A Baton Rouge federal judge has ordered the unconditional release of 68-year-old Albert Woodfox, the last imprisoned member of the Angola 3. Eric Gill reports…
==================
The state House has sent legislation that would raise the tax on cigarettes to a conference committee to work out the differences between the two chambers. Jeff Palermo has more…
===================
A Baton Rouge federal judge has ordered the unconditional release of 68-year-old Albert Woodfox, the last imprisoned member of the Angola 3. Woodfox has spent over 40 years in solitary confinement for the 1972 killing of Angola prison guard Brent Miller. Amnesty International’s Jasmine Heiss says it’s time for the state to stop blocking Woodfox’s release…
The state’s Attorney General’s Office has filed a notice of appeal with the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Woodfox was convicted twice of the murder of Miller, but both convictions have been overturned. Heiss says this is a case of injustice, compounded…
An Attorney General spokesperson says US District Judge James Brady’s ruling sees it fit to set free a twice convicted murderer. Heiss says, in their opinion, the state is seeking vengeance rather than justice. She says the only humane action the state can take, at this point, is to ensure Woodfox’s immediate release…
============================
Widespread flooding in Northwest Louisiana continues as the Red River finally hits it crest at 37 feet where it is expected to remain today. CS Ross, hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Shreveport says they predict the water will finally start to go down a bit by tonight…:
The reading mark today has not been exceeded since April 1945. Authorities say over 300 structures and nearly 40 roads have been affected by floodwaters. Ross says residents in Caddo and Bossier Parish should not expect the flooding to get any worse than it is now. He says areas further south are about to get more water…:
Ross says there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms today, decreasing overnight. Wednesday rain chances are just 20 percent increasing to 30 percent Thursday and Friday. He says thunderstorms will only be in isolated amounts…:
============================
The state House has sent legislation that would raise the tax on cigarettes to a conference committee to work out the differences between the two chambers. The House passed the measure raising the tax to 68 cents per pack. The Senate amended the bill to raise the tax to $1.08. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris says the Senate hike is just too much…
CUT 9 (10) “amendment on this”
Monroe Representative Jay Morris agrees with Harris. Morris says that cigarette taxes do need to be raised, but lawmakers shouldn’t rely solely on this to raise revenue…
cut 10 (08) “good tax policy’”
An 81-15 House vote sends the measure to a conference committee. Bogalusa Representative Harold Ritchie is in favor of the Senate amendment. He says the tax hike would save lives. Ritchie argued that the House approved budget protected higher education, but not health care…
============================
The Alexandria Police Department says a man is under arrest on murder charges accused of killing someone at a tattoo shop. Spokesman Lt. Bruce Fairbanks says they responded to the Sacred Art tattoo shop Monday afternoon and located the victim who’d been shot and was unresponsive…:
Fairbanks says they arrested the suspect, 43-year-old Daymein Boyd of Alexandria…:
cut 13 (07) “drug paraphernalia”
Fairbanks says the victim has been identified as 42-year-old John Williams of Alexandria…:
============================