this post was submitted on 25 Jun 2026
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Randy Smith’s resignation was part of plea deal after attack on podcaster Bobby Couvillion at a Madisonville restaurant

A suburban New Orleans sheriff who had held one of his community’s most prominent political offices for a decade has retired shortly after pleading guilty to battering a podcaster who often criticized him.

Randy Smith, 61, also agreed to serve more than a year of probation after admitting to a late May beating at a steakhouse where he had bought 18 alcoholic beverages on his tab on a Friday afternoon – which all but halted his four-decade policing career.

Smith had been sworn in as the elected sheriff of St Tammany parish, Louisiana, on 1 July 2016, succeeding a predecessor who eventually pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges and was separately convicted of serial child sexual molestation.

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[–] Washedupcynic@lemmy.ca 2 points 32 minutes ago

No worries, he will move a county over and continue his policing career.

[–] Itdidnttrickledown@lemmy.world 5 points 5 hours ago

Its really strange he retired.

[–] TIEPilot@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

email signup required aka lame paywall.

[–] ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 11 hours ago

He put a guy in the hospital and he's still on the streets? Guess they don't have enough room for pedos and folks who violently assault people when they have to detain all those concerning immigrant children.

[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 66 points 16 hours ago (4 children)

Smith had been sworn in as the elected sheriff of St Tammany parish, Louisiana, on 1 July 2016, succeeding a predecessor who eventually pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges and was separately convicted of serial child sexual molestation.

Louisiana, ladies and gents.

[–] capital_sniff@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago

I'm shocked these guys aren't working for the current Trump administration, and I'm not looking it up because it wouldn't shock me if they were.

[–] PolarKraken@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 5 hours ago

Pretty fuckin far from "just" Louisiana.

And at least they have gas station crawfish pistolettes 😎 (make no mistake, Louisiana is largely a hole, formed from hatred and poverty)

[–] jwt@programming.dev 5 points 6 hours ago

So, still a step up from his predecessor, you say?

[–] tempest@lemmy.ca 14 points 12 hours ago

Red voters love them some child rapists.

Absent that they can settle for some good ole corruption fueled alcoholics.

[–] Overkrill@lemmy.blahaj.zone 72 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

he announced intention to kill the man, and he's not on trial for attempted murder. cool.

[–] Zombiepirate@lemmy.world 41 points 12 hours ago

Citing accounts from the victim and multiple eyewitnesses, Smith also reportedly punched and with his boots kicked a prone Couvillion in the face and body. “I’m going to kill you, you motherfucker,” Couvillion reported Smith saying. “You’re a dead motherfucker.”

There's simply no way to know his intentions.

[–] taco@anarchist.nexus 97 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

I have ignored hundreds of personal attacks directed at me by an individual who hides behind a computer screen,” Smith’s apology said.

Smith was said to have approached Couvillion from behind while the latter man was seated on an elevated stool at the restaurant bar celebrating his 59th birthday with his wife. Smith then, without warning, placed Couvillion in a chokehold and slammed him to the ground backward

Implying the guy's cowardly for talking "behind a computer screen" (as though that's not how most communication works in 2026) but also literally attacking the dude from behind. Whats a sensitive, hypocritical little bitch.

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 2 points 3 hours ago

Also, as someone in a position of public office, he's exposed to criticism and people have every right to direct criticism at him from behind their computer screens. That's kind of what the whole first amendment is about...

Also, that doesn't read like an apology. It reads like he's saying "That fucker deserved it and I'd do it again"

[–] ProfThadBach@lemmy.world 128 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

Oh nice. He gets to retire with no real consequences.

[–] Phantaloons@piefed.zip 2 points 6 hours ago

As long as we allow it.

[–] aramis87@fedia.io 64 points 19 hours ago (3 children)

Probably even still gets to keep his pension.

[–] TheDeadInternet@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago

Probably sue the guy for damaging his hands.

( Im not kidding this has actually happened before)

[–] arrow74@lemmy.zip 3 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

A pension is something you pay into it through your career with deductions from your paycheck. Idk why people treat it like free money or something that is earned through merit. It's the money of the employee taken and invested

[–] bold_atlas@lemmy.world 3 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Yeah it's his pension. But we, the tax payer should take it away from him as punishment/compensation for his victims. I don't know what we're missing here.

For police, a pension should just be a security deposit that you get back at retirement/career change if you've been good and not behaved like an animal.

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 1 points 3 hours ago

Not all pensions work like that. Government pensions especially. Some work like you accumulate time in service and once you hit the threshold (typically 20-30 years) then they'll pay you for the rest of your life. Often comes with healthcare too. Not sure how it works for NOLA police though.

What you're describing sounds more like a retirement account.

[–] Damn990099@lemmy.world 14 points 12 hours ago

And get a new job in the neighboring county.

[–] Zombiepirate@lemmy.world 88 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

Sims told reporters on Wednesday that Smith’s guilty plea was an important public reminder that “everyone will be held accountable for their actions, regardless of your title”.

“We didn’t want to have special treatment of the sheriff,” Sims said. “We treat him like we treat every other citizen that commits an act like that.”

But he did get special treatment.

