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.
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
One bill would create a prison medical advisory council. The other would eliminate prisoner co-pays.
City now says FEMA is causing delays.
Wellpath has held the contract, worth millions per year, since 2014.
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.
A panel of appeals court judges appeared skeptical of the city’s arguments.
A similar bill last year was voted down in committee.
Jury trials have come almost to a complete halt over the past two years, creating a massive backlog of cases.
The Jerome “Big Duck” Smith Justice System Advisory committee was tasked with advising the council on criminal justice spending and policies.
