Louisiana and Judge Perez
December 13, 1997
He was a father-figure of Plaquemines Parish, LA. The school children “loved” him so much that they dropped their pennies into penny jars at school for him. The pennies were melted and made into a statue in the likeness of Judge Perez, which today is thought to stand in the overgrown Park in Belle Chasse, LA. About all that can be seen of the old Park and the old Perez home is an overgrown wrought iron and brick fence north of the British Petroleum storage facility along Highway 23. Behind some overgrown shrubs, a wooden sign reads: “Leander Perez Memorial Park.” Yes, Judge Perez was loved by the citizens of the parish, but he was also a most hated and feared leader. Folks around these parts did not have neutral feelings about the man - they either loved or hated him. But most folks likely lived in some fear of the judge. When they spoke critically of him, they did so in whispers. He was a virtual dictator of the parish with almost unlimited power over the people and finances. He operated the Parish almost as a separate nation - refusing any state and federal funds to the parish. Maybe he understood that he would lose some control of the parish if he accepted outside funding.
This story was told by our friend, Michael Guidry, the refuge officer at the Delta National Wildlife Refuge in Venice, LA. Mike’s dad once decided to send Mike’s three sisters to an integrated Catholic School. To put it mildly, the judge was not a great friend of the blacks. When he found out about Mike’s dad’s decision, the judge apparently enlisted the help of this son who was the District Attorney. The District Attorney suggested that Mike’s sisters might not be best served by going to school with black kids. But Mike’s dad stubbornly refused the “advice” and apparently incurred the ill will of the judge and his “gang.” The Catholic School was mysteriously firebombed and destroyed. Another of Mike’s relatives who supposedly was not a Perez supporter during a particular election was fired from his job and that job was given to another relative who was a Perez man.
In 1965 hurricane Betsy struck Plaquemines Parish. Mike’s family had evacuated the area to ride out the storm up in Belle Chasse - about 65 miles north of Venice. The storm was so bad that it sank a dredge in the Mississippi River channel, killing 12 and closing the channel to ships. Mike joined with volunteers to help find victims and to begin the clean-up process. They rode in army trucks over logs and trash that covered the highway after the water subsided. “It was the roughest ride of my life,” he claimed.
Afterward, to show his appreciation for the efforts of volunteers, Judge Perez invited the volunteers to his home in Belle Chasse for coffee and donuts. “Y’all done good,” the judge said to the white volunteers inside his home. The blacks got their coffee and donuts in the yard - they were not allowed in the house. Mike remembers the Judge as a fellow with a medium build, heavy eyebrows and a big cigar that appeared to be permanently planted in his mouth. Mike also remembers how embarrassed he was for the black volunteers. “My dad did not raise me to be a racist,” he said.
When civil rights advocates threatened a march on Plaquemines Parish, Judge Perez informed them that he would find them housing in the parish prison located in old Fort Phillips across the Mississippi from Fort Jackson if they appeared in “his” Parish. Apparently, they believed the Judge and decided to march elsewhere.
Near the entrance to the offices of the Delta Wildlife Preserve, is a harbor containing shrimp boats. Back in the 1960's it served as boat slip for the “Manta” - a yacht owned by the parish. Of course, the “Manta” often served as the judge’s personal yacht for entertaining and hunting in the marshes and swamps of the area. It was also probably used for the judge to check his oil wells that were pumping oil from the judge’s marshes. Yes, the judge owned thousands of acres of the marsh, so he also owned the oil under it. How did a judge come to own so much land? Some say that he stole it! Eighty-year-old Joseph (Joe) Hamann now lives in a simple, white, wood frame house beside the harbor where the judge once kept his yacht. “Judge Perez stole this land from me” claimed Mr. Hamann. The National Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) obtained a perpetual lease on the land from the judge. “I am trying to reclaim my land through the process of squatters rights and adverse possession.” The FWS has issued several orders for Mr. Hamann to move his home from the “Government land” but he refuses. Not wanting any adverse publicity, the FWS has not evicted Mr. Hamann and a stalemate exists. Consequently, Joe Hamann continues to live illegally on land that was apparently stolen from him. Maybe there is justice after all!
The ghost of Judge Leander Perez still haunts Plaquemines Parish. The “Fruit and Land Company” owns much of the land in the Parish. This company was established by Judge Perez and must now be owned by his descendants. Thus from the grave, Judge Perez still makes his presence known to Plaquemines Parish. According to Pon Dixson - Refuge Manager for the Delta National Wildlife Refuge - “The Judge was so crooked that he could put straight nails in his pocket and they would come out cork screws. If you die and see pearly gates, streets of gold, flowers, and Leander Perez - you’re not where you think you are.”
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