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 2 points 3 hours ago

If that's how every citizen who commits an act like that gets treated, then how about someone choke-slams him from behind? All they'll get is a slap on the wrist, right?

[–] frunch@lemmy.world 38 points 18 hours ago

Oh, that?! That's just the gaslighting, lol. Hey look over here, a shiny penny!!

[–] some_guy 26 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

What a fucking pussy. Sheriffs are the most corrupt arm of law enforcement. Every sheriff can suck my dick.

[–] tempest@lemmy.ca 5 points 12 hours ago (3 children)

What exactly is a sheriff? We don't have them here. Are they like State police?

[–] justaman123@lemmy.world 11 points 12 hours ago

They are like county level executive branch. Which is the level below state. In the case of Louisiana it's parish instead of county. They basically have really high levels of authority in their jurisdiction. And it's usually an elected position.

[–] ReluctantMuskrat@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago

Sheriff's typically handle the courts and transport of prisoners, whereas police handle law enforcement. In cities too small to have their own police force, the county sheriffs will fill the law enforcement role also.

[–] Cort@lemmy.world 2 points 12 hours ago

Kinda, but they're at the county/parish level

[–] fpslem@lemmy.world 35 points 19 hours ago

Louisiana taking ACAB to the next level

[–] SayJess@lemmy.blahaj.zone 25 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Citing accounts from the victim and multiple eyewitnesses, Smith also reportedly punched and with his boots kicked a prone Couvillion in the face and body. “I’m going to kill you, you motherfucker,” Couvillion reported Smith saying. “You’re a dead motherfucker.”

Beside interviewing bystanders and securing surveillance video, LBI agents wrote in a sworn statement that Couvillion had been taken to a hospital. Medical records showed he had sustained a concussion and two displaced front teeth, the agents said

I wonder, if I attacked someone, unprovoked, while saying “You’re a dead motherfucker”, would I too get probation? Doubt.

I hope the podcaster just completely leans in on it now. He can just keep rehashing it all, knowing that Sherrif Snowflake is hate-listening to it.

He’s just asking questions, right? Isn’t that the thing that the fascists always say? What?? I’m just asking questions! Can a bird be a fly? Yes or no! Just asking questions!

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 17 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago)

Knowing cops, he'll continue to have his buddies on the force harass him. If he doesn't continue to do it himself.

[–] decapitae@sh.itjust.works 23 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

He should have volunteered to go to jail for assault and drunk and disorderly conduct - the law should apply to the "enforcer" - things might be a little less "jimmie and crowie" in the US if that happened

[–] fishy@lemmy.today 28 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Judges and cops caught breaking the law should have the punishment doubled. The people we trust to enforce the law should be held to a higher standard.

[–] SPRUNTnsfw@fedinsfw.app 12 points 16 hours ago

This 1,000%.

[–] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 12 points 17 hours ago

Does that mean that if someone beats up the ex-sheriff now they will also get to retire as a "punishment"?

[–] blattrules@lemmy.world 12 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Does he still get his full pension? If so, definitely not a punishment to be forced to retire for being a fucking coward and assaulting someone when their back is turned.

[–] some_designer_dude@lemmy.world 5 points 14 hours ago

Sounds more like a reward than a punishment.

[–] Reyali@lemmy.world 11 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago)

Wow, sounds like the people who hold that office have historically been class acts! Jeeeez. (Also on first reading, I didn’t catch the last line was about his predecessor and was trying to figure out why that lede was so buried.)

[–] jtrek@startrek.website 8 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

He shouldn't be able to retire to a peaceful life. He should be ruined.

Things like this feed the idea that the justice system won't produce justice, so if you want it you better get it yourself.

[–] Triumph@fedia.io 3 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

You say that as though the "idea" isn't true.

[–] Jax@sh.itjust.works 2 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Many people still do not believe it, though. Especially white people.

[–] Triumph@fedia.io 1 points 14 hours ago

You're not wrong, but that's definitely changing.

[–] TotalCourage007@lemmy.world 1 points 11 hours ago

stay safe fellow sane folk. we don't wear red cult outfits.

[–] Ioughttamow@fedia.io 6 points 17 hours ago

Targeted political violence? A-ok

[–] bitteroldcoot@piefed.social 5 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (1 children)

Well that's just Louisiana.

Moved to the south in 1986. After a while you figure out the lay of the land.
Kentucky wasn't that bad, very horse oriented.

Alabama, don't leave the city or you will hear banjos.

Louisiana and Mississippi you really need to watch what you say if you want to stay alive. If this happened in Mississippi that guy would be dead, and the body buried in the swamp.

Tennessee very tourist oriented, but stick to Nashville, Gatlinburg and the Parks.

Florida, if anything, the Florida man reputation is under exaggeration. These people are really into self harm.

[–] ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 11 hours ago

Tennessee has a bigger Nazi problem.

Louisiana is ran like a third world country. Private schools are used for regular kids rather than bad kids because the school systems are horrific. Government is corrupt and everything is a scam.

Alabama still has slavery and should be avoided except for Huntsville and Birmingham. Probably just don't go at all.

Unless you're paying to live in Southern California, all warm states in the US are inhabited by illiterate fascists. Maybe New Mexico gets a pass.