House committee advances bill creating prison medical oversight panel
Amendments adopted by the committee would require prison officials on the panel and remove its power to sign off on medical director hires.
Category: Criminal Justice
Susan Hutson sworn in as sheriff
Hutson, who ran on a reform platform, defeated longtime incumbent Marlin Gusman in last year’s election.
Bill limiting co-pays for prison health care fails to advance out of committee
Committee members were split on the measure in spite of a compromise reached between advocates and DOC.
Public meeting scheduled on controversial Phase III jail facility
The meeting is being held as part of a FEMA review process, which the city says has caused delays in pre-construction work.
Vera Institute proposes additional spending on prevention, rather than arrests and prosecution, to tackle violent crime
Group says the city should use federal funds for mental health treatment, violence intervention programming.
Judge threatens contempt for city officials over Phase III delays
The judge said he will likely give the city until mid-May to complete a required FEMA report.
Sponsor defers bill ending medical co-pays for prisoners
After DOC objections, New Orleans legislator says she will work out a compromise, which could result in reduced, rather than eliminated, medical fees for some.
Judge, DOJ, civil rights attorneys not buying city’s claim that FEMA is delaying Phase III
The city was ordered to submit documents proving that FEMA requires additional public engagement prior to construction of the jail facility. A federal judge said the documents produced “simply do not support that contention.”
After city contract solicitation produced only two bidders, panel recommends city stay with current jail health vendor
The selection of Wellpath for the multimillion-dollar contract came in spite of criticism from incoming Sheriff Susan Hutson, who takes office next month. The committee vote means the Cantrell administration is now free to negotiate a final contract.
Despite campaign promises and settlement agreement, DA Jason Williams appears to lack a written policy on turning over evidence
The lack of a policy may violate a legal settlement, and public defenders and the Innocence Project New Orleans say a lack of policy could lead to wrongful convictions
