12:30 Newscast

Thirty-three-year-old Ian Howard will spend the rest of his life in prison for fatally shooting Lafayette Police Corporal Michael Middlebrook in 2017. Howard accepted a plea deal that will spare him the death sentence, but he Lafayette District Attorney Don Landry says it was a long road to get here…

Cut 12 (12) “..the family”  

Howard was set to stand trial in March

A former Tangipahoa Parish teacher is facing 3rd degree rape charges in connection with an alleged sexual relationship with a now 17 year old student. 33-year-old Morgan Freche was arrested yesterday. A police report alleges the 17 year old minor student fathered Freche’s child.

Attorney Franz Borghardt says a paternity test would confirm if the juvenile is the biological father or not.

Cut 15 (04) “…the victim.”

Borghardt says the more serious crime of Third-Degree Rape, carries a prison sentence of up to 25 years…

Louisiana death row prisoners scheduled were scheduled to begin hearings next week but that will likely not happen because of a settlement was reached between district attorneys and the Louisiana Pardon Board. A legal effort to stop those hearings was led by East Baton Rouge DA Hillar Moore. Moore says this settlement means only a handful of death row inmates would be eligible for a hearing…

Cut 10 (11) “…be placed.”

Economist Dr. Loren Scott predicts some big job gains for Louisiana.Scott says Lake Charles is primed for growth following Hurricanes Laura and Delta. That region could gain 7,200 jobs through 7 LNG projects.

Cut 4 (10) “…dollar projects.”