Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman overruled his chief deputy three years ago to award a $23 million construction-management contract for his new jail complex to a company the deputy rated lower.
In August 2007, after City Councilmember Oliver Thomas resigned and admitted to taking bribes, his attorney was asked about the possibility of Thomas providing helpful testimony to Federal prosecutors. Shepherd ultimately confessed, and assumed total responsibility, but
Marlin Gusman appears to have misled the public about the ownership of a key property that is part of his planned jail complex.
