After halting Criminal Court jury trials, hearing reveals new details on juror summons
Lawyers and advocates argue jurors with felony convictions have been improperly excluded from jury pools.
Category
Criminal Justice
Asking why and how, and what needs to be done.
Jury trials in New Orleans criminal court halted through February
Eligible jurors may have been excluded as far back as Aug. 2021 when a new state law went into effect.
State appellate court orders hearing on whether New Orleans criminal court has been illegally excluding people with felony convictions from serving on juries
Previous convictions could be challenged pending the outcome of the hearing.
New Orleans trial put on hold as appellate court considers whether people with felony convictions are being illegally excluded from jury service
The state law was changed in 2021.
Mayor’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention has ceased most operations
The city says employees will be rehired once a new fiscal agent is approved.
Conditions at a north Louisiana prison were found unconstitutional. A trial starts next week to determine what should be done.
The prison says it has made substantial improvements to conditions and mental health care, but civil rights attorneys say prisoners are still suffering.
Phase III jail facility likely much costlier than expected, renewing calls for alternatives
City officials say that FEMA regulations require them to rebid the project.
Many criminal defendants deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial are languishing in parish jails, despite being ordered care at state hospital
The health department says that they are working to address delays in admissions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
State seeks to dismiss lawsuit over youth at Angola, as attorneys push for more access and information
Eight kids are currently being held at the Angola facility, state officials say.
Federal judge nixes Sheriff Hutson’s proposed consent decree NDA
The judge said that giving the sheriff sole authority to determine what is and isn’t confidential information related to the case was “never going to happen.”
