A study examining the state’s film tax credit program finds that it created nearly 13-hundred jobs in Louisiana, but cost the state 171-million dollars last fiscal year. LSU Economist Loren Scott conducted the study for the state department of economic development and he says it shows that the film tax credit program costs more than it brings in…:
CUT 9 (10) “film industry”
In the upcoming session lawmakers are expected to look at several bills which seek to reform the film tax credit program.

A Franklin Parish woman was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to second degree cruelty to a juvenile after her 20-month-old daughter fell out of her moving car last June. Authorities say 24-year-old LaSasha Allen placed her daughter in an unrestrained position and opened the car door while rounding a curve, allowing her daughter to fall out. The child received multiple injuries, including a skull fracture.

Republican Congressman Charles Boustany announces that a contract has been awarded to build a new VA clinic in Lafayette. Last year, Boustany passed legislation authorizing the construction of new clinics in Lafayette and Lake Charles. Boustany says this is a great day for Lafayette veterans…:
CUT 6 (11) “long overdue”
The Lafayette clinic will be built on Ambassador Caffery Parkway and is expected to be completed 18 months after construction begins.

The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office says a Bossier City man is accused of stealing from his employer and selling the items on eBay. They say 60-year-old Michael Thompson returned about $2300 worth of stolen constrution items to his company but said everything else had been sold on the online aucotion site. He is charged with theft.

A Franklin Parish woman was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to second degree cruelty to a juvenile after causing her 20-month-old daughter to fall out of her moving car last June. District Attorney Mack Lancaster says he’s satisfied with the sentence handed down to 24-year-old LaSasha Allen of Winnsboro…:
CUT 3 (10) “appropriate sentence”
The child sustained multiple injuries, including a broken arm and skull fracture.

State Police say a single vehicle crash in Calcasieu Parish claimed the life of a passenger who was not wearing a seat belt and resulted in the arrest of the driver for vehicular homicide. An investigation revealed 34-year-old Randall Laird II of Lake Charles ran off a road at a curve and hit a tree. 44-year-old Molly Frank of Iowa died. Laird was arrested for DWI and vehicular homicide.

Today, a grand jury considers the case against a Terrebonne Sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed 14-year-old Cameron Tillman last September. Eric Gill reports…:
CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

A 30-year-old Baton Rouge heroin user will get at least 6 years in prison for giving his girlfriend a dose that killed her. DA Hillar Moore says now two families including the accused, Brandon Eirick, are ruined because of this…:
CUT 15 (09) “deadly consequences”

LSU President and Chancellor F King Alexander says he’s waiting for a plan to gain traction that will minimize potentially deep budget cuts to higher ed. Scott Carwile has the story…

cut 2 (31) “reporting”

State Police say a Marksville woman has been arrested for theft after an audit of the Office of Motor Vehicles revealed missing funds. Authorities say 33-year-old Angelle Temple allegedly stole money from OMV offices in Rapides and Avoyelles Parishes totaling more than $7,000. Temple is charged with felony theft, injuring public records, and malfeasance in office.

Multi-millionaire New York real estate heir Robert Durst, who is accused of killing Susan Berman 15 years ago in California and is facing weapons and drug charges in New Orleans, has been denied bond. New Orleans criminal defense lawyer Chick Foret doesn’t think the district attorney in Los Angeles minds that Durst is in Louisiana…

cut 12 (10) “convicted on”

Durst’s attorney Dick DeGuerin says his client was arrested illegally on March 14th.

A 30-year-old Baton Rouge heroin user will spend at least 6 years in prison on charges related to the death of his girlfriend from a fatal overdose. East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore says since the evidence showed that Brandon Eirick purchased and supplied Leah Hutchinson with the heroin that lead to her death, he was charged…

cut 14 (11) “negligent homicide”

Moore hopes a sentence like this will be an example of the consequences of being associated with this deadly drug.

LSU President and Chancellor F King Alexander says Governor Bobby Jindal’s proposed budget for next fiscal year will only provide LSU with 30-million dollars in state funding, a reduction from 110-million dollars this fiscal year. He says students and alumni need to speak up loudly against this type of cut…

cut 9 (06) “not being passive”

He says if the legislature doesn’t restore the massive cut to higher education in the proposed budget, 2,000 classes will be cancelled and every LSU employee will have to be furloughed.

