Abbeville teen found not guilty of murder

On Wednesday evening a jury of 12 persons returned a verdict of not guilty in the matter of the State of Louisiana vs. Roland Bernard, III. Bernard, now 18, was charged with second degree murder in the 2009 death of Kendrick Plowden.

“It’s always a tragedy when someone dies as a result of a crime of violence but it’s even more tragic when government authorities bring serious charges against a young person who only had circumstantial involvement with some of the people who more than likely participated in the original crime,” commented Bernard’s attorney Burton Guidry.

When Bernard was arrested, he was 16 years old.

Bernard was first believed to have been the person who sprayed Plowden’s vehicle with bullets from a .45-caliber pistol.

One of those bullets is said to have hit Plowden in the back of the neck as he attempted to drive away.

But the state could not prove Bernard was the shooter.

“Roland Bernard, III, was innocent. The jury followed the law and made their decision based on the evidence or lack thereof and we thank them,” said Guidry. “This trial was an example of how the justice system is supposed to work.”

Guidry is a defense and personal injury attorney in Abbeville, Louisiana. He has 30 years of experience in the legal system and was formerly a prosecutor for the criminal division of the Attorney General’s office.