Guilty as charged

After deliberating Thursday afternoon, an Evangeline Parish Jury found Zackery Shane Deville guilty of attempted first-degree murder for his alleged role in the stabbing incident of former Turkey Creek Police Chief Robert Glenn Leggett.
An emotional Leggett testified at the beginning of the trial and recounted the series of events that occurred on that bloody night. He then sat quietly with his head hung low and eyes closed as the 911 call was played for the jury. Hearing the recorded troubled voices of Kari Holden and Joshua Rollins, Leggett took a couple of hitching breaths, visibly emotional.
The state also called as a witness Turkey Creek Councilman Joey Ducote, who was at the village council meeting with Chief Leggett on the day of the incident. Ducote testified they heard of a disturbance at a residence and went with the chief on the call. He said there was a vehicle in the road and some people next to it. Ducote waited while the chief went to the residence and testified it looked like the chief was trying to get Deville into his car. The chief and Deville then went behind the residence. Ducote said they had been there for several minutes, and he felt the need to check on the chief. When he rounded the corner to the back of the residence, he saw Deville resisting the chief and saw Leggett as he was trying to apprehend him. Deville pulled away, and then Ducote saw a knife in Deville’s hand. Ducote testified he saw Deville pull the knife from his pants pocket. He further testified Deville tried to stab Leggett once but failed, and when he tried the second time, he succeeded.
Joshua Rollins, the witness who placed the 911 call, described his version of events from the time he called 911. He said the 911 dispatcher told him to keep pressure on the victim’s wound even if the bleeding stopped.
Kari Holden, Rollins’ fiance’, was next called in as a witness for the state. She testified she heard an altercation outside and went to the back porch of her home which she shares with Rollins. She then saw a scuffle and then the defendant cut Leggett. Rollins then, according to Holden’s testimony, called 911 and went to help Leggett. Holden took the phone while Rollins applied pressure to Leggett’s wound. She told the 911 operator blood was pouring out. She did not see the blood stop.
Assistant District Attorney Marcus Fontenot prosecuted the case for the state, and Deville was represented by Trisha Ward. Ward contended the defendant was guilty of aggravated battery for his role in the altercation.