Today, a grand jury will convene to hear the case against a Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed a 14-year-old last September. The Sheriff’s Department says Deputy Preston Norman fired in self-defense after Cameron Tillman appeared to be holding a gun. Relatives of others who were at the abandoned house with Tillman say he was not holding a weapon. Legal analyst Tim Meche says the big question here is whether it was necessary for Norman to fire in order to protect human life…

cut 6 (07) “for doing so”

Testimony could last until tomorrow.

In the latest in the continuing Robert Durst matter, the multi-millionaire New York real estate heir was denied bond in court in New Orleans. Michelle Southern reports…

cut 3 (30) “reporting”

A Franklin Parish woman was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to second degree cruelty to a juvenile after her 20-month-old daughter fell out of her moving car last June. Authorities say 24-year-old LaSasha Allen placed her daughter in an unrestrained position and opened the car door while rounding a curve, allowing her daughter to fall out. The child received multiple injuries, including a skull fracture.

LSU President and Chancellor F King Alexander says, if the legislature doesn’t restore the massive cut to higher education that’s proposed in Governor Bobby Jindal’s budget, 2,000 classes will be cancelled and every LSU employee will have to be furloughed. Alexander says says there are numerous plans floating around that seek to prevent huge cuts to higher ed, but it’s unclear if any of them will receive the support of the legislature and the governor…

cut 8 (09) “revenue generation”

Alexander says the proposed budget provides LSU with 80-million dollars less in state funding than this fiscal year.

Today, a Terrebonne Parish grand jury will consider the case against a sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed 14-year-old Cameron Tillman last September. The Sheriff’s Department says Deputy Preston Norman fired in self-defense after Tillman appeared to be holding a gun. Legal analyst Tim Meche says the grand jury will hear evidence and testimony, possibly from Norman, himself…

cut 4 (05) “his weapon”

Relatives of others who were at the abandoned house with Tillman say he was not holding a weapon.

Robert Durst, the multi-millionaire New York real estate heir facing weapons and drug charges, was denied bond in a New Orleans court. Durst is also accused of killing Susan Berman 15 years ago in California. New Orleans criminal defense lawyer Chick Foret says says the New Orleans case will be first…

cut 11 (09) “gets to LA”

Durst’s attorney Dick DeGuerin says his client was arrested illegally on March 14th and it was orchestrated to coincide with the HBO documentary “The Jinx.”

A 30-year-old Baton Rouge heroin user will spend at least 6 years in prison on charges related to the death of his girlfriend from a fatal overdose. East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore says Brandon Eirick pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin…

cut 13 (10) “death of his girlfriend”

Moore says the evidence showed that Eirick purchased the heroin earlier in the day, and he and Leah Hitchinson shot each other up.

It looks like the price at the pump will continue to make our wallets happy. The American Automobile Association reports a gallon of regular on average statewide is $2.22. AAA fuel analyst Don Redman says even the US Department of Energy predicts the national average won’t get above $2.50 for the entire year…:
CUT 7 (07) “a gallon”
Redman says the falling price at the pump can, in part, be attributed to a robust supply.

Governor Bobby Jindal says he won’t announce whether or not he’s running for president until after the 2015 legislative session which begins April 13th and ends June 11th. UL-Lafayette political science professor Pearson Cross fully expects Jindal will throw his hat into the ring…:
CUT 5 (07) “after that”
Texas Senator Ted Cruz officially announced today he’ll seek the Republican presidential nomination.

Friends and family gathered in Hammond today to say farewell to a Louisiana National Guardsman who died in a helicopter crash in Florida. 37-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 4 George Wayne Griffin Jr of Delhi’s funeral started in Hammond and he will be buried in Lafayette with full military honors. Four Louisiana National Guardsmen died in the crash.

Former New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper has made a “global” plea deal with prosecutors in 4 states where he is accused of drugging and raping women and sentencing started today. He’ll reportedly serve 9 years behind bars. Legal analyst Doug Sunseri says this type of plea deal means Sharper has agreed to one punishment for all charges…:
CUT 13 (07) “four jurisdictions”
He says this is a good move on the part of Sharper who could get life on a conviction and it’s also smart on the victim side because rapes are hard to prove without a reasonable doubt.

