17:30 LRN Newscast March 31st

The former Marksville officer who fatally shot a 6-year-old boy was sentenced today to 40 years behind bars. Derrick Stafford testified he didn’t know the little boy was in the vehicle when he fired his weapon during a chase. Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino says it’s a lengthy sentence for a terrible mistake.
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Stafford must serve 20 years before he’s eligible for parole.

A large scale training exercise will take place tomorrow giving multiple state agencies a chance to prepare for the next major flood event or hurricane. The start of hurricane season is two months away and the governor’s office of homeland security and emergency preparedness also wants you to get ready as well. GOHSEP spokesperson Mike Steele…
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A bill that will be debated in the upcoming legislative session calls for the elimination of the death penalty in Louisiana. Emelie Gunn has more….
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The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s office has arrested two 17-year-olds for burglarizing and vandalizing Tioga High School and Tioga Junior High on two separate occassions. Cody Balekeny of Otis and Shane Johnson of Pineville were booked on five counts of Burglary and five counts of criminal damage. Authorities say the duo was arrested by another local agency earlier this year on similiar charges.