The U.S. Department of Justice today released a much-anticipated, proposed consent decree to settle a lawsuit with the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office over unconstitutional jail conditions identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Department of Justice. The civil rights group sued Sheriff Marlin Gusman in April over practices and conditions at the jail. […]
Category: Criminal Justice
Posted inCriminal Justice
Impasse on jail decree: judge orders two trials, months away
Faced with a so far intractable, $14 million divide between Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s administration and Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman, U.S. Judge Lance Africk today ordered that two trials be held to determine, first, whether conditions at Orleans Parish jail are unconstitutional – and, if so, then who should pay to bring them into compliance. […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
How money stalled negotiations over Orleans jail consent decree
As negotiations stall over a consent decree to improve conditions at the Orleans Parish jail, construction continues on the nearly complete kitchen and warehouse facility (left). The Templeman V facility (foreground) is the scene of many episodes of brutality. Photo by Tom Gogola. U.S. District Judge Lance Africk has scheduled a Tuesday morning meeting between […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Investigations
State PSC considers lowering ‘sinful’ prison phone rates
Fannie McKnight can no longer accept phone calls from her son. It’s a decision she made with a heavy heart. After he was booked into Orleans Parish Prison, McKnight, 72, deposited money into a phone account that was debited every time they talked. But because the per-minute rates were so high, the account emptied faster than […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Angry council member declares $7M for decree monitor a ‘ripoff’
With cops looking on, Deputy Mayor Andy Kopplin defends the city’s police budget at Wednesday’s council meeting. Photo by Tom Gogola City Council Member Cynthia Hedge-Morrell told the city administration and New Orleans Police Department Wednesday afternoon that $7 million included in 2013’s budget to implement federally-mandated changes at NOPD was a “ripoff” financing “foolish […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Squabble over pre-trial program erupts as hearings plow forward
Hum-dee-dum. Discussion over Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s proposed 2013 budget proceeded in routine fashion for much of Tuesday, with New Orleans City Council members questioning the mayor’s senior aides on ways to squeeze small savings from various programs. Things heated up in the afternoon, however, when the mayor’s office presented its plan to spend $184,000 on […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Investigations
NOPD's decision to drop pepper spray in favor of Tasers raises questions about use of force
The New Orleans Police Department is expanding its use of Tasers and dropping pepper spray from its arsenal as part of a consent decree addressing complaints over police brutality, training and civil rights violations. The department says it’s dropping pepper spray because its cops hardly ever use it — just eight times so far in […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
City Hall still using controversial per-diem approach to jail budget
The controversial “per diem” budget for the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office is alive and well, despite assurances by top city officials that they would come up with a better approach to financing the city jail ahead of the 2013 budgeting season. Released Monday, the mayor’s budget proposal includes $22,434,338 for the sheriff, a cut of […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Live blog Friday: Symposium on violent crime in New Orleans
The Lens live-blogged a criminal-justice symposium, “Preventing Lethal Violence in New Orleans,” at Loyola University on Friday. The event aimed to highlight “effective community-based solutions” to the city’s struggle with violent crime. New Orleans could use some effective, community-based solutions, considering that six people were shot on Tuesday alone, one fatally. New Orleans Police Superintendent […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Companies pledge to reform NOPD as consent decree monitor
Seven companies from around the country want the multimillion-dollar job of overseeing the New Orleans Police Department’s implementation of a federal consent decree. The seven bids range from about $7 million to $12 million. The City Attorney’s office opened the proposals up to the public this week. They’re being reviewed by a team split equally […]