LRN News | LRN PM Newscall July 18

A recent request for a change of venue in a court case involving a gun charge is getting plenty of attention, but not because of the nature of the crime. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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The Louisiana Health Department reports the first six human cases of the West Nile Virus has been detected. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Cut 3 (09) “mace.”

Payne says after the home invaders knocked at the door and maced the mother who answered, the mother momentarily retreated while the attackers entered her home.

Cut 4 (06) “baby missing.”

Natchitoches Police, Sheriff’s deputies, State Police, and Northwestern State Police scoured the area for the child. An hour after police responded to the mother’s initial call, Payne says they got a second call from someone reporting that a barn had caught fire about three miles north of the trailer park.

Cut 5 (09) “its body.”

The baby was transported to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, where he was airlifted to University Health, where he later died.

Can a black person get a fair trial in a courthouse with a confederate statue in front of it? Attorney Niles Haymer says he doesn’t believe so. Haymer has a black client currently facing a gun charge, but has requested a change of venue from the East Feliciana courthouse. He says his client is intimidated by a thirty-foot soldier at the entrance of the building.

Cut 6 (07) “…at the courthouse.”

Haymer says it’s a very controversial and divisive issue and that the statue is a political statement.

Cut 7 (08) “…make political statements.”

Haymer says the issue of confederate symbolism at courthouses is a widespread issue around the state.

Cut 8 (12) “…at our courthouse.”

Twentieth Judicial District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla has responded saying the presence of the statue outside of the 1800s era courthouse is no reason to change the location of the trial.

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The Louisiana Health Department announces six people have been diagnosed with the West Nile virus. It’s the first human cases of 2018. Assistant State Health Officer, Doctor Parham Jaberi, says the public should take the necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites

cut 9 (12) “we can”

Jaberi says 80-percent of people who get West Nile are unaware they have the virus, as they are asymptomatic. But he says in this latest report, three of the cases are the more serious form of the disease

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The three cases of Neuroinvasive Disease were found in DeSoto, St. Tammany, and Tangipahoa Parishes. Jaberi says they are not surprised to see their first human cases of West Nile..

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The Secretary of State’s race is officially on as qualifying is underway. Democrat Renee Fontenot Free, the director of the Public Protection Division in the state A-G-‘s office, and Republican former state legislator A.G. Crowe joined the race today. Crowe says if elected, he would focus on upgrading the office’s technology, to better protect election privacy and integrity.

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Crowe says he plans on running a clean campaign, and rejecting the common political impulse to attack his rivals in the race.

Cut 13 (10) “my opponets”

Fontenot Free says if elected, along with maintaining a non-partisan approach, she would focus on the state’s sagging level of voter participation, specifically in state and local elections.

Cut 14 (10) “about it”

Political analysts consider the Secretary of State’s race to be one of the more difficult offices to obtain, due to its lower profile and lack of abundant money that’s usually available in more partisan legislative races. Free says she won’t be relying on big money backing to push her over the finish line.

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The election is November 6th.