LAPLACE — The decision of U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier still stands as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has decided to uphold the judgment of the district court in the whistleblower lawsuit filed against St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre by his former chief deputy.

The lawsuit was filed by Tregg Wilson, who claimed his July 10, 2013, termination was due to him raising questions in May 2013 about three interrogation rooms used by the criminal investigative division of the Sheriff’s Office.

Wilson, who practiced as an attorney before becoming chief deputy in 2012, said he saw potential legal problems with the recording devices, because they may be motion-activated and the rooms were used for suspects to meet with their lawyers.

Wilson filed a federal whistleblower lawsuit against Tregre, who said the now-removed equipment was installed by his predecessor and he was unaware it was there until shortly before Wilson filed his suit.

The district court’s Sept. 11 decision was upheld in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals summary, filed May 22, which states the “district court’s denial of Wilson’s request was not an abuse of discretion.”