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.
Category
Criminal Justice
Asking why and how, and what needs to be done.
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.
Part 1: The Strange Career of Judge Frank Shea
The first in a four-part series on the life and career of Criminal District Court Judge Frank Shea.
Judge awards Lens $30,000 in attorney’s fees for fake subpoena records suit
The lawsuit has stretched on for nearly three years.
DA's lawyer gets tough questions from judges in appeal on fake subpoena case
"Faking a subpoena is clearly improper under the law," one judge said.
Civil rights lawyers in federal bail suit ask judge to hold New Orleans Magistrate Harry Cantrell in contempt of court
Lawyers say that in spite of a legal agreement, Cantrell still fails to consider defendants' ability to pay. In a second motion, they are asking for him to stop setting cash bail altogether.
In final vote, council approves use of Temporary Detention Center for inmates with acute mental health needs
The ordinance also creates an inmate cap of 1,250, replacing the 1,438 bed cap.
