Sign this petition to ensure Farmerville police department do their jobs and arrest the appropriate individuals involved in this tragedy. 

 

#JusticeForChris
This is Christopher Gilbert.
Christopher is affectionately known by those who know and love him as “Chris”. Chris is pictured below in his cap and gown, proudly holding his earned degree in hand. Chris graduated from Louisiana Tech University in May of 2023, with his Masters of Science in Biology. He is a light to anyone that meets him. 

On the evening of Sunday, April 14th, 2024, Chris and a number of “friends” traveled to Rhett’s Tail and Shells, located in Farmerville, Louisiana. Rhett’s is located on Lake Darbonne as many people go to enjoy the views and advantages of the water. The group from our understanding, intended to eat and drink there. However, the results of this outing, ended with Chris being submerged underwater for nearly twenty minutes and is currently fighting for his life in ICU. 

What was initially told to officers of Farmerville Police Department, was that Chris fell on his own into Lake Darbonne. However, later on that night an individual within the “friend” group, a white female, who we believe to be around the same age as Chris, admitted to pushing him into the water. Despite what we consider as a confession of a crime, NO ARREST HAVE BEEN MADE. This has left his mom, Ms. Yolanda George and the family heartbroken and devastated. 

*To add insult to injury, after pushing him, NO ONE FROM THE “FRIEND GROUP” attempted to go in after him. Instead, two brave bystanders, who have no relationship to Chris, heard commotion and retrieved his body from the lake. 

In an attempt to not have to bring this to social media. I have personally talked to Ofc. Guillot with FPD in hopes of encouraging an arrest, which could and should be made simply from what has been documented in THEIR REPORTS. Unfortunately, Ofc. Guillot told me that he doesn’t feel his investigation has yielded anything sufficient enough to make an arrest. Ofc. Guillot also stated that he didn’t feel he had enough to prove intent �. That position is absolutely insane! An officer’s burden to make an arrest is not to prove any element of any crime. Proving intent is not their job or duty! Instead, they only need probable cause that a crime took place. Which is clear. However, if proving elements were needed and in consideration of her confession, attempted negligent homicide and second degree battery is here! Lastly, he expressed a desire to “hear chris’ side of the story” before forming any conclusions. Which is the most absurd thing I’ve heard in a long time. Why? Because Chris can not talk, he is not breathing on his own and there is no positive opinion about his recovery at the moment. 

Despite what may be thought of our office and my practice. I respect and appreciate law enforcement, especially when they do their job as they should. I’ve exhausted every legal and procedural explanation as to why an arrest has not been made. However, and I DON’T hate to mention this, my belief is that if this had been a white female on an outing with her non-white friends, and she was pushed into a lake by her black-male friend, WHO LATER ADMITTED TO DOING SO, and she was currently fighting for her life, the black male friend would have been arrested as soon as he admitted to pushing her.

Contrary to what Rhett’s Tails and Shells have prematurely posted on their business page; this is not a job well done by law enforcement, the appropriate safety precautions where not made by the business, and the condition of Chris is severe. The post itself was utterly insensitive to his condition shown below and the family’s trauma. 

While my office has been retained to represent the family civilly, nothing else is needed for any law enforcement agency within this jurisdiction to make an arrest. Our office would like the community’s support in requesting that the Farmerville Police Department, and or the Union Parish Sheriff's Office make an arrest of the known individual who pushed Chris into the lake. 

 

Drafted and written by Claudia Payne, the attorney retained to represent the family.