By LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / Febuary 3, 1999

LAPLACE – A disturbing the peace charge against former St. John ParishSchool Board member Russ Wise was dropped, and Wise wants an apology.

Wise, who lost a bid for re-election two days after an incident at Family Cuts salon, blames the loss of that election on adverse publicity and political use of the incident.

“I felt it was a major factor, if not the cause of my losing the school board seat,” Wise commented Monday.

Wise was cited with a misdemeanor citation for disturbing the peace following an Oct. 1 incident at the salon. In that incident, Wise complainedof a “bad haircut” given to his son.

According to Wise, he instructed the salon employee as to how he wanted the child’s hair cut. When it was cut in a different style, with razor-shaving around the youngster’s ears, Wise complained.

According to the incident report, Wise was loud and abusive for at least 15 minutes. Wise, however, asserted the incident lasted less than fiveminutes. He said he was not abusive.The shop opened at 9 a.m. and Wise checked his son in at John L. OryElementary at 9:25 a.m., according to an admission slip.Wise was scheduled to appear Monday at 1 p.m. before 40th JudicialDistrict Judge Mary Hotard Becnel. When he arrived at the court house hewas told by an assistant district attorney that the charge was dropped by the complainant, salon owner Allison McDermott.

The district attorney’s office apparently only learned the charge was withdrawn on Jan. 29, despite the fact McDermott actually dropped itmonths ago.

“It should be part of somebody’s job description,” Wise said, to notify defendants in such a case. He added he lost two days of work, forarraignment and Monday’s trial date, because of the matter.

The former school board member added he was considered for a position with the regional Boy Scouts of America board but was removed from consideration because of the adverse publicity.

“It has damaged me in the community,” Wise said. He said he hoped thefact that the charges were dropped will help restore his good name.

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