Senate Judiciary B passed a bill to give Tangipahoa residents an opportunity to vote on allowing a casino along the Tangipahoa River near the I-12 Robert exit. If adopted, the Diamond Jack Casino in Bossier could be relocated.
The measure escaped deferment two to one, with Houma Republican “Norby” Chabert the lone dissenter. Charbert questioned the decision to move the casino to Robert, saying the area may not be the best location to support the venture.
Chairmen of Peninsula Pacific Brent Stevens, the company that owns Diamond Jack, responded to Charbet’s critique. He says after a thorough analysis, his company realized that the region was ripe for a new facility.
Cut 7 (12) “Tangipahoa Parish.”
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A Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill that would allow citizens to vote on whether Louisiana should require unanimous juries for felony convictions. Currently, only 10 of 12 jurors are needed to convict someone of a felony. New Orleans Senator JP Morrell says our current laws aren’t making people any safer in one of the most crime ridden states in the nation.
Morrell argued that research done by the Innocence Project, a group that helps overturn wrongful convictions, proves unanimous juries help safeguard civil liberties.
Cut 12 (08) “jury convictions”
But Executive Director of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association Pete Adams spoke out against the legislation, he is concerned that stiffening conviction requirements would lead to more mistrials, which can be expensive for the state. He also says the US Supreme Court has already weighed in and deemed non unanimous juries an adequate requirement for justice.
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