The National Hurricane Center predicts Tropical Storm Nate forming into a Category 1 Hurricane with a possible landfall along the southeast Louisiana coast. Emelie Gunn has more…
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Nearly 200 felons in Caddo Parish are set to be released early from prison and Sheriff Steve Prator is concerned. Jeff Palermo has more…
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Tropical Storm Nate has the potential to become a Category one hurricane and make landfall on the southeast Louisiana coast Sunday morning. Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in New Orleans Phil Grigsby says Nate is expected to move fast, which will keep rainfall totals and storm surge low.
Grigsby says this storm could make a second landfall somewhere along the Mississippi coast. He says rainfall totals should not be like we’ve seen in recent hurricanes.
Nate is currently located in Central America will go over land before reaching the Gulf. But Grigsby says there is a low chance of this storm breaking up or not developing into a hurricane.
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Former New Orleans Congressman William Jefferson is set to be released from his 13-year prison sentence for taking bribes. A federal judge says seven out of ten counts against Jefferson are now invalid. Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino says the ruling is based on a U.S. Supreme Court decision involving former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell’s corruption case.
Federal Judge T-S Ellis says a new sentencing hearing is necessary on the three remaining counts, but Ciolino says Jefferson’s time in prison might be done based on today’s ruling…
Jefferson started serving his sentence in 2012 and his original release date was 2023. In 2005, federal agents found 90-thousand dollars in bribe money in his freezer. Ciolino says it’s now up to the Department of Justice to decide if they want to prosecute further…
The sentencing on his three remaining counts will take place in December.
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Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator is extremely concerned that criminal justice reform measures passed during the last legislative session will allow for the release of some extremely dangerous criminals in November. Prator says 192 felons will be released early from prison next month in Caddo Parish. He says Louisiana does need some reform but…
During a news conference in Shreveport today, Prator gave examples of the kind of inmates that will be set free next month as a result of the state’s new sentencing laws. The Sheriff says he knows of one prisoner who will be let out seven years early who should not be out on the streets.
The goal of the criminal justice reform is to reduce the state’s incarceration rate, to lower inmate costs and use the savings to fund more rehabilitation programs. Prator says he is compassionate and believes reformed criminals should be given a second chance and deserve to be released early if they are changed.
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State Police has arrested a St. Joseph mother for allegedly murdering her newborn and putting him in the dumpster. The infant was found Monday in front of an elementary school. Senior Trooper Michael Reichardt says 21-year-old Alicia Richard is charged with first degree murder.
Reichardt says the baby boy was only one day old. He says detectives were able to find Richard when she went to the hospital after having the baby.
Reichardt says detectives are working to determine how a mother could do this to her child.