This booking photo provided by Caddo Parish office shows Trina Chu. A judicial candidate in Louisiana, Chu is accused of sending a friend confidential court documents while she was a law clerk for the same court's chief judge. The Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office says Chu was arrested Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, on two felony charges: offense against intellectual property and trespass against state computers. (Caddo Parish office via AP)
SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — A judicial candidate in Louisiana sent a friend confidential court documents while she was a law clerk for the same court’s chief judge, authorities said.
Trina Chu, 46, was arrested Tuesday on two felony charges — offense against intellectual property and trespass against state computers, Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator said in a news release.
Chu did not return a call and an email requesting comment. She is challenging 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Jeanette Garrett in a Nov. 3 election, according to online records for Louisiana’s secretary of state.
She’s accused of sending her friend Hanh Willliams confidential court documents about a $460,000 judgment against Williams while Chu was clerking for Henry Brown, then chief judge of the 2nd Circuit. Brown had been in a long-term relationship with Williams and had stepped aside from the case, KTBS-TV reported.
Chu was released Tuesday from the Caddo Parish jail on $10,000 bond for each offense, said sheriff’s office spokeswoman Bia Roldan.
She is accused of copying documents to a portable drive and sending them to Williams from her personal email account in July 2018. At the time, three judges were considering Williams’ appeal from a district court’s ruling against her.
“The jury charged Ms. Williams with $1.1 million in damages for breach of duty to the Trust and determined she was liable to the Estate for $460,605,” according to the 2nd Circuit opinion handed down Aug. 15, 2018.
The 2nd Circuit upheld a state district court jury’s verdict that Williams owed $460,605 to the estate of a Caddo Parish man to whom she had been a financial adviser and who had named her executor of his will. The will’s chief beneficiary, Louisiana State University’s veterinary school, challenged Williams’ administration of Fred L. Houston’s trust and estate.
The Louisiana Supreme Court’s chief justice ordered Brown to stay away from the 2nd Circuit courthouse after one of the judges who had heard the appeal filed an intimidation complaint, KTBS reported. Brown retired shortly after that. He has denied any improper behavior and has not been accused of involvement in Chu’s alleged actions, KTBS reported.
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