BRPD Chief Murphy Paul involved in ‘heated exchange’ with local business owner

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul got into what is described as a ‘heated exchange’ with the former employer of murder victim Allie Rice at a local restaurant on Friday, July 14, sources confirm.

Rice, 21, was found shot to death inside her car, near the train tracks on Government Street, early in the morning on Friday, September 16.

Rice had worked for The Shed BBQ on Burbank Drive near LSU. One of the owners, Chez Ciccone has been an outspoken critic of Chief Paul and what he has called a ‘lack of transparency’ regarding the investigation.

Sources say Ciccone and the chief had words about a failure to return Ciccone’s calls about the investigation.

Ciccone claims that he and Paul got into a verbal argument about the matter. Ciccone said he was later asked to leave the restaurant he was dining in for lunch.

“I just said you’re (Paul) not a good man, you’re not a good person, and under your leadership, Baton Rouge is experiencing the worst crime in its history, so leave me alone,” said Ciccone to WAFB on Tuesday.

Reached by phone, Chief Murphy Paul refused to comment specifically on the incident in question, telling 9NEWS that he is currently out of town.

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