INFORMANT FILES SUIT AGAINST EX-JUDGE

He Sees Bodenheimer As Threat, Lawyer Says

The FBI informant on whom Ronald Bodenheimer conspired to plant drugs has
sued the former Jefferson Parish judge, claiming a "continued pattern of
harassment" that disrupted his livelihood and caused him to fear for his life.

Coming out publicly for the first time, Eric Michael Boe said in a lawsuit
filed Monday that Bodenheimer used "threatening phone calls," had him
falsely arrested and was "framing him for a felony crime involving drugs."
The lawsuit was filed in 24th Judicial District Court, where Bodenheimer
served until his arrest in June.

The lawsuit comes three weeks after Bodenheimer pleaded guilty in federal
court to conspiring to plant drugs on Boe, among other crimes, as part of a
plea deal with prosecutors. Bodenheimer, who faces up to 42 months in
prison, is scheduled to be sentenced July 9.

Boe, who works at a Metairie auto repair shop, said Tuesday that he could
not discuss details of the suit or his involvement in the federal
investigation because the probe is ongoing.

"I'm exercising my constitutional right to file suit against Ronald
Bodenheimer for crimes that were committed against me," Boe said. "I'll
have much more to say after July 9."

Boe's attorney, Sam Dalton, said his client was not satisfied with
Bodenheimer's plea and filed the suit because he is still concerned about
his safety.

"He's not satisfied that Bodenheimer is through with him," Dalton said.
"Now everybody knows, if something happens to (Boe), who did it."

Bodenheimer's attorney, Eddie Castaing, said Boe's suit was "unfortunate"
and that his client did not represent any threat.

"This (suit) will only interfere with an ongoing federal investigation and
would not be productive for Mr. Boe or the government," Castaing said. He
said the conspiracy to plant the drugs "occurred more than a year ago, and
Mr. Boe has been perfectly safe. He's in no danger."

Boe, who lives near Bodenheimer's Venetian Isles Marina in eastern New
Orleans, complained about drug and zoning violations at the business and
was collaborating with federal investigators, according to federal records
that only recently have identified Boe by name.

Federal sources and court records indicate that Boe started collaborating
with the FBI in the summer of 1999, about two years before secret wiretaps
caught Bodenheimer talking on the telephone about planting drugs on Boe.

According to Bodenheimer's plea, in the summer or fall of 2001 the former
judge discussed with a Jefferson Parish sheriff's deputy a plan to have Boe
falsely arrested on drug possession charges. In early 2002, Bodenheimer
began discussing a plan to plant illegal drugs on Boe with a New Orleans
police officer and with Slidell mechanic Curley Chewning, a common
acquaintance of Bodenheimer and Boe.

Chewning, authorities said, planted three pills of the prescription
painkiller OxyContin in the glove compartment of Boe's truck April 19,
2002, while the vehicle was under FBI surveillance. Chewning, who pleaded
guilty the same day he and Bodenheimer were indicted in July, finished
serving a six-month sentence in a halfway house this month.

In his suit, Boe contends Bodenheimer sought to "disrupt (his) life,
inflict emotional distress . . . impose a state of terror upon his mind and
. . . deprive him of the enjoyment of life."

Boe is seeking compensation for damages including psychological and
psychiatric trauma, fear of death and loss of earnings. Dalton, however,
said by the time a judgment is rendered, his client is unlikely to collect
any payments.