LAFAYETTE, La. (Andrew Capps/ The Advertiser)- Suspended Lafayette City Marshal Brian Pope wants a judge to dismiss 17 malfeasance charges accusing him of pocketing of thousands of dollars in court fees.

Pope was charged with taking over $84,000 in fees collected by the marshal’s office in 2018 following a 17-count indictment returned by a grand jury that December.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges in January 2019.

Now, his lawyer argues Pope was entitled to those fees under state law and he has asked the judge to dismiss all 17 charges, The Advertiser said.

In a motion filed Friday, Pope’s attorney Brett Grayson argued that a provision in state law that prohibits Lafayette and Shreveport city marshals from pocketing service fees was enacted as a “stop-gap.” Other city marshals in Louisiana can take the fees collected.

Grayson argues Pope is entitled to those fees through a different part of state law that doesn’t exclude Lafayette and outlines minimum fees for city marshals.

Grayson claims the statute supersedes the fee prohibition for Lafayette’s marshal and empowered Pope to pocket the fees.

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