Officer Scott Nugent Awaits Trial in Taser Death

There was no hearing Thursday for Scott Nugent, the officer charged in connection with the in-custody death of Barron "Scooter" Pikes.

Winn Parish District Attorney R. Chris Nevils said the hearing was scheduled for Thursday to hear routine motions, like discovery in the manslaughter and malfeasance case of Nugent, but the hearing wasn't necessary as Nevils had provided the materials a month ago.

Nugent's attorney, Phillip Terrell, was satisfied with the discovery, and neither he nor Nugent were in court Thursday, Nevils said. The next step, Nevils said, is for a trial date to be set, although they have to wait until after a pretrial conference with newly elected District Judge Jacque Derr.

Nugent, whose firing from the Winnfield Police Department was recently upheld by the Civil Service Board, is accused of shocking Pikes nine times with a 50,000-volt Taser within 14 minutes. Those shocks were made while Pikes was handcuffed and in police custody in connection with a drug possession warrant in January, officials say.

Winn Parish Coroner Dr. Randy Williams has said Pikes did not have PCP or cocaine in his system as officers alleged, and Pikes, whose cause of death was listed as cardiac arrest on the death certificate, may have already been dead before the last two Taser shocks.

Nugent has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Terrell has said he is confident Nugent will be found innocent once all the evidence is presented. If convicted of both charges, Nugent faces up to 45 years in prison.

The family of Pikes filed a wrongful death lawsuit earlier this month against not only Nugent but also the city of Winnfield, the mayor, City Council, police chief and other officers on the force, in addition to Taser International Inc. -- the manufacturer of the stun gun device Nugent used.


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Former Officer Scott Nugent Goes to Court on Taser Death

WINNFIELD

Motions will be heard today in the case of former Winnfield police officer Scott Nugent.

Nugent has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and malfeasance in office in the death of Baron Pikes.

Nugent allegedly shot Pikes, 21, with a Taser stun gun nine times within 14 minutes, according to police records and Winn Parish Coroner Randy Williams. Pikes died in police custody.

Nugent faces up to 45 years in prison if convicted.

The Winnfield Civil Service Board in September upheld the firing of Nugent

Only one of the five members of the panel voted to reinstate Nugent to the police force, Civil Service Board Chairman Ronald Melton said. The dissenting member said Nugent’s officer bill of rights was violated.

Nugent initially was suspended with pay.

The manner of Pikes’ death was homicide, Williams said, and Nugent pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter and malfeasance in office during an August arraignment.

Nugent was fired by Winnfield Police Chief Johnny Ray Carpenter after the suspension deadline passed. That firing was appealed to the civil service board but denied. The board’s decision can be appealed as well.

Pikes’ family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in August against not only Nugent but also the city of Winnfield, the mayor, City Council, police chief and other officers on the force, in addition to Taser International Inc. -- the manufacturer of the stun gun device Nugent used.



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Officer Scott Nugent Arraigned For Taser Death

WINNFIELD, La.

A former police officer accused of repeatedly jolting a central Louisiana man with a Taser before he died has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and malfeasance in office.

Officer Scott Nugent was arraigned Thursday in a Winn Parish courtroom.
He was freed on $45,000 bond last week after a grand jury indicted him on both charges in the January 17 death of 21-year-old Baron Pikes.

Pikes was handcuffed when Nugent allegedly shocked him nine times with a 50,000-volt Taser while arresting him on a drug possession warrant.

Nugent faces up to 45 years in prison if he is convicted on both charges. He was fired but is appealing his dismissal.