Governor Bobby Jindal says he will wait until the legislative session ends in June before announcing whether he will enter the race for President…
CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

The millionaire accused of killing a female friend in California 15 years ago will be staying put in Louisiana. Seventy-one year-old Robert Durst was in court today for a bond hearing on weapons charges, a week after he was discovered at a New Orleans hotel under a fake name, with a gun, passport and a large amount of cash. He had been sent to a prison’s mental health unit, as jail officials said he was a suicide risk.
————————————-
Former New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper, who entered a global plea deal to resolve sexual assault charges in four states including Louisiana, was sentenced today. Legal Analyst Doug Sunseri says this is likely a good move for Sharper, because if he were convicted on one of these crimes he could get life in prison…
cut 14 (08) “took the plea deal”
Sharper will get 8 years in jail in Nevada and he was sentenced to 9 in Arizona.

Gas prices are once again starting to fall. The current statewide average for a gallon of regular is $2.22 which is down three cents from this time last week, according to the American Automobile Association…
CUT 6 (09) “spring transition”
That’s AAA fuel analyst Don Redman with that forecast.

With Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz officially announcing he’s running for president, what does that mean for a potential Bobby Jindal campaign? Not much at the moment, since the governor says he will wait until after the legislative session in June for his decision. At that point, if he DOES decide to make a run….
CUT 5 (07) Q: “after that”
That’s UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross.

With numerous charges involving drugging and sexually assaulting women, former New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper has entered a global plea deal to resolve charges in Louisiana and three other states. Legal analyst Doug Sunseri says means he essentially has agreed to have one punishment for all charges…
CUT 13 (07) Q: ‘four jurisdictions’
Sunseri says, legally, it’s a good move for all parties involved.
============================
A father-son dispute over a breakfast beverage in the home turned into shooting scene in Baton Rouge. BRPD Corporal Don Copola says 58 year-old Eltridge Dukes was upset with his 18 year-old son Brentin over not enough orange juice in the fridge. As matters got more intense, the son broke a porcelain vase…
CUT 10 (11) Q: ‘in the buttocks”

So, what’s up with gasoline? Not the price, as the state-wide average for a gallon of regular is down 3 cents to $2.22 a gallon. AAA Fuel analyst Don Redman says with the winter to summer blend transition, there may be a slight hiccup, but not much…
CUT 8 (07) Q: ‘which is great”
And across the nation, as the Department of Energy forecasts the national average no higher than $2.50 a gallon.

It’s no secret that Governor Bobby Jindal is entertaining the thought of running for president, but now he says he will wait until the legislative session ends in June before announcing whether he will enter the race. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says that’s a good idea…
CUT 3 (09) “to Louisiana”
Texas Senator Ted Cruz is the first major presidential hopeful to officially declare his intent to run.

Baton Rouge Police say a man who allegedly shot his son over a dispute over lack of orange juice in the home, has been arrested. Fifty-eight year-old Eldridge Dukes reportedly chased 18 year-old Brentin Dukes outside the house with a gun, firing shots, and striking his son in the butoocks…
CUT 11 (07) Q: ‘of a weapon’
That’s BRPD Corporal Don Copola
==========================
Gas prices are once again starting to fall. Here’s Michelle Southern with more…:
CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

The recent ISIS online hit list that are targeting military personnel, has 25 names on a list of 100 that are current and/or past personnel from Barksdale Air Force Base near Shreveport-Bossier. The threat was released by an ISIS hacjking division, and because of that source, the Pentagon is asking the those concerned to adjust their online settings for social media accounts.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz has officially announced that he is running for the Republican presidential nomination, but Governor Bobby Jindal says he will wait until the legislative session ends in June before announcing whether he will enter the race. Eric Gill has more…:
CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

The Terrbonne Parish Sheriff’s office says a woman from Ashland is charged with manslaughter after allegedly shooting and killing her live-in boyfriend. They say 32-year-old Schwann Williams told cops she was attacked by the victim, but evidence at the scene warranted the manslaughter charge.

Baton Rouge Police say a man is charged with attempted manslaugter chargesafter he allegedly shot his son during an argument over orange juice. Cpl. Don Coppola says officers were dispatched to a disturbance at the home of 58-year-old Eldridge Dukes…:
CUT 9 (11) “threatening injuries”
He says apparently the situation began over an argument about a lack of orange juice in the home.

Former New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper, who pleaded guilty last week to sexual assault charges in three states including Louisiana, will reportedly get a maximum 8 years in jail in Nevada. Legal analyst Doug Sunseri says it’s likely that the similar charges in other states, including Louisiana, will run concurrently and not consecutively…:
CUT 12 (11) “is concerned”
He says not going to trial is probably a good idea on Sharper’s part.