On Wednesday, a state judge in Jefferson Parish declared mistrial for a second time in a murder trial due to the testimony of a detective. The defendant, a 40-year-old Harvey man, is charged with second degree murder and armed robbery stemming from the 2007 death of Javier Sanchez.
Two Baton Rouge teens indicted in separate murder cases, P.2
In our previous post, we mentioned recent indictments against two Baton Rouge teens on charges of second degree murder. One of them is 18 years old, the other 16. The charges are related to two separate cases, though both of them involved firearms.
Two Baton Rouge teens indicted in separate murder cases, P.1
On Wednesday, an 18-year-old Baton Rouge man was indicted for the shooting of another man in an Oriole Street incident back in May. The indictment, issued by the East Baton Rouge Parish grand jury, charged the young man with second degree murder in the killing of the 25-year-old victim.
Exonerated man gets chance to play professional football
Brian Banks, a California man who spent nearly six years in prison on false allegations of rape, has not only gained back his freedom, but the opportunity to play professional football. Banks was accused of raping a classmate while in High school. At that time, he had been offered a scholarship to play at the University of Southern California.
Defendants face aggressive prosecutorial efforts in health care fraud cases
According to new data by the Institute of Medicine, 30 cents are wasted or misused for every dollar spent on health care in America. In total, that amounts to roughly $750 billion per year. The analysis, base on 2009 data, shows that $210 billion is spent every year on unnecessary services and $130 billion is spent on inefficiently delivered services.
Convicted sex offenders in Louisiana could face chemical castration
A recent CNN article drew attention to the issue of chemical castration, a procedure which involves the administration of medication to convicted criminals to remove sexual interest and make it impossible for them to perform sexual acts. These effects are reversible when the person stops taking the drug, but the drugs can have side effects like osteoporosis, changes in cardiovascular health, blood fat levels, blood pressure and symptoms which mimic women's menopause.
Gonzales convenience store accused of selling synthetic marijuana
Louisiana Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner Troy Herbert issued an emergency suspension of a Gonzales convenience store last week for allegedly selling synthetic marijuana. Agents from the ATC and Gonzales police officers say the drugs were being sold at Cajun Food Mart. The investigation was initiated after several complaints were received.
AG Buddy Caldwell to sex offenders caught in Isaac: notify police of your whereabouts
On Tuesday, Attorney General Buddy Caldwell issued a statement clarifying that registered sex offenders who evacuate to escape Hurricane Isaac must report their change in residence to local law enforcement. That is in accord with Louisiana law, under which registered sex offenders must notify law enforcement of any changes in residence, including any temporary situation that causes absence from one's usual place of residence for seven or more days.
