La. prosecutor: No racial slurs on Taser video

The district attorney prosecuting a former Winnfield police officer accused of administering repeated Taser jolts that killed a man says a tape of the incident does not show anyone using racial slurs.
R. Chris Nevils said Thursday that the tape, which was sealed in evidence earlier this week by state District Judge John Joyce, also does not depict former officer Scott Nugent questioning Baron Pikes about whether he was on drugs.
A cnn.com report on the contents of the tape, attributed to people who had seen it, said Pikes was subject to racial slurs and taunting while shackled to a chair after his arrest on a drug charge.
‘‘I think I can talk about the accuracy of reports about the tape,’’ Nevils said. ‘‘And it is inaccurate to say there are racial slurs on the tape.’’
He would not comment further.
CNN said in a statement Thursday that the article is supported by interviews with multiple sources who viewed the tape.
Nugent, 21, has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and malfeasance in office. He faces up to 45 years in prison if convicted.
Nugent allegedly shocked the handcuffed Pikes nine times with a 50,000-volt Taser while arresting him on a drug possession warrant Jan. 17, 2009, according to authorities. Winn Parish coroner Randolph Williams ruled Pikes’ death a homicide.
George Higgins, one of Nugent’s attorneys, has called it ‘‘nonsense’’ for the coroner to conclude that the Taser jolts caused Pikes’ death.
Higgins, who has seen the video, also disputed the accuracy of CNN’s report but refused to elaborate. Nevils said both he and Higgins wanted the tape sealed to ensure a fair trial.
The district attorney also is concerned about unfairly influencing the jury pool in Winnfield, a small town in a rural area in north-central Louisiana, about 200 miles from New Orleans.
‘‘We want to hold this trial here,’’ Nevils said. ‘‘It’s too expensive for us to move it.’’
The video, which was with Louisiana State Police during their investigation, is now in his possession, Nevils said.
‘‘As far as we know there is only one copy of the video,’’ Nevils said. ‘‘And that one is safe.’’
Nugent’s trial is scheduled to start June 14.
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Associated Press Writer Michael Kunzelman contributed to this report.