The Louisiana Supreme Court says it will consider whether the state’s ban on nonunanimous jury verdicts should apply retroactively. The state’s split-jury ban went into effect in 2018 and in 2020 the U-S Supreme Court refused to make the law retroactive, but that doesn’t stop the state supreme court from making its own ruling that could lead to new trials for 15-hundred inmates.

The Louisiana Department of Health says the latest COVID data is encouraging, but there’s room for improvement. Brooke Thorington explains.
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

A report from NOAA shows parts of Louisiana and Texas could see Gulf of Mexico waters rise 16 to 18 inches by 2050. Natalie Snider, Associate Vice President at the Environmental Defense Fund, says Louisiana is taking an aggressive approach to combat the rise in sea level…
cut 14 (11) “…right direction”

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, hundreds of nursing home patients were stuffed inside an ill-equipped facility in Tangipahoa Parish that lost power. Several died as a result. St. Martin Parish Senator Fred Mills has filed a bill requiring nursing facilities to have a generator or an alternate electrical power source,,,
cut 6 (13) “…give some latitude”
Mills’ bill will be brought up when the legislature convenes its regular session on March 14th.

The state continues to see a decrease in the number of COVID cases as health officials say the Omicron variant surge is declining however the data still indicates a high transmission rate in Louisiana. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says the state’s positivity rate has dropped to 9-percent.
Cut 7 (10) “…days of January. “
The state’s overall fully vaccinated rate is 52-percent and Kanter says 58-thousand people received their first shot last month.

Judges in Acadia, Lafayette, and Vermilion parishes are participating in a pilot program that is an effort to keep impaired drivers off the road. Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Executive Director Lisa Freeman says judges in those parishes will screen individuals convicted for a first or second offense DWI for substance abuse or a mental health disorder…
cut 10 (09) “….down the road”

A new federal government report predicts sea levels could rise as much as a foot over the next 30 years, which raises the level of urgency to protect Louisiana’s coastline…
cut 3 (32) “….I’m David Grubb”

The first meeting of the Governor’s Task Force on Statewide Litter Abatement and Beautification was today. Brooke Thorington has more from Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser.
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

There was another drop in statewide COVID hospitalizations today. Down 47 patients from yesterday to 1,088. Governor John Bel Edwards says he is extending the COVID public health order for another 28 days, but it will not contain any mask requirements, even for school children.

Former Livingston Parish teacher Cynthia Perkins has agreed to a plea deal that will result in 41 years in prison for her role in a horrific sex crimes case that also involves her ex-husband, Dennis Perkins, a former Livingston Parish Sheriff’s deputy. Cynthia’s attorney Paul Scott says his client has also agreed to testify against Dennis Perkins in his upcoming trial…
cut 8 (11) “….she’s done”
Cynthia Perkins pled guilty to three charges, including second-degree rape.

Syrah Resources is investing 176-million dollars to expand its facility in Vidalia which makes electric vehicle battery parts…
cut 12 (12) “….looking really up”
Vidalia Mayor Buz Craft says Syrah Resources says the expansion will result in 36 new jobs and 52 indirect jobs and he hopes to land more of these kinds of businesses in future years.

A former Livingston Parish teacher pleads guilty in a child sex crimes case and agrees to testify against her ex-husband who is accused of committing disturbing crimes against kids. Cynthia Perkins pled guilty to three charges, including second-degree rape and production of child pornography. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry’s office is working the case…
cut 6 (09) “…right call”
Cynthia Perkins will be sentenced on Friday.

Today is the first meeting of the governor’s Task Force on Statewide Litter Abatement and Beautification. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says the amount of trash along the state’s highway is embarrassing…
Cut 3 (11) “…unacceptable.”
Nungesser says the Governor is raising awareness among state department heads in hopes of bringing more attention to the growing issue.

Vincent Simmons is out of jail after spending nearly 45 years in prison after he was convicted of attempted aggravated rape of 14-year-old white twin sisters in 1977. An Avoyelles Parish Judge ruled that Simmons should get a new trial after determining he did not receive a fair trial. Avoyelles District Attorney Charles Riddle…
cut 11 (12) “….in his possession”
Riddle says he and the accusers are okay with Simmons leaving prison because he’s already spent 44 years behind bars.

Baton Rouge Police arrest a 14-year-old female for allegedly trying to hire a hitman to kill her 14-year-old ex-boyfriend. Sergeant L’ Jean Mckneely says they learned of the potential crime after an administrator for the website rent-a-hitman-dot-com reached out to their detectives…
cut 9 (10) “…yesterday afternoon”
The arrestee was booked into juvenile detention for Solicitation for Murder. Mckneely says the rent-a-hitman-dot-com website is used by law enforcement for these type of cases.

