(The Center Square) — Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry made a bold move on Friday, requesting the State Police to dive into an alarming situation involving the Orleans Parish Criminal Court case files that were carelessly tossed into a landfill.
Landry didn’t hold back in his condemnation, stating, “The disposal of these case files is a horrible abuse of power and a slap in the face to victims of crime. Those involved in this intentional wrongdoing must face justice. I’m certain that the LSP investigation will help restore public confidence in our justice system while leading to clarity and legal actions against those responsible.”
When the investigation concludes, the findings will be forwarded to Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill.
In a letter addressed to Colonel Robert Hodges, the head of the Louisiana State Police, Landry emphasized the necessity for a swift investigation so that the wrongdoers can be prosecuted effectively.
Even with decreasing crime rates, the Orleans Parish justice system is grappling with significant problems.
For instance, on May 16, ten inmates at the Orleans Parish Jail managed to escape by dismantling a toilet and creating a tunnel through the wall, leaving behind a cheeky note that read “to [sic] easy LOL”. Thankfully, authorities recaptured all but one of them shortly after.
As reported by The Center Square, there appears to be a trend where defendants at the Orleans Parish facing serious felony weapons charges often get most of those charges dropped, typically through plea agreements that result in short jail sentences and insufficient supervision in the long run.
On another note, the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office, led by Jason Williams, disclosed just last week their refusal to pursue nearly 40% of felony cases over the past year.
