Southern Poverty Law Center

Sheriff asking to make the city a co-defendant in prison lawsuit

Inmates at the Temporary Detention Center sleep in dormitory-style bunks. Photo by Tom Gogola

Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman is trying to spread anticipated financial pain at his jail complex to Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s administration. Gusman’s attorneys filed papers Friday with U.S. District Judge Lance Africk seeking to include the city as a third-party defendant in an ongoing lawsuit alleging that Gusman has been running an unconstitutional, unsafe jail rife with brutality, understaffing and other problems.

On Friday, the city said that the move by Gusman was part of the plan all along.

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Coalition urges mayor to 'man up' and fulfill promises on jail size and budget reforms

By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer |

A reform coalition, calling for a smaller, more accountably budgeted jail, dropped off two copies of a 2,200-signature petition at City Hall this afternoon, having grown impatient with Mayor Mitch Landrieu for failing to “man up” on the issue. “I think the mayor just needs to step up,” said Orleans Parish Prison Reform Coalition member Norris Henderson, who also runs the reform group Voice of The Ex-Offender.

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Giant billboard targets jail per diems; DOJ to attend public meeting on Tuesday

By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer |

The Department Of Justice has accepted an invitation to a community forum next week hosted by a reform coalition, which aims to encourage the department to finally take legal action against Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman over jail conditions. Department of Justice attorney Regina Jansen has accepted the invitation from the Orleans Parish Prison Reform Coalition, said coalition member Norris Henderson, who also runs the reform group Voice of The Ex-Offender.

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