None of the maps that are advancing in the redistricting session increase the number of majority-minority districts, which Governor John Bel Edwards calls problematic….
cut 1 (31) “….I’m Brooke Thorington”

Third Judicial District Attorney John Belton met with the Legislative Black Caucus yesterday to provide an update on the Ronald Greene case. Afterward, Belton told the USA Today Network that he believes the Troopers who arrested Greene committed a crime, but he’s letting the U-S Justice Department to pursue the case because they have more resources.

After serving nearly 45 years in prison, Vincent Simmons is a free man. Simmons, who is Black, was convicted of the attempted aggravated rape of 14-year-old white twin sisters in 1977. Avoyelles Parish District Attorney Charles Riddle says Simmons was granted his release from Angola after a judge declared he should have a new trial…
Cut 10 (7) “…constitutional issue.”
The women who accused Simmons of the crime say he’s still guilty.

District 4 Louisiana U.S. Congressman Mike Johnson proposes to permanently make illicit Fentanyl a Schedule I controlled substance. Johnson says Congress temporarily classifies fentanyl as a Schedule One narcotic multiple times each year and that’s counter-productive…:
Cut 7 (09) “…in America now.”
Johnson says to reverse the fentanyl crisis, a full-court press is needed.

The Republican led Louisiana Legislature is poised to approve a Congressional district map that maintains the status quo of one majority-minority district. Governor John Bel Edwards calls those maps problematic, because 33-percent of the state’s population is Black…
cut 5 (12) “….African American districts”
But Republicans say a second majority-minority district, would actually dilute the African-American vote lessening the chances of a minority being elected in any of the state’s congressional districts.

Louisiana Congressman Mike Johnson has filed legislation that he says will help law enforcement agencies get control of the fentanyl crisis. Johnson says his bill would permanently classify illicit fentanyl as an illegal deadly substance under federal law…
cut 9 (09) “…that regard”

After nearly half a century in prison, convicted rapist Vincent Simmons is being released. David Grubb has the story.
Cut 3 (33) “…I’m David Grubb.”

Third District Attorney John Belton told Greg Hilburn with the USA Today Network that he absolutely believes the Troopers involved in the Ronald Greene arrest in Union Parish committed a crime. Belton says he has not prosecuted the case because the U-S Justice Department has more resources. Belton met with the Legislative Black Caucus yesterday.

Even though Governor John Bel Edwards says the state is on the downswing from the latest surge of COVID cases, he plans on renewing the public health emergency order for another 28 days, but it will not include any mention of masks. Edwards says the state department of health will give additional guidance for K-through-12 schools today…
cut 13 (11) “…mandates either”

And when it comes to the redistricting session, Governor Edwards says congressional maps that do not create an additional majority-Black district are very problematic. Edwards says the 2020 Census indicates one-third of the state is Black, so two of the state’s six congressional districts should be majority-minority…
cut 6 (09) “…as well”
Opponents argue a second majority-minority district would actually dilute the Black vote in those districts.

Louisiana Congressman Mike Johnson has introduced the Cease Overdose Act. Johnson says it would remove the need for Congress to reauthorize illicit fentanyl’s classification as a deadly substance every couple of months. Johnson says his legislation is needed because fentanyl overdoses recently became the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45…
cut 8 (07) “…lethal dose”

Vincent Simmons is out of jail after spending nearly 45 years in prison after he was convicted of attempted aggravated rape of 14-year-old white twin sisters in 1977. An Avoyelles Parish Judge ruled that Simmons should get a new trial after determining he did not receive a fair trial. Avoyelles District Attorney Charles Riddle…
cut 11 (12) “….in his possession”
Riddle says he and the accussers are okay with Simmons leaving prison because he’s already spent 44 years behind bars.

Congressional maps approved by the House and Senate in the redistricting session fail to add a majority-minority Black district and Governor John Bel Edwards calls them problematic. But until they reach his desk Edwards will not say if he will veto them.
Cut 4 (10) “…are fair.”
Edwards says the 2020 Census indicates one-third of the state is Black which has changed the state’s demographic makeup from the previous ten years, so two of the state’s six congressional districts should be majority-minority.

During a Monday afternoon press conference, the governor also gave an update on the state’s response to COVID. He says Louisiana is on the downswing of the latest surge, as the last three Mondays have seen a decrease in cases, but the state is still reporting a lot of deaths…
cut 14 (08) “….lagging indicator”
The state reported 41 more COVID deaths yesterday.

Shreveport area Congressman Mike Johnson says it’s time to permanently make Fentanyl a Schedule I controlled substance. Kevin Gallagher reports on his bill to do just that:
Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”