Abbeville's Paul Breaux reaches plea agreement for stabbing elderly man while he slept

The trial of Paul Wayne Breaux was over before it even began on Wednesday.

Breaux never admitted to stabbing Lucian Marks but took a plea agreement as the possible jurors were being selected. Eleven of the jurors were selected when the agreement was made between Breaux’s attorney and the state’s prosecution team.

The trial was expected to begin at 1 p.m. on Wednesday after the 12 jurors were selected.

Assistant district attorney Laurie Hulin was the state’s attorney while Louis Garrott was Breaux’s attorney.

His agreement was that he could spend no more than 15 years in prison. If he had not pled and rolled the dice with a trial, he could have been found guilty of attempted first degree murder and received up to 50 years in jail.

Sentencing will occur at a later date.

Breaux was on trial for attempted first degree murder.

Breaux has been in jail since the stabbing occurred on July 10, 2009.

What made this trial interesting is the condition Breaux was in when he stabbed Marks, who was sleeping at the time of the stabbing.

The crime occurred while Marks, then 75 years old, was sleeping in his bed located on 211 Lamar Street in Abbeville.

Breaux is Marks’ nephew and had a key to Marks’ house.

One night, after a heavy night of drinking, Breaux came into Marks’ house and stabbed him. Marks woke up and saw Breaux on top of him.

Bleeding from the stomach and back, Marks went into the living room where the two had a conversation about what just occurred.

Breaux attempted to call 911 but dialed it wrong because of his intoxication. The Abbeville Police arrived, along with Acadian Ambulance. Marks, still bleeding, explained to the officers what occurred and Breaux was arrested and charged with attempted first degree murder. His bond was set at $500,000.

A few days before the stabbing, Marks, his wife, Elsie and Breaux visited the Abbeville Police Station and filed a complaint against Abbeville attorney Kevin Rees. Breaux, who hired Rees, accused Rees of stealing $60,000 from him.

The stabbing occurred on a Friday morning. The Monday before, Breaux learned Rees allegedly forged his name on an insurance settlement check for $60,000 without him knowing a settlement was reached.

Breaux and Marks went to the police station that same day to file a complaint against Rees.

According to what Marks said in a story written by the Meridional on August 25, 2009, the news of the check signing outraged Breaux and caused him to drink alcohol for a few nights. He was drunk when the police arrested him for the stabbing.

“I really think the stabbing occurred because of the attorney,” Marks said in the story. “He may not have gotten drunk.”

Breaux and Marks learned of the settlement check from an attorney in Lafayette, who wanted to know if they had received the check. Breaux said Rees had contacted them and they were waiting for him to call about the settlement check. The call never came.