More felony cases slowing court processing times in NOLA
Research from the Metropolitan Crime Commission indicates that while the Orleans District Attorney’s Office is bringing more criminal cases to court, its taking judges longer to bring them a...
View ArticleAnalysis: Rogue cops only part of Orleans crime
Some of the problems facing the criminal justice system in this city are frightening and obvious: -A police department so troubled by corruption and internal lawlessness that the new mayor not only...
View ArticleBusiness leaders back Serpas, but rift in community evident
The general consensus, barring the discovery of damning new information, is that Chief Ronal Serpas will weather the current storm over police detail work and hold onto the top spot in the New Orleans...
View ArticleArrest-to-conviction rates improve in New Orleans
A Metropolitan Crime Commission report finds that 42 percent of felony arrests from 2009 concluded in felony convictions — the highest rate since the MCC began tracking in 1999. MCC President Rafael...
View ArticleNew NOPD safety initiative raises legal questions
Police are checking cars to make sure they’re locked under a new safety initiative to cut down on thefts, but legal experts question whether it falls under unreasonable search and seizures.
View ArticleConvicted NOPD officers still receive pension payments
That police officers convicted in the death of civilians and conspiring to cover up their crimes can collect sizable pensions -- a portion of which are publicly funded -- shocks the conscience, said...
View ArticlePlans to provide jobs to ex-prisoners lacks concrete support from mayor
The New Orleans Re-entry Task Force formally convened in March on the assumption that it would become an official city commission under administration leadership within six months. But the mayor’s...
View ArticleTotal arrests down, felony percentage up in New Orleans
A crime watchdog group in New Orleans says the city’s police department is making fewer arrests overall while concentrating more on felonies. The nonprofit Metropolitan Crime Commission’s study,...
View ArticleCannizzaro stands behind judicial expense fund investigation
The statute of limitations prevents Cannizzaro from being prosecuted for using the fund when he was a judge, but some question whether the district attorney’s admission makes him unfit to serve as the...
View ArticleLouisiana begins investigating former state fire marshal
State Police say two investigations are under way of former State Fire Marshal Bruce Browning. Although spokesman Capt. Doug Cain would not provide details today, he said the state inspector general is...
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