As courts move to videoconferences, a fight for public access
Watchdog group says that public access is a “constitutional and traditional right, especially during these critical times.”
Category
Criminal Justice
Orleans Juvenile Court closed due to potential coronavirus exposure
Juvenile public defender worries that juveniles will languish in detention without hearings.
Nicholas Chrastil joins Lens’ reporting staff
Nick covers criminal justice affairs and his reporting is featured in our Section G Project.
Sheriff’s Office says it has released 23 inmates in response to coronavirus crisis
Defenders office, advocacy groups have warned about the potential dangers of incarceration during the outbreak.
Louisiana Supreme Court affirms that map of city surveillance cameras is public information
A public defender sued last year after the city denied her request for surveillance camera location data.
As calls for release of inmates increase, DA’s office argues against bond reductions, saying defendants could spread virus if freed
Defense attorneys say city's jail is a dangerous environment during an outbreak.
Public defenders urge NOPD to suspend non-violent, low-level arrests
The office said that low-level arrests have continued in spite of coronavirus threat.
Public defenders request the release of all non-violent offenders in jail due to coronavirus
The city’s public defenders say detainees need reliable access to soap and hand-sanitizer.
The Section G Podcast episode 3: The cauldron
Some grew to love it. Others — ones who threatened to slow-up the breakneck pace of proceedings — weren’t allowed to practice in his courtroom at all.
The Section G Project Part 2: An Oral History of Section G
Part 2 in our series on the life and career of New Orleans Judge Frank Shea during the rise of mass incarceration.
