Today is the deadline for taxpayers to file state tax returns. Emelie Gunn has more…
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A bill to that would require a minimum of three years in prison if you commit a felony with a gun that results in a fatality is nearing final legislative passage. Michelle Southern has more…
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Frank Selas III, a 76 year old former Monroe TV personality, will be arraigned today in Rapides Parish on alleged child sex abuse accusations from 1979. Halen Doughty previews the case…:
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Today, May 16th, is the deadline for Louisianans to file state income taxes for 2015. Kizzy Payton with the Department of Revenue says it’s important for taxpayers to settle up today no matter what. She says you can request an extension to avoid any penalties..:
Payton says to file online or request an extension visit revenue-dot-louisiana-dot-gov (revenue.louisiana.gov). She says taxpayers in the 36 regions of the state that were declared a Federal Disaster Area after the March flooding are eligible for a a special extension.
Payton says they’ve already issued over one million refunds this year. She reminds those in the declared disaster areas that you are not automatically granted an extension…:
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Seth Fontenot of Lafayette is a free man after spending 10 months behind bars for the shooting death of 15-year-old Austin Rivault (Ree-Voe). Many people thought his sentence was too lenient after he was convicted of manslaughter. Lafayette Sen. Page Cortez sponsors legislation that says if you commit a felony with a gun that results in a fatality, you should at least spend 3 years in prison.
The measure, dubbed The Austin Rivault Act, passed out of the House Criminal Justice committee on a 7-6 vote. Cortez says the opposition has generally come from criminal defense attorneys stating the judge should have complete discretion. He says judges do not have complete discretion in first and second degree murder cases, but they do with manslaughter which is what he wants to see changed…:
Cortez says the parents of Rivault contacted him about creating a new policy going forward. He says, based on what happened in their son’s case, they hope to see a change in the law…:
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This week is National Dog Bite Prevention Week. Amanda Pumilia, with the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, says there are ways owners can prevent their dogs from biting people when they’re out and about.
State Farm reported paying $1.5 million for dog-related injury claims in Louisiana last year. Pumilia says people without dogs can also take precautions to avoid being bitten.
Pumilia says dog bites affect everyone involved — the dog, its owner, and of course, the person who gets bitten. But she says when a dog bites someone, it doesn’t necessarily indicate that they are mean, they could just be scared…:
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State Farm says Baton Rouge ranked 27th in the country for dog bites with 18 reported last year, and New Orleans came in at number 30 with 15 reported dog bites.
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The former Monroe children’s TV personality, known as Mr. Wonder, will be arraigned today on accusations he sexually abused children almost 40 years ago. 76-year-old Frank John Selas III faces 13 counts stemming from an alleged incident that occurred on a 1979 camping trip in Rapides Parish with young boys. Legal analyst Tim Meche says, with a case this old, there could be witness issues and also no forensic evidence…:
One of Selas’ defense attorneys is the highly regarded Mike Small, who Meche says is one of the so-called legends of Louisiana trial courtrooms. He says the defense will probably try to use the fact that this case is so old to his advantage.
Meche says the statute of limitations does not apply to cases in which a perpetrator has fled the jurisdiction where he is accused. He says graphic witness testimony will be very powerful in the case.