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Behind The Lens episode 194: ‘I became the pied piper: Folks can vote! Folks can vote!’

The Lens sits down with the VERA Institute of Justice and VOTE, Voice of the Experienced, to speak about the alleged exclusion of people with felony convictions from serving on juries in several Louisiana parishes despite a 2021 law change.
by Carolyne Heldman

This week on Behind The Lens, the Orleans Parish Criminal Court has allegedly been illegally excluding people with felony convictions from serving on juries for the last year and half. Now, the court has suspended jury trials through the end of the month.

Norris Henderson and Anisha Shetty from Voice of The Experienced and Will Snowden, director of the Vera Institute of Justice, join Lens reporter Nick Chrastil and host Carolyne Heldman.

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Carolyne Heldman

Carolyne Heldman has been in media for 35 years, most recently as Executive Director at an NPR member station in Colorado where she was responsible for new multi-platform content initiatives, strategic planning, research, branding, and non-traditional revenue generation. During her tenure she also created and launched four weekly news, public affairs and cultural affairs programs and monthly live Town Hall broadcasts. Heldman moved to New Orleans last summer with her husband and canine companion and they live happily in The Marigny.

View all posts by Carolyne Heldman