Civil rights lawsuit over fake subpoenas, witness arrests allowed to go forward, judge rules
Judge denies much of Cannizzaro's motion to dismiss the suit, which alleges systematic civil rights violations.
Category
Criminal Justice
Asking why and how, and what needs to be done.
Public defender sues city for records on surveillance camera locations
CIty denied a public records request from the defense attorney last summer, claiming it would reveal sensitive information related to terrorism prevention. But civil rights groups representing her say the cameras are, in fact, normally used for routine law enforcement and criminal prosecution.
Watch Friday’s NOPD consent decree hearing
Hearing is a "comprehensive assessment" of department's progress. The city was originally asked to broadcast it on public access but declined in a December letter to the court.
State Supreme Court denies Orleans DA’s appeal request in fake subpoena records lawsuit
Lower courts had ordered the agency to produce fake subpoenas from a 16-month window. With the high court's denial, those decisions stand.
‘Holy cow’: the powerful software behind the city’s surveillance system
Software package can track movement and identify objects and people. The suite also includes "predictive policing" software, but officials say the city isn't using it.
Habitual offender prosecutions down in New Orleans
Once the state leader in the use habitual offender sentencing enhancements, Cannizzaro’s office now lags nearby jurisdictions. The change appears related to 2017 criminal justice reform legislation.
DA to use most of city budget bump for prosecutors, not diversion program
Cantrell budget proposal says the additional funds will be spent on pretrial diversion, but DA Cannizzaro says the money will be spent on prosecutor salaries.
Cantrell traffic enforcement plan could cause problems for public defenders
Police, DA and city surveillance system get bumps in Cantrell's budget, but public defender appropriation remains steady. Decreased camera tickets could lead to lost funding for defense.
Justice reform hobbled by unhealthy dependence on bail, fines and court fees
We balance court budgets on the backs of those least able to pay.
Months after end of ‘predictive policing’ contract, Cantrell administration works on new tool to ID ‘high-risk’ residents
The researcher whose work was used in NOLA for Life, Chicago "heat list" is involved in developing the new program for Cantrell's violence reduction task force. Task force members hope the list will be used to direct residents to social services, not police.
