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INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Sheriff's office admits to mistake after not sending rape kit off for testing

6 years 8 months 3 weeks ago Monday, June 26 2017 Jun 26, 2017 June 26, 2017 5:56 PM June 26, 2017 in News
Source: WBRZ

ST. FRANCISVILLE- West Feliciana Parish Sheriff Austin Daniel admitted Monday that his office made a mistake when it held on to a rape kit it picked up three months ago but never turned it over to the State Police Crime Lab. The rape kit was finally sent to the Crime Lab Monday.

Daniel told WBRZ, his office should have processed it sooner. He also said he verbally told everyone in his office rape kits need to be sent to the crime lab when they are collected. In this particular case, the rape kit was taken in December, but didn't get to the State Police Crime Lab until six months later.

Priscilla Lefebure alleges Assistant Warden Barrett Boeker raped her back in 2016. In March of this year, District Attorney Sam D'Aquilla convened a grand jury without presenting the evidence inside that kit to them. That's because it sat at the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner's Office until the West Felciana Parish Sheriff's Office picked it up in March. Lefebure recorded a conversation between her and Sheriff Daniel last week when she began inquiring about her rape kit.

Austin Daniel: "I don't know why we waited so long other than when the grand jury came back with no true bill, we thought it was a moot issue."

Priscilla Lefebure: "Why did you find it unnecessary to bring my rape kit from the beginning to get tested?"

Austin Daniel: "I can't answer that."

Priscilla Lefebure: "And you're the chief deputy?"

Austin Daniel: "I'm the Sheriff."

The exchange went on with Lefebure giving the Sheriff Daniel a piece of her mind for not bringing it. Lefebure alleged Barrett Boeker raped her last year on Angola grounds. However, without concrete evidence presented before the grand jurors it was deemed the sex was consensual.

Priscilla Lefebure: "I don't know if you know what's in a rape kit. But, it's not just DNA. There are pictures of my naked body with bruises. I find it offensive in 2017 that y'all did not do your job or duty."

Lefebure also wanted to know who made the decision not to send it off and have it sit for three months.

Priscilla Lefebure: "Who made the decision to not send detectives to go get it?"

Austin Daniel: "I don't know what the answer to that is."

Back in March, District Attorney Sam D'Aquilla said if more evidence was presented, he would possibly reconvene a grand jury to re-hear Lefebure's case. Calls to D'Aquilla were not returned.

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