At the heart of the fiasco called Brexit was a dark force all too familiar over here: racism
Author Archives: Matt Davis
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
Macondo and your money: Shareholders seen as key force in curbing carbon pollution
Pension funds are waking up to the financial risks of ignoring the climate risks posed by Big Oil.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Poorer communities continue to suffer lack of broadband access — and related opportunity
The Lens is reposting this story, first published March 23, in light of news that The Times-Picayune will be cutting back to three published newspapers a week, focusing its efforts instead on online reporting. The accompanying map shows the wide swaths of the city where broadband internet access is not prevalent — meaning people there […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Public Defender says sheriff doesn't provide place for attorney, clients to meet privately
A new temporary jail built by Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman shows he is not serious about providing inmates with their constitutional right to private visits with their attorneys, according to a request for an injunction filed this morning. The Orleans Parish Public Defender’s Office filed the request in Civil District Court, alleging that Gusman […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
New evidence suggests man convicted of murder wasn't at crime scene, attorneys say
Despite his confession, attorneys say recently discovered police records show a man with an IQ of 59 should have been cleared in 1980 murder case.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Gusman close to releasing city money
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman appears ready to release millions of dollars he has been withholding for city building projects from a powerful agency he controls. Gusman held a meeting of the Orleans Parish Law Enforcement District this afternoon, which effectively works as Gusman’s piggy bank for […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Inmate stabbed 14 times, deputy beaten with broomstick in separate OPP incidents
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | A pair of December incidents at the Orleans Parish Prison draw continued attention to security risks faced by inmates and staff at the facility. In the first incident, an inmate suffered 14 stab wounds. In the second, an inmate broke out of his cell, snapped a broomstick […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Broken records: Sheriff not complying with open-records requests for documents
Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman has been ignoring a series of public records requests filed with his office by The Lens. Under the state Public Records Act, Gusman is required to turn over the public records immediately, or within three days if they are in active use. But four public records requests dating back to […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Investigations
Sheriff's wife earns thousands through no-bid deal handed out by judge
A personal friendship led Municipal Court’s chief judge to give Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman’s wife a no-bid deal worth more than $28,000 over the past 10 months for part-time work.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
NORD Commission picks new director; interim chief kept after national search
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | The New Orleans Recreation Development Commission tonight appointed interim director Vic Richard as its new chief executive after a special hearing where the four finalists were interviewed. All but one member of the commission, Bobby Garron, who abstained, voted for Richard’s appointment. The commission hired a headhunter […]