WEST FELICIANA — After 24 years as district attorney for East and West Feliciana, Sam D'Aquilla is stepping into a new role as judge.

His second-in-command, Bruce Dodd, will take over temporarily until a new DA is elected and sworn in next year.

"All I want to do is keep the boat pointed in the same direction," Bruce Dodd said. "We're not changing anything of personnel or the direction cases are going. If it ain't broke, you don't fix it."

But some things will have to change as potential conflicts of interest may arise with the former lead prosecutor, Sam, now acting as judge.

D'Aquilla enters the new role with several notable pending cases, including Thomas Morris, the prime suspect in the disappearance of two women; Richard Parsons, a former St. Francisville police officer charged with negligent homicide in the death of Renee Hinze; and Jacob Mansell, a father accused of raping one of his children.

D'Aquilla says he will recuse himself in any cases where he served as D.A.

"Any new cases that come up, I'll be able to handle them as judge in January 2027," Sam D'Aquilla said. "If there's any conflict cases or any pending cases, those cases are going to be transferred to the other judge, which is going to increase her caseload. Additionally, we may have to have an ad hoc judge to come in to handle those cases."

Another potential conflict involves the DA's race itself. Prominent defense attorney Cy D'Aquila—distant relative to Sam—will face off against prosecutor Ken Fabre.

One of the most contested cases currently pending in West Feliciana involves one of Cy's clients, Jacob Mansell. Cy has been openly critical of how Sam handled the case.

If Cy wins the DA's race, the question becomes what happens to the Mansell case or any other cases he was involved in. Cy told the WBRZ Investigative Unit over the phone that if he wins, he will have to recuse himself, just as Sam will have to do as judge.

The DA's election is Nov. 3. The winner will be sworn in in January.