By Tom Gogola, The Lens staff writer | Feel like the city’s got a boot on your neck? How about on your tire? There’s a reason why. In the past year, New Orleans parking officials have become much more aggressive in the use of devices that immobilize cars with outstanding parking tickets. “[W]e used to […]
Category: Criminal Justice
Posted inCriminal Justice
Public Defender says sheriff doesn't provide place for attorney, clients to meet privately
A new temporary jail built by Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman shows he is not serious about providing inmates with their constitutional right to private visits with their attorneys, according to a request for an injunction filed this morning. The Orleans Parish Public Defender’s Office filed the request in Civil District Court, alleging that Gusman […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
New evidence suggests man convicted of murder wasn't at crime scene, attorneys say
Despite his confession, attorneys say recently discovered police records show a man with an IQ of 59 should have been cleared in 1980 murder case.
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Judge's wife not the only appraiser for sheriff who lacks background but has connections
The wife of Municipal Court’s chief judge isn’t the only appraiser lacking a license in that field who is working at the pleasure of Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman – and earning tens of thousands of dollars doing so. In fact, Ann Sens, wife of Judge Paul Sens, is a licensed real-estate broker and might […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Gusman close to releasing city money
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman appears ready to release millions of dollars he has been withholding for city building projects from a powerful agency he controls. Gusman held a meeting of the Orleans Parish Law Enforcement District this afternoon, which effectively works as Gusman’s piggy bank for […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Inmate stabbed 14 times, deputy beaten with broomstick in separate OPP incidents
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | A pair of December incidents at the Orleans Parish Prison draw continued attention to security risks faced by inmates and staff at the facility. In the first incident, an inmate suffered 14 stab wounds. In the second, an inmate broke out of his cell, snapped a broomstick […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Panel to tout, encourage whistleblowers
By Tom Gogola, The Lens staff writer | From Erin Brockovich to WikiLeaks, whistleblowers play a critical role in forcing transparency and accountability on corporate and public-sector shenanigans. New Orleans has had more than its share of shenanigans worthy of whistleblowing in recent years, from police brutality after Hurricane Katrina to unpacking the slippery utterances […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Broken records: Sheriff not complying with open-records requests for documents
Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman has been ignoring a series of public records requests filed with his office by The Lens. Under the state Public Records Act, Gusman is required to turn over the public records immediately, or within three days if they are in active use. But four public records requests dating back to […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Investigations
Sheriff's wife earns thousands through no-bid deal handed out by judge
A personal friendship led Municipal Court’s chief judge to give Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman’s wife a no-bid deal worth more than $28,000 over the past 10 months for part-time work.
Posted inCriminal Justice, Opinion
To fight violent crime, New Orleans may need to get the lead out
In one of his many fine recent columns on crime, Times-Picayune columnist Jarvis DeBerry wrote (my emphases): [New Orleans Police Superintendent Ronal] Serpas and his predecessor have both struggled to explain why things are particularly bad here. [Former Superintendent] Warren Riley wondered if there isn’t something in the water. Serpas hasn’t said anything so bizarre, […]