Come August there will be a new Assistant District Attorney in town with the recent hiring of Nicholas Monier.
The 2013 graduate of Loyal Law School in New Orleans will be joining Evangeline Parish District Attorney Trent Brignac’s staff to replace current ADA Kelly Tate, who will be returning to a position representing indigent defenders as a Felony Indigent Defender Board Attorney.
Monier, who is a native of Ville Platte, will officially begin his role as a felony prosecutor on August 1, 2018. Tate, who replaced Shelley Deville three years ago as an ADA, will also officially start her new job as an IDB attorney that same day.
In reference to the hiring of Monier, District Attorney Brignac said, “We are glad to welcome Nick Monier aboard to the team of felony prosecutors we have; and, we look forward to all having a good working relationship.”
Following the decision to bring Tate back on as a felony IDB attorney, Sonny “Alex” Chapman, director of the IDB, shared that Tate originally approached him about the new “floater” position the IDB budget has allowed them to create. The “floater” would be required to handle probation and parole revocation hearings, Gwen’s Law hearings for domestic abuse matters, traffic conflicts and extraditions.
Chapman instead decided to offer Tate local attorney Alicia Phillips Kelly’s position as a felony IDB attorney, which Tate accepted. Kelly was offered the “floater” position, but according to Chapman, turned it down.
Chapman explained his decision to replace Kelly with Tate by stating, “Kelly Tate tried a murder case for the District Attorney and several jury trials, including rape with the IDB. She worked very well with me and is very professional.”
After Kelly turned down the IDB “floater” position, it was then offered to Stan Vidrine, who accepted and is set to begin with the IDB staff on August 1st.
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ELIZABETH WEST Managing Editor