Man: Flier, not pizza, sparked flap

• By KIMBERLY VETTER
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Sep 16, 2008 - Page: 4B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

Metro Councilman Byron Sharper’s brother denied allegations Monday that he was disturbing the peace outside the East Baton Rouge Parish Emergency Operations Center earlier this month.

Robb K. Sharper said the misdemeanor summons he was issued Sept. 5 was “all about the flier,” which alleges Mayor-President Kip Holden had an affair and was beaten by the woman’s husband.

Holden, who denies the allegations in the flier, has said Robb Sharper handed out copies of the flier when they started circulating in July.

“I had nothing to do with it,” Robb Sharper said.

Robb Sharper said he did not disturb the peace at the center on Harding Boulevard, but did get upset with a member of Holden’s security detail.

Police claim Sharper yelled and cursed at officers after being questioned about defrauding Domino’s Pizza and being told not to return to the center.

Sharper allegedly took 50 pizzas meant for first responders and others at the center during and after Hurricane Gustav, Sgt. Don Kelly has said.

The pizzas were handed out from a mobile kitchen in the center parking lot.

When Sharper claimed he was being harassed by officers about the pizzas, the officer with Holden’s security detail accused Sharper of doing the harassing by handing out the fliers, Sharper said.

Sharper, who told Domino’s employees he was going to deliver the food to area nursing homes, later admitted he took the food to people in his brother’s district, Kelly said.

Byron Sharper, a Democrat, is running for re-election in District 7 and has six challengers.

He did not return a phone call made Monday to his office.

Robb Sharper said he didn’t know the pizzas were for first responders and he gave them to people in need, no matter where they lived.