Louisiana police chief candidate charged with rape of two 13-year-olds likely to run unopposed
Chris Paul, a candidate for police chief of the village of Elizabeth, Louisiana, was charged in September with second-degree rape of two 13-year-old girls. His only rival has withdrawn, so he looks set to win unopposed.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Chris (Christopher) Paul, a candidate for police chief of the village of Elizabeth, Louisiana, was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree rape after being accused of raping two 13-year-old girls. NewsweekN “Christopher Paul was arrested earlier this month after being accused of raping two 13-year-olds.” Read at Newsweek ↗ New York PostR “charged with the second-degree rape of two 13-year-old girls” Read at New York Post ↗ Centre · 1Allen Parish Sheriff Doug Hebert said detectives received a complaint in early August 2026 alleging that Paul raped two girls in 2005 to 2006; a warrant was issued and Paul turned himself in on September 8. NewsweekN “detectives recently received a complaint in early August 2026 that Paul, 48, had raped two girls in 2005 to 2006”“Paul turned himself in on September 8.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2Paul is on bond, and the charges are allegations; he has not been convicted. The articles give his age as 48 (Newsweek) and 46 (New York Post). NewsweekN “A Louisiana police chief candidate who is on bond after being charged with two counts of second-degree rape” Read at Newsweek ↗ New York PostR “Chris Paul, 46, was already running” Read at New York Post ↗
Mixed · 2His only opponent, Zachary (Zach) LaCaze, withdrew on September 23 after being told he could not keep his full-time civilian security job at Fort Polk, a US Army installation, while running. NewsweekN “he was informed he could not continue his campaign while keeping his civilian security job.” Read at Newsweek ↗ New York PostR “before Lacaze pulled out of the race on Sept. 23 to avoid having to give up his full-time federal job at Fort Polk” Read at New York Post ↗ Centre · 1LaCaze wrote on Facebook that he did not want to quit but had a responsibility to his wife and son, whom his job supports. NewsweekN “My full-time job is what provides for my wife and son, and I cannot take that away from them” Read at Newsweek ↗ Right · 1With LaCaze out, Paul is unopposed in next month's election in the village of about 400 people and, according to the New York Post, is set to take office on Jan. 1. New York PostR “Lacaze’s withdrawal means Paul will run unopposed.”“Paul looks set to take office on Jan. 1.” Read at New York Post ↗
Right · 1The New York Post reports that the qualifying period has closed so Paul cannot be replaced on the ballot, and that in Louisiana only a felony conviction bars someone from public office, so the charges do not disqualify him. New York PostR “Because the qualifying period has closed, Paul cannot be replaced on the ballot.”“only those convicted of a felony offense are barred from holding public office in Louisiana” Read at New York Post ↗ Centre · 1Mayor Mandy Leo Green said in a Facebook statement that charges are allegations and not a conviction, that the accused is presumed innocent, and that neither her office nor the Board of Aldermen can alter the ballot or disqualify or remove a candidate. NewsweekN ““charges are allegations, not a conviction.””“neither the Mayor’s office nor the Board of Aldermen can alter the ballot and that they have no authority to disqualify or remove any candidate.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Right · 1The Youth Peace and Justice Foundation, started after the 2022 Robb Elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, has urged Paul to quit the race while the case is pending, and local lawmakers said they will consider whether future police chiefs could be appointed by aldermen rather than elected. New York PostR “has urged him to quit the race while his rape case is still pending.”“Local lawmakers also said they will decide if future police chiefs can be appointed by alderman, rather than through election.” Read at New York Post ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Newsweek leads on the candidate's arrest and the possibility he stays on the ballot, giving space to the mayor's statement on presumption of innocence and the limits of local authority.
- Emphasis
- Mayor's statement, sheriff's account of the complaint, LaCaze's withdrawal.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the advocacy foundation's call for Paul to quit or the proposal to make the post appointed.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The New York Post leads on the prospect of an accused child rapist becoming police chief, stressing that he is unopposed and cannot be replaced on the ballot.
- Emphasis
- Ballot rules, the unopposed race, calls to quit, and the push to make the post appointed.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not include the mayor's statement on presumption of innocence or the sheriff's account of the complaint; refers to Paul as an 'accused child rapist' in its headline.
- Charged language
- “accused child rapist”“child rape suspect”
- For example
-
“leaving the accused child rapist unopposed on the ballot” — New York Post
“Accused child rapist looks set to become small town’s new police chief” — New York Post
What every side reports
- Chris Paul, a candidate for police chief in Elizabeth, Louisiana, was arrested in early September and charged with second-degree rape of two 13-year-old girls.
- Rival Zach LaCaze withdrew on September 23 over his Fort Polk job.
- Paul has not been convicted and nothing in the reporting shows he is barred from running.
Where accounts differ
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Paul's age
- Centre
- Newsweek gives his age as 48.
- Right
- The New York Post gives his age as 46.
-
Timing of the alleged offences
- Centre
- Newsweek says the complaint alleges rapes in 2005 to 2006.
- Right
- The New York Post says the alleged rapes were 20 years ago.
Chris Paul person
Paul is charged but not convicted. The articles carry no comment from him and show him staying in the race.
“has not been convicted of any crime” — Newsweek
“Paul will run unopposed.” — New York Post
Louisiana place
Under Louisiana law only a felony conviction bars someone from office, so the charges alone do not disqualify him.
“only those convicted of a felony offense are barred from holding public office in Louisiana” — New York Post
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
-
Child Rape Suspect Set To Become Chief of Police in Louisiana
Neutral Procedural report stressing presumption of innocence and the mayor's lack of authority over the ballot.
Right1 article
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Accused child rapist looks set to become small town’s new police chief
Critical Highlights the alarming prospect of an accused child rapist becoming police chief unopposed, with advocacy calls to quit.
- 1 Oct 16:14 First NewsweekN Child Rape Suspect Set To Become Chief of Police in Louisiana
- 5 Oct 15:37 +95h 22m New York PostR Accused child rapist looks set to become small town’s new police chief
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.