Assistant sheriff’s termination upheld from previous job, watchdog group questions her credibility

By Aubry Killion

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    NEW ORLEANS (WDSU) — A law enforcement watchdog group is raising questions about an assistant sheriff at the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office.

They want to know why she’s on the job after records show she was terminated from her previous job at the New Orleans Office of Inspector General.

Kristen Morales works as an assistant sheriff; Sheriff Susan Hutson is defending the hire.

Records show that before she got the job Morales was terminated from the New Orleans Inspector General’s Office for giving away city property and then falsely telling investigators she had permission to do so.

Morales has been fighting the termination, and new court documents from the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals show the termination was justified.

“What I’ve seen since Susan Hutson was appointed, it’s all about who you know, at least for some of the positions of power,” Rafael Goyeneche said.

Goyeneche is the head of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, a nonprofit group focused on improving the criminal justice system.

In reviewing Morales’ termination, civil service commission records say it felt Morales showed a lack of candor.

“It wasn’t the value of the iPhone. The thing I think civil service hung their hat on was that she was untruthful when she explained her actions,” Goyeneche said.

Morales then took her appeal to the Louisiana 4th Circuit of Appeals. On Wednesday the termination was upheld.

In addition, she has filed a federal lawsuit alleging wrongful termination by the OIG. That lawsuit remains ongoing.

Stephanie Dovalina is Morales’ attorney. She told WDSU she is answering all questions for Morales.

Last month, WDSU asked Dovalina whether or not Morales received permission to give away the phone.

“I would have to specifically check the transcript, but my recollection is that she always stated that she would have asked permission,” Dovalina said.

Sheriff Susan Hutson, a longtime acquaintance, says she has complete confidence in Morales.

WDSU asked Hutson if she and Morales are friends.

“It’s absolutely fair to say,” Hutson said. “I’m not sure what that’s about, but we are talking about the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. I hired people who will get the job done.”

Hutson says Morales heads up the department’s IT programs and says Morales has the proper credentials to do the job.

Hutson said she showed up in front of the civil service commission in support of Morales to get the termination overturned. That termination was upheld.

Hutson also brings up her own history with the OIG’s office in support of Morales.

“I would remind you also that when I was a part of the Inspector General’s Office, when my message wasn’t well received, I was attacked and my employment they sought to terminate my employment and I fought against that and she’s fighting to clear her name,” Hutson said.

According to the records from the civil service commission. Morales’ lack of truthfulness could call into question her ability to testify in any hearing.

“Assistant Sheriff Morales does not conduct investigations,” Hutson said. “There’s nothing for her to testify to. So, Assistant Sheriff Morales supervises the investigators, and they conduct the investigations.”

This is something the Metropolitan Crime Commission finds concerning.

“So she was terminated as an investigator. As an investigator, if you don’t have honesty, if you don’t have truthfulness, your credibility is forever tainted,” Goyeneche said.

Edward Michel, New Orleans inspector general, issued the following statement:

“While the Office of Inspector General cannot comment on the substance of pending litigation, we refer you to the unanimous Civil Service Commission decision and the unanimous opinion of the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal issued today, both of which are publicly available and which affirmed the termination for cause of Kristen Morales as an investigator with the Office of Inspector General.”

Morales’ attorney issued the following statement regarding her termination being upheld:

“We appreciate the Court’s time and attention to this matter but are disappointed in the ruling. The opinion failed to address key facts and important elements were missed in the application of the law. We are exploring our options moving forward in response to the ruling from the 4thCircuit and will continue to push forward our claims in the federal case pending in the Eastern District of Louisiana. This case at its foundation is about retaliation and abuse of authority by the OIG and we will continue to fight to expose the truth.”

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