There are dozens of popular television shows that paint a Hollywood portrait of criminal defense attorneys. Unfortunately, these TV hits do not accurately portray the effectiveness or expertise of criminal defense attorneys and the necessary role they play in helping individuals facing criminal charges. If you’ve recently been charged with a criminal offense in Louisiana,…
Any life taken by murder is a terrible tragedy for the victim’s family, friends and the entire community, but it can be even more emotionally grueling for the family to learn that someone they loved was targeted because of characteristics like their race or sexual orientation. Louisiana prosecutes hate crimes to deter those motivated by…
In May 2015, detectives in Baton Rouge were able to find the body of Taherah Ghassemi, who had been missing for a month. Detectives would eventually get a big break, which led them to discover Ghassemi’s body buried in a rural area about an hour’s drive from Baton Rouge. Shortly afterward, police arrested the victim’s…
Louisiana has been competing with Oklahoma and Mississippi for the nation’s highest incarceration rate for years. While the state currently holds first place, that may not last long considering two things. One is the Criminal Justice Reform measures signed into law by Gov. John Bel Edwards in 2017 which focused on steering less serious offenders…
In April 2019, a 21-year-old man was arrested and charged with the burnings of three African American churches in Louisiana. The suspect, Holden Matthews, is white. Not only did state prosecutors file charges against the suspect for arson, but they also added an additional charge by declaring the arsons a hate crime. Federal officials also…
Last November, when Louisiana held its statewide election, something truly unique and historic happened. More than 36,000 Louisiana residents were eligible to vote for the first time in years, sometimes decades. They all shared the same reason for having been prevented from voting for so long: they were ex-felons. In 2018, Louisiana lawmakers voted to…
Louisiana is among the toughest states in the nation for repeat offenders, and the state has the country’s strictest life without parole sentencing laws. At least 15% of Louisiana’s prison population consists of people who are serving life without parole. No other state has as high a percentage. Louisiana has more inmates serving life sentences…
Louisiana may be well known for Mardi Gras and amazing southern dishes in New Orleans, but the Bayou State is also known for something else: gambling. Gambling is a top industry in Louisiana, where locals and visitors alike can experience the state’s delectable meals at restaurants located in casinos, or choose to do their gambling…
Most people think of the bail system as one where people who get arrested can post bail money to get out of jail until their trial begins. People who don’t have the cash for their bail can find a bail bonds agent to put up the funds. In Louisiana, though, the commercial bail industry has…
It’s been an ongoing debate in Louisiana that the state will benefit from reforming its system of juvenile justice. Last year, the state opted to have 17-year-olds arrested for nonviolent crimes viewed as juveniles in Louisiana’s criminal justice system. Known as the Raise the Age Louisiana Act, it was part of a package of juvenile…