DRUG INFORMANT WRONGFUL DEATH TRIAL: LAWMEN, SON'S GRANDMOTHER TESTIFY

LEESVILLE - Testimony resumed Monday in a wrongful-death suit centered on
the murder of a 19-year-old narcotics informant.

The lawsuit was filed in 30th Judicial District Court by Althea Wellman on
behalf of her 5-year-old grandson, Jared Lamont Samuel.

The 1998 suit claims Johnny M. Evans Sr. leaked confidential narcotics
information to his son, Johnny Evans Jr., and Eric L. Pickens.

This in turn led to the murder of 19-year-old narcotics informant Earnest
Lee Prater Jr., father of Samuel, according to the suit.

Defendants in the suit are Beauregard Parish Sheriff M. Bolivar Bishop;
DeRidder Police Chief Arvin Malone; former DeRidder police officer Johnny
M. Evans Sr.; DeRidder Mayor Gerald Johnson; and the Beauregard/ DeRidder
Narcotics Task Force.

Wellman, on behalf of her grandson, is seeking damages, judicial interest,
attorney fees and court costs.

She is represented by Lake Charles attorneys Michael H. Schwartzberg and
Glen D. Vamvoras.

The suit is being heard by Judge Vernon Clark.

With restrained emotion, Wellman testified Monday that her grandchild was 7
months old when his father, Earnest Lee Prater, was murdered.

She often saw Prater on a daily basis, and he occasionally stayed overnight
in her home with her daughter and their baby, she said.

When asked if Prater contributed to his son's support, Wellman said he
often supplied milk, diapers and clothes for the baby and gave cash to her
daughter, Samuel's mother.

She also testified that Prater visited his son regularly and helped with
daily care of the child such as bathing and diapering.

When asked who has supported the child since the death of his father,
Wellman said she has been doing it.

Defense attorneys David Lestage of DeRidder and Jennifer Wells of Lafayette
asked Wellman if her daughter had ever filed for child support.

Wellman said she had not because Prater was not working at the time.

"His only job that I knew of was at the hospital," Wellman said.

She confirmed that the hospital job only lasted several weeks.

"Did you know he was dealing drugs?" Lestage said.

"No, I did not," Wellman responded.

Wellman was also asked about Prater's alleged gang affiliation and his
participation as an undercover drug informant.

Wellman denied any knowledge of gang activities and testified she only
learned of his being an informant after his death.

In response to further questioning, Wellman told the court that she blamed
Johnny Evans Sr., Johnny Evans Jr., Eric Pickens and the task force for
Prater's death.

When Wells asked Wellman how much blame she would assign to the task force,
Clark interjected, saying that the question was inappropriate and was a
matter for the court to decide.

Other testimony was heard Monday from DeRidder police Detective John Gott,
a member of the joint task force, and from Officer Terry Skinner of
DeQuincy, chief of investigations and narcotics.

Gott's testimony focused on task force procedural details and what he
remembered of the events that led up to Prater's death.

When asked if he had received independent intelligence that Johnny Evans
Jr. was involved in drug dealings and had the reputation of robbing
customers, Gott said he had heard that Evans was involved in some "jacks."

"I was aware that Evans Jr. was going to be asked if he was interested in
participating in a reverse sting operation, but that's as far as it went,"
Gott said.

Reminded that his deposition said the officers involved had said they would
need to proceed cautiously since Evans was known for "jacks" and the
situation could turn into a gun battle if it wasn't handled carefully, Gott
agreed that such concerns might have been discussed.

"The fact that Johnny Evans Jr. was known for ripping people off was a
concern, but it never got to the planning stages. It was just an idea we
tossed out there," Gott said. "We didn't even know if he was interested."

On cross-examination, Lestage had Gott verify that it was standard
procedure to warn informants to be careful about telling anyone - even
their parents - that they were working undercover with the police.

Lestage asked Gott if he had ever heard that Prater had told anyone he was
working as an informant.

"No, I never heard that," Gott said.

Gott testified that he was aware that Prater and Evans had hung out
together in the summer of 1997.

Skinner testified that he had been contacted by narcotics agent Saul Wilson
from the task force about setting up a reverse sting.

Skinner said his role in the operation was that of a "kingpin" sitting on a
large amount of marijuana, kept on hand by DeQuincy police for such operations.

Skinner and Wilson have worked together on sting operations since 1988,
according to earlier testimony.

Skinner testified he was to remain on stand-by and had several
conversations with Wilson regarding the upcoming sting.

Skinner said he was on stand-by when he learned that someone had died
during the operation.

He agreed that in all stages of a sting operation there is an element of
danger.

The trial will resume with defense testimony at 9 a.m. today, Jan. 7.