BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – The EBR district attorney plans to seek the death penalty against Gad Black, the man accused of following, targeting, and driving into a police sergeant riding his patrol bike.
Black reportedly rammed his vehicle into the marked motorcycle, knocking Sgt. Caleb Eisworth off the bike, and then dragged the officer for more than 500 feet.
The arrest report showed that Black told investigating officers that he had a deep-rooted hatred for law enforcement.
Sgt. Eisworth, a 23-year veteran of the force, was on his way home from work when he was hit. He was hospitalized after that crash and died months later.
Black was initially charged with attempted first-degree murder of a police officer, hate crimes, and resisting an officer.
The charge was later upgraded to first-degree murder.
In December, he was found competent to stand trial and later appeared in court virtually to plead not guilty.
D.A. Hillar Moore filed in court Tuesday, providing notice that the state plans to seek the death penalty.
The Attorney General’s office released this statement:
According to Murrill’s office, the LADOJ will be assisting with the case.
Black was in court on Monday, April 13, for another sanity hearing. He made several outbursts, yelling about justice, freedom, and calling himself God.
Black also demanded to represent himself in court.
Reports show Black was previously diagnosed with Schizophrenia. He will have another competency hearing before the case moves forward.
The next court date is set for May 21.
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