Former state senator, convicted felon, seeks Jefferson Parish council seat
Despite being a convicted felon, former state Sen. Derrick Shepherd is running for public office in Jefferson Parish.
And he's in the clear to do so after voters changed a decades-old state law last year.
Last fall voters went to the polls and reduced the time a convicted felon has to wait before running for office.
Now Shepherd is taking full advantage of the move.
The previous law required convicted felons to wait 15 years before running for state or municipal office. That number is now just five years.
That clears the way for Shepherd.
Shepherd has signs up -- and is going door to door in many neighborhoods on the Westbank of Jefferson Parish.
He's running for the District 3 seat.
Ten years ago Shepherd was a sitting state senator.
He abruptly resigned and pleaded guilty to money laundering charges.
He was sentenced to three years in jail.
"I think people can make their own decisions -- they can say, this guy has paid his dues, or they can say, get away from my door," said Shepherd.
Election day is Oct. 12, with qualifying set for early August.
Also running for the District 3 seat is Byron Lee.
He's a former councilman who held that same position from 2004-2012.
And school board member Cedric Floyd is also considering running.
A woman named Ricky Burns also says she's running.