The ordinance was introduced Tuesday during a special meeting announced Monday. The ordinance will be considered for final approval by the council in two weeks.
Source: The Advocate
criminal justice
Violating the zone of protection would be a misdemeanor, and violators could be fined $500, be sentenced to 60 days in jail or both.
Source: Verite
It’s the latest in a series of studies listing Louisiana as the worst or among the worst states in key quality of life areas.
Last week a WalletHub study concluded Louisiana is the worst state in America for working mothers, showing moms here are shortchanged on everything from pay to childcare. America’s Health Ratings from the United Health Foundation lists Louisiana as the worst state for women and children’s health.
Source: The Advertiser
A prosecutor from the Lafayette area accused in a hit and run on False River is scheduled to go to trial this fall as questions loom about the delay.A trial date is set for Chris Richard on Sept. 25, 2023.
Source: WBRZ
Sgt. Justin Ortis was fired April 13 by Police Chief Rickey Boudreaux for allegedly violating departmental policies related to records, cell phone usage, internal investigations and insubordination. He is appealing his termination.
Source: The Advocate
DA invited FBI scrutiny by rehiring, elevating problematic prosecutor
A new bribery scandal in the DA’s office appears to link directly to Don Landry’s decision to return Gary Haynes to the office.
Read More
Dusty Guidry, who was arrested in 2021 on drug charges, is accused of creating two companies to accept bribes from four different “vendors” in a bill of information. The bill accused him of two counts of conspiracy, one count of bribery and includes a motion for forfeiture of assets. The court record shows he pleaded guilty to all counts on March 23, three days after the bill of information was filed.
Source: KATC
LCG settles federal panhandling suit for $42,000
The suit aimed to stop LCG’s clampdown on panhandling — which district and appellate courts and the U.S. Supreme Court have repeatedly found to be protected speech under the First Amendment.
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Estrada was fired in February 2021 by then-Chief Thomas Glover for excessive use of force in a November 2020 arrest. Video surveillance from inside the jail showed Estrada push a handcuffed man, Dennis Lazard, against the wall and strike him in the abdomen to force him to sit after requests to sit were ignored.
Source: The Advocate
Last week, a hearing was held in Lafayette on formal charges lodged against Odinet by the agency that handles complaints and discipline against attorneys licensed to practice in Louisiana.
The decision regarding discipline against her hasn’t been announced.
Source: KATC
Parish likely can’t afford Guillory’s jail plan
Most costs will stay on LCG’s books. That turns the idea from a budget-saving blessing into a fiscal Hail Mary.
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Edwards, a retired 15th Judicial District Court judge, defeated Roya Boustany, a felony prosecutor in the 15th Judicial District Court district attorney’s office, Saturday in a city-wide runoff to fill the vacancy created a year ago when Michelle Odinet resigned under pressure after a home video surfaced of her using a racial slur to describe an alleged burglar at her home.
Source: Read more from The Advocate