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Author Archives: Nick Chrastil
Nicholas Chrastil covers criminal justice for The Lens. As a freelancer, his work has appeared in Slate, Undark, Mother Jones, and the Atavist, among other outlets. Chrastil has a master's degree in mass communication from Louisiana State University, where his research focused on New Orleans' newspapers during the Reconstruction era. During his time at LSU, he also covered the Louisiana state legislature as part of the Manship Statehouse Bureau. He is a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Orleans DA’s review of split-jury convictions has slowed since last year, but office maintains it’s making progress
After vacating 22 cases at once a month into Williams’ tenure, the reviews are now more individualized. The head of the Civil Rights Division now says the office can’t commit to vacating all non-unanimous cases.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Bill filed at legislature aims to grant new trials to people in prison with non-unanimous convictions
A similar bill last year was voted down in committee.
Posted inCriminal Justice
With jury trials set to begin again in March, New Orleans criminal court prepares for huge volume of cases
Jury trials have come almost to a complete halt over the past two years, creating a massive backlog of cases.
Posted inCriminal Justice
After George Floyd’s murder, the New Orleans City Council created a committee to hear from ‘historically marginalized communities.’ It never met.
The Jerome “Big Duck” Smith Justice System Advisory committee was tasked with advising the council on criminal justice spending and policies.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Louisiana Supreme Court to hear case that could determine fate of hundreds convicted by split juries
The court will consider a 25-year-old murder case decided by a 10-2 jury.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Sheriff-elect Susan Hutson files opposition to Phase III in appellate court
Hutson says her reforms will bring mental health care into compliance with consent decree without requiring new facility.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Brandon Jackson, convicted of armed robbery in split-jury vote, granted parole
Jackson was the subject of an investigation by The Lens and Al Jazeera Fault Lines into the ongoing legacy of the state’s split-jury verdict law, years after it was repealed.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Brandon Jackson, convicted in split-jury verdict in Bossier Parish, to go before parole board on Friday
Jackson is one of hundreds of people still locked up more than three years after non-unanimous jury verdicts were outlawed in the state.
Posted inCriminal Justice
In trial over conditions at state prison, Tulane psychiatry chair says mental health care is ‘adequate’
Dr. John Thompson was called by the defense this week, the fourth week of a month-long trial in the class-action suit.