Louisiana Supreme Court upholds conviction of former BRPD officer
Last March, former Baton Rouge Judge Eboni Rose convicted Donald Steele Jr. of a misdemeanor charge of malfeasance in office but later reversed her own ruling.
Prosecutors appealed to the First Circuit Court of Appeal. That court also upheld the conviction.
Steele's lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court, which ruled Tuesday to reinstate the original conviction.
Steele will be resentenced at a later date.
East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore shared a statement with Louisiana First News Tuesday afternoon. Read the full statement below.
'The trial court's action of rendering a guilty verdict then later reversing that verdict was legally erroneous and needed correction. We are pleased that the Louisiana Supreme Court maintained Donald Steele's conviction for Malfeasance in Office in violation of La. R.S. 14:134 and we will prepare for sentencing.'
EBR Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore
Steele was accused of making sexual advances toward a 19-year-old woman during a traffic stop in 2021. According to arrest documents, Steele told her she was drinking and driving before telling her she wouldn't be getting a ticket because she was cute.
Steele reportedly told her to follow his car to an abandoned warehouse near a downtown casino. An affidavit said he sexually assaulted the victim.
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Louisiana Supreme Court upholds conviction of former BRPD officer
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