POINTE A LA HACHE, La. (AP) -- The torching of the century-old Plaquemines Parish Courthouse was motivated in part by a desire to destroy records of a botched theft of a boat motor, parish officials say they have been told by federal authorities.
A federal indictment returned July 16 in New Orleans alleged the operator of a Gretna motorcycle shop and two others conspired to burn the courthouse in an effort to help customers and friends by destroying evidence in pending criminal cases.
However, the indictment did not detail those cases.
The fire on Jan. 12, 2002, destroyed the courthouse and caused more than $2.5 million in damage.
Two men - both with prior felony convictions - were booked with attempted theft and felony criminal damage in the attempt to swipe a boat motor in Plaquemines Parish in December 2001.
Neither was accused in the federal indictment. But Plaquemines Parish District Attorney Darryl Bubrig Sr. and Peter Barbee, a public defender in the parish, said agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives told them that destruction of records in that case was a motive behind the courthouse fire.
U.S. Attorney Jim Letten and ATF agents declined to comment.
The three men indicted in an alleged conspiracy to burn the courthouse - James Chancey, Richard Price and Michael Norve, all of Gretna - are scheduled for trial Nov. 15.
The indictment alleges Chancey torched the building to destroy evidence in pending state criminal cases. Price and Norve are described in the indictment as customers of Vernon's Cycle Shop in Gretna, owned and operated by Chancey.
The indictment also alleges other arsons committed in Louisiana and Mississippi and details an attempt to steal witness statements from the Plaquemines Parish sheriff's detective bureau.
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