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Chapter 5 Grand Jury Called to Extraordinary session |
Soon after Genna and Brasseaux were arrested, Judge Cline called for the special session of Grand Jury. Formal jury indictments were returned by the Beauregard Parish Grand Jury charging Genna and Brasseaux after deliberating only one hour. The report signed by Foreman, J.C. Nichols was as follows:
“To the Honorable Jerry Cline, District Judge, Beauregard Parish, La
We, the grand jury, having been called in special session, beg leave to report that we have examined into one case, the only case we deemed which called for our special attention with the result that we found on true bill and no no-true bills.”The grand jury consisted of Foreman, J. C. Nichols, J. W. Grantham, J. M. Andrews, B. M. Coleman, A. O. Gunther, Frank Merritt, F. M. Smith, W. E. Stracener, E. P. Franks, J. E. Andrus, H. P. Hartzog and E. J. Miller. The indictment was reported as: “State of Louisiana vs. No. 2749, Joe Genna and Molton Brasseaux, charge; murder; a true bill.” The two accused men, being present in open court were immediate arraigned. They entered pleas of not guilty, and through their attorneys, reserved the right to file motions for a change of venue and for severance of the joint indictment. Genna’s counsel requested time to file a motion for a commission to test the sanity of his client. Trial of the motions was fixed for September 17 and an order of court was issued ordering two venires of petit jurors to be drawn, one to serve during the week beginning October 11 and the other to serve during the week of October 18.
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BEAUREGARD PARISH COURTHOUSE |
Genna and Brasseaux were tried in
the Beauregard Parish 1914 Courthouse
and subsequently hanged in the 1914 Jail |
After Beauregard Parish was created in 1912,
the Police Jury (county governing authority)
voted to build a courthouse on site donated
to the Parish by Longbell Lumber Company. In
1914 the Beaux Arts style building was designed
by Stevens and Nelson, New Orleans, Louisiana
and constructed by Falls City Construction of
Louisville, Kentucky. One recorded renovation
was made in 1937 as a national WPA project
during the 1930's "Great Depression." The
courthouse and jail, though totally different
in architecture and style were built during
the same year by the same contractor. The
still unanswered question is: "Who painted the
large frescos, ancient Rome inspired, behind
the jury box and judge's seat?" Was it a
WPA project?
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