MAYOR PERKINS LIKELY TO LOSE APPEAL TOMORROW

Shreveport mayor Adrian Perkins has appealed his disqualification by Caddo District Judge Brady O'Callaghan to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

The case will be argued tomorrow (Fri.) before a three judge panel.

Two of these judges concurred in the West Monroe case that the Second Circuit Court confirmed a candidate disqualification - Chief Judge D. Milton Moore III from Monroe and Judge Shondra D. Stone from Shreveport.

That case is squarely on point as a legal precedent.

The third judge on the case, Jeff R. Thompson of Bossier City, is very conservative in his rulings.

It is expected that Judge O'Callaghan's decision will be confirmed unanimously in short order.

The court's ruling must be rendered within 24 hours after the hearing ends. It would not be a surprise if it is handed down by late p.m. tomorrow.

No doubt the court's decision, no matter the outcome, will be appealed to the Louisiana Supreme Court.

Unlike the automatic appeal to the appellate court, it is discretionary with the Supreme Court on hearing the case.

Many believe the odds are 50/50 that the Supreme Court will take the case.

A case from the Fourth Circuit in New Orleans ruled in favor of a candidate. Thus there is a split between the circuits on disqualification cases.

This, plus the fact that Perkins is the mayor of the state's third largest city, favors a Supreme Court ruling.

Perkins has already taken his case to the court of public opinion in a press conference the afternoon the O'Callaghan ruling was issued. It is expected he will continue this approach claiming minor clerical error and suppression of the rights of voters.