BENCHING THE JUDGE

Maybe, as media reports suggest, the feds have Ronnie Bodenheimer dead to
rights, but his transformation from amiable state judge to mad dog
defendant sure was sudden.

One day Bodenheimer strolled through the Gretna courthouse in the robes of
a state judge. The next day, accused of dealing illegal drugs and framing
an innocent man, he stood in jailhouse garb, handcuffs and leg irons before
a federal magistrate.

Bodenheimer was denied release on bail until a shrink could take a look at
him. Meanwhile, he was put under suicide watch, which did not exactly help
the presumption of innocence.

When Bodenheimer was released on bail, it was only on condition that he
wear an electronic bracelet, surrender his firearms and not leave his home.
Even that was not enough for prosecutors, who wanted Bodenheimer confined
to a halfway house. Citing sinister-sounding comments he made when the FBI
had his phone bugged, they alleged he might lean on witnesses.

Magistrate Joseph Wilkinson, however, having "thoroughly studied" the psych
report, decided there was "no real need" for Bodenheimer to remain in
government accommodations.

To be declared sane enough for house arrest might not be the greatest
compliment in the world, but it was the only good news Bodenheimer had had
in a while. The state Supreme Court then suspended him from the bench
pending his virtually certain indictment by the grand jury that met Thursday.

Bodenheimer will continue to draw his paycheck, and he is going to need it.
He is looking at 20 years in the pen, and will need some smart, and
expensive, lawyering if he is to beat the rap, or even strike a good plea
bargain.

Bodenheimer was elected to the bench three years ago after campaigning as
the hard-nosed 20-year prosecutor who could be trusted not to mollycoddle
criminals. Sure enough, last year he sentenced an armed robber to 881
years, a Jefferson Parish record. It is possible, however, that he has
since revised his views on draconian punishment.

The feds' version of events features a thoroughly villainous Bodenheimer
unrecognizable to his numerous acquaintances. It is not easy, however, to
postulate an innocent explanation for remarks Bodenheimer made on FBI tapes.

A man in Venetian Isles has been complaining to local cops for years about
a marina Bodenheimer owns in Venetian Isles. The informant alleged that not
only was the marina dangerous -- a youth was electrocuted there last year
- -- but that it has been a conduit for illegal drugs.

Anyone who knows Bodenheimer would normally find it hard to believe that he
could be dumb enough to allow flagrant violations of the law to occur on
his property.

But, regardless of what went on at the marina, Bodenheimer's reaction to
the complaints was not exactly a model of judicial wisdom. It evidently did
not occur to him that the guy who lodged all those complaints about his
marina might also be a federal "co-operating witness." Thus, when the FBI
bugged Bodenheimer's telephone, he appears to have pretty much hanged himself.

First, Bodenheimer complained about his nemesis in a conversation with a
private investigator, who observed, "Somebody ought to kick the f- - - out
of him."

Having noted, "I want to hurt him worse that that," Bodenheimer proceeded
to discuss with the P.I. a plan to set up the guy in Venetian Isles by
planting drugs in his car.

Bodenheimer is in no position to claim this was just a couple of macho guys
bloviating. Although the PI apparently took no action as a result of the
conversation, Curley Chewning, who describes himself as a self-employed
small-engine repairman, allegedly did. The feds were hovering in the
background when Chewning planted the drugs in the witness' glove compartment.

So far we have heard only the government's story, and it is often amazing
how different the facts appear once the defense has it say.

However, in light of his earlier conversation with the P.I., Bodenheimer
will have a hard time persuading a jury that he didn't know what Chewning
was up to. The feds say both Chewning and Bodenheimer have given
contradictory statements.

Bodenheimer's arrest was greeted with incredulity in the courthouses where
he has been a popular figure for so many years, and it is inconceivable
that state authorities would have gone after him.

He was such a big shot last week that only the feds could have nailed him.
If he is guilty, all hail to them. It is better to remove one crooked judge
than to close 100 brothels.