Deanne Williams, entered a not guilty plea to the felony charge at her arraignment Tuesday. Neither Williams nor Dufresne had any comment as they left the courthouse in Hahnville.
District Attorney Joel Chaisson also attended the arraignment and observed the routine hearing while seated in the jury box. He said nothing during the hearing, which lasted no more than 10 minutes.
Dufresne remains free on $200,000 bond and under house arrest until her trial. Retired state District Judge Anne Simon, who was appointed to the case, agreed to loosen some house arrest restrictions, allowing Dufresne to attend an exercise program that’s part of her therapy and to play a greater role in helping her husband care for their three young children.
Assistant District Attorney Julie Cullen said the teenager’s parents were not opposed to allowing Dufresne greater freedoms while under house arrest. Their only request, Cullen said, is that Dufrense make no attempt to contact the teenager or his family.
The Louisiana Supreme Court appointed Simon to the case Oct. 8, after the three judges of St. Charles’ 29th Judicial District recused themselves from Dufresne’s case. Her father is Judge Emile St. Pierre, one of those judges.
Simon set Jan. 26 as a deadline by which attorneys will file pretrial motions. No trial date is set.
If convicted as charged, Dufresne could face a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, including probation, and a fine of up to $5,000.
Dufresne separately was booked Oct. 1 in Jefferson Parish with having group sex with the same student at a Kenner apartment belonging to fellow Destrehan High School teacher Rachel Respess, 24.
Dufresne and Respess each was booked by Kenner police with carnal knowledge of a juvenile, indecent behavior with a juvenile and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. Their bonds in Jefferson Parish total $7,000.
The Jefferson Parish district attorney’s office has not indicated whether or when it will file charges against the women.

Audit: Most BP
oil spill claims handled correctly
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A third-party audit of the oil spill settlement program finds the settlement program has correctly processed 99.5 percent of claims.
The audit, conducted by Chicago-based McGladrey LLP, concluded the program is “well-designed and appropriate” and made no major recommendations for improvement.
Claims administrator Patrick Juneau released the audit on Tuesday.
The audit has become a focal point for BP in its fight to remove Juneau and challenge the settlement program, which it claims is riddled with fraud and errors.
In late October, BP asked a federal judge to force Juneau to turn over the audit.
A judge rejected BP’s request to remove Juneau from his post due to a conflict of interest. BP said it is considering its options for appealing that decision.

French Quarter hotel plan OK’d
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Over the objection of some French Quarter residents, the Vieux Carre Commission’s Architectural Committee gave initial approval to a plan to convert a vacant 19th-century riverfront building into the first new French Quarter hotel in decades.
On Tuesday, the committee granted the proposal “conceptual approval,” the first of several steps in the process of getting permission to make changes to a building in the city’s oldest neighborhood.
Developers Wayne and David Ducote want to redevelop the building into an 80-room boutique hotel.
The Ducotes proposed a similar transformation in 2004, but it was vetoed by then-Mayor Ray Nagin.

Man surrenders after standoff
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans police say a man who barricaded himself in a Volunteers of America center has surrendered to police.
Police spokeswoman Hilal Williams said Tuesday that 38-year-old Christophe Alfred surrendered about 12:20 p.m. and will face charges of domestic assault and domestic battery.
Williams tells The Associated Press a woman called police about 5 a.m. after she and her boyfriend were involved in an argument that escalated into a physical altercation.
Williams says Alfred allegedly threw bleach on the woman and threatened to kill her. The woman was able to get away and called police and he barricaded himself inside the apartment, threatening to kill himself.