A Jefferson Parish Sheriff was upset that his department took as much heat as they did before they arrested the man who shot former NFLer Joe McKnight and decided to share vile comments with the public.
December 6, 2016

During a press conference, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand became angry about the criticism his office and elected officials took over the handling of the murder of former NFL running back Joe McKnight and launched into a vile language tirade that flustered MSNBC host Tamron Hall.

The sheriff apparently decided to read to the public some of the racist and homophobic slurs some had received before they had arrested Ronald Gasser, who authorities say shot a former NFL player during a road rage incident.

I'm not sure who he was talking about in this tirade, but it was ugly.

He made the point that this case wasn't about race, but still felt the sting of criticism because they let the shooter go at first, and thanked the elected officials that stood by him.

Then Sheriff Newell Normand said, "It's not fair for him to be called 'you punk ass uncle Tom coon. We saw you sell out to them. You rat ass fagg*t, punk!"

He continued, "That's the tone of what we call our elected leaders for standing up and simply saying 'let justice prevail and let the process take its course.' To go on and say "you ass kissing fagg*t' that has done little to our community..."

That's when MSNBC's Tamron Hall cut into his tirade. "Ladies and gentlemen, we're going to pivot from this, what has been -- first of all, let me apologize for some of the language we were not expecting."

She continued, "That is the sheriff from Jefferson Parish, who used several, what he said were quotes directed at sheriffs in his department, slurs, racial slurs and homophobic remarks that we were not prepared for and did not expect from the sheriff of a police department."

She brought on her guest, civil rights attorney John Burris, and was still obviously disturbed by his language. "John, I've seen a lot in this business and over the course of this election. I've never seen a sheriff behave that way during a news conference."

As she was trying to recap the case, she lost her concentration and said, "We've taken this news conference in anticipation of news regarding a break in the case - that charges would be filed against the man who shot a former police --- "

Burris said, "A football player..."

Hall replied, "Oh, my goodness. A former football player in Louisiana. There were some discrepancies as the sheriff pointed out regarding eyewitness testimony, some incendiary remarks."

I've never seen a sheriff, elected official or law enforcement agent ever read those type of incendiary words out loud during a press conference.

It was insane.

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