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ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. (WGNO) — A judge has signed a temporary restraining order stopping St. Tammany Parish Coroner Dr. Christopher Tape from cutting the parish’s sexual assault exam program, according to the STAR, Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response Center.
The temporary restraining order comes after a lawsuit filed by three Louisiana coroners and STAR.
On March 24, the St. Tammany Legislative Delegation wrote a letter stating they will “pursue all options in the legislature” to stop Tape from eliminating the SANE Program.
In the letter, the legislators wrote they are continuing their call for Tape’s resignation after he “unilaterally decided” to cut the program and its employees.
“Cutting the SANE program in St. Tammany will leave thousands of survivors without access to highly trained forensic examiners. The decision to cut the SANE program is a grave disservice to survivors of sexual assault in those parishes,” the letter reads.
When Tape took office on March 25, he said he wouldn’t be resigning, despite lawmakers with the Northshore Legislative Delegation saying he is unfit for the job because of child sexual abuse charges brought against him more than 20 years ago.
On March 28, Tape said he would reconsider bringing the SANE Program back following the filing of a lawsuit by the STAR, Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response Center and three Louisiana coroners.
In a news release, Tape said, “I’m willing to re-launch the program for a trial period while allowing the other parishes and agencies involved to develop alternative plans.”
On Wednesday, officials with STAR announced the filing of the temporary restraining order that requires Tape to keep the program going for the time being.
STAR officials said the lawsuit “seeks to require Dr. Tape to hold to the state-mandated plan for treating sexual assault victims in the Region 9 Parishes: St. Tammany Parish, Washington Parish, Tangipahoa Parish, St. Helena Parish, and Livingston Parish.”
According to a news release, “STAR also alleged that Dr. Tape violated a Memorandum of Understanding that provided STAR-trained advocates to assist victims of sexual assault in the Region 9 Parishes.”
STAR officials said a hearing on the injunction was scheduled for April 8.
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