Anne Breaud files federal civil rights suit against Mayor Cantrell

New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell is facing yet another legal challenge.

Anne Breaud, the woman who photographed Cantrell and her former bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie, dining outside at a French Quarter restaurant, filed a federal civil rights petition filed this morning against Cantrell.

"The mayor is named. The New Orleans Police Department (and) the mayor's chief of staff, Clifton Davis, is named," Metropolitan Crime Commission CEO Rafael Goyaneche said, adding that that three police officers who are being investigated for allegedly giving private information about Breaud to Cantrell are also named in the suit.

Goyaneche told WWL's Dave Cohen that Breaud's complaint is tied to Cantrell's failed attempt to get a restraining order against Breaud.

"She'll have to make statements. She's not made any public statements since she filed her petition in civil court," Goyaneche said, noting that Cantrell will be forced to testify under oath. "Not only has she not made any statements in court, she didn't appear in civil court to defend the petition that she filed in her own proper person."

An Orleans Parish judge dismissed the case and ordered Cantrell to pay Breaud's attorney's fees after finding that Cantrell's claims that Breaud was stalking her were false. Goyaneche believes Davis is listed as a defendant because Breaud's attorney, Justin Schmidt, believes he may have had a role in drafting Cantrell's petition.

"She did it in her capacity as LaToya Cantrell, private citizen, not as the mayor of the city of New Orleans, but Anne Breaud's attorney is alleging that the petition was prepared by her chief of staff, Clifton Davis," Goyaneche said.