Lafourche Parish District Attorney Kristine Russell announced a Morgan City man charged with 2nd Degree Murder pled guilty as charged as his trial was set to begin in Lafourche parish, citing “I’m just doing what I feel is the right thing to do.”
Louis Foret, 31, shot the victim, Chance Benoit, multiple times at the victim’s home in Thibodaux. An investigation conducted by the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office revealed that Foret went to the victim’s home on a February night in 2021. After the two talked for a while, Foret began physically assaulting the victim. The violent attack progressed, and the victim was shot dead.
Jury selection for the trial began on Tuesday, January 31st, with the trial set to begin Wednesday, February 1st. Moments before opening statements, Louis Foret instructed his attorney that he wished to change his plea from not guilty to guilty as charged of 2nd Degree Murder.
“We took no position on the plea as we cannot prevent him from exercising his constitutional right to enter into the plea of guilty,” said Assistant District Attorney Jason Chatagnier, who prosecuted the case along with Assistant District Attorney Melody Bridgewater. “We were prepared to proceed with the trial. This plea, though, yielded the same results that a guilty verdict from a trial would yield. Our goal was to obtain justice, and we feel we have achieved that.”
2nd Degree Murder carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.
In addition to his plea of guilty, Foret waived his formal sentencing date and wished to be sentenced immediately. The Honorable Rebecca Robichaux, who presided over the proceeding, handed down the mandatory life sentence.
Louis Foret remains at the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex until such time he is transferred to the Louisiana Department of Corrections.