Louisiana lawmaker under house arrest

NEW ORLEANS, July 29 (UPI) -- A federal judge ordered Louisiana state Sen. Derrick Shepherd to wear an electronic monitor but refused Tuesday to revoke his bail.

At a hearing in New Orleans, U.S. Magistrate Louis Moore said Shepherd must get permission for any trips away from home except to go to work or church, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reported. Shepherd must also stay away from a woman he allegedly assaulted.

At the hearing, the woman changed her story about what allegedly happened during the weekend. On Saturday, she had told police in Jefferson Parish Shepherd broke down her door, assaulted her and left with her BlackBerry wireless communications device and a $100 bill. In court, however, she said she made up the story because she was angry with him.

Bond was set at $5,000 after Shepherd was charged with allegedly helping an insurance broker, Gwen Moyo, launder $141,000 in checks. Her accounts had been frozen by the state Department of Insurance.