WBRZ https://www.wbrz.com/ WBRZ News News en-us Copyright 2024, WBRZ. All Rights Reserved. Feed content is not avaialble for commercial use. () () Tue, 16 Jul 2024 HH:07:ss GMT Synapse CMS 10 WBRZ https://www.wbrz.com/ 144 25 DA hopes new Commissioners Court will help 19th JDC address 14,000 case backlog https://www.wbrz.com/news/da-hopes-new-commissioners-court-will-help-19th-jdc-address-14-000-case-backlog/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/da-hopes-new-commissioners-court-will-help-19th-jdc-address-14-000-case-backlog/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 9:01:12 PM Bess Casserleigh DA hopes new Commissioners Court will help 19th JDC address 14,000 case backlog

BATON ROUGE - Though the 19th Judicial District Court was already behind prosecuting cases before 2020, the COVID pandemic and shutdown of nearly all governmental agencies caused it to skyrocket.

Four years later, prosecutors are still playing catch up.

"We're there. We're feeling the impact, still, with COVID and you have to add to that higher numbers of homicide over the past few years,” District Attorney Hillar Moore said.

The impact of those two factors has caused the case backlog to balloon to over 14,000–that includes everything from murder to misdemeanors.

"We've seen a lot of increases in really big cases by the Sheriff’s Office with fentanyl and guns.”

Moore says another factor in the slog is how understaffed they are.

"We really need to be more fully staffed than what we are now.”

In Louisiana, each judicial district is allotted a specific number of assistant district attorneys to prosecute cases. The 19th JDC has 55. While East Baton Rouge parish is the most populated, Orleans Parish has the most — at 83. Jefferson Parish has 54.

"We are allotted a certain number of ADA’s per parish and they have been historically set over the years and we are not the top of the list.”

The lack of available prosecutors directly impacts how quickly cases can go to trial.

"Generally it would be two or three years for murder cases to proceed through the system which is too long.”

One of the most recent instances of this was the Hamed Ghassemi trial. Ghassemi was arrested for the murder of his ex wife in 2015 but was convicted at trial just last year.

In order to try and tackle the backlog, the city-parish implemented the Commissioner’s Court at the beginning of July. The group of four appointed commissioners will take on things like bail hearings, arraignments, domestic violence hearings and post-conviction relief petitions.

"What it's designed to do is have the elected criminal court judges actually be in court, working on the serious cases all day long as opposed to the more ministerial aspects of the job — setting a bond, an arraignment — so those cases can move a lot faster."

Moore says the court congestion affects more than just people waiting for their right to a speedy trial.

"The backlog of the cases and just the volume of the cases and nature of the cases just seem to take a toll emotionally on the people that work on these cases. So not only do we have a backlog, but we have people that are seeing this everyday in and out and the stress levels are extremely high."


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Cedarcrest bridge reopened; work delayed one week due to weather https://www.wbrz.com/news/cedarcrest-bridge-reopened-work-delayed-one-week-due-to-weather/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/cedarcrest-bridge-reopened-work-delayed-one-week-due-to-weather/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 5:32:58 PM Falon Brown Cedarcrest bridge reopened; work delayed one week due to weather

BATON ROUGE - A bridge over Weiner Creek along Cedarcrest Avenue was shut down for repairs on July 11, only to be reopened shortly after.

East Baton Rouge City-Parish spokesperson Mark Armstrong told WBRZ that the bridge was originally scheduled to be replaced starting last Thursday, but the contractor for the job was delayed because of weather on another project. The backlog of projects spilled over to the plans for the Cedarcrest bridge, so it was reopened to all traffic. 

The bridge will now be shut down for the planned construction on Thursday. A DOTD project aims to turn the 60-year-old bridge into a box culvert to improve drainage in the area. 

Armstrong said the construction will last until mid-September, weather permitting. 


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Kevin George, finalist for EBR superintendent job, withdraws from selection process https://www.wbrz.com/news/kevin-george-finalist-for-ebr-superintendent-job-withdraws-from-selection-process/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/kevin-george-finalist-for-ebr-superintendent-job-withdraws-from-selection-process/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 5:26:30 PM WBRZ Staff Kevin George, finalist for EBR superintendent job, withdraws from selection process

BATON ROUGE — Kevin George, one of two remaining finalists for the Superintendent of East Baton Rouge Parish Schools, has withdrawn his name from the running for the parish's top education job.

In a letter to University High patrons, George said that after a second delay in the school system's selection process, he had opted to stay with the LSU Lab School.

"After speaking with my family and my school family, along with much prayer and meditation, I have decided to withdraw my name from consideration for the position and remain at the best school in the United States. Let’s get ready to have another amazing year and Geaux Cubs!" he wrote.

He said he had sought the East Baton Rouge post because it presented an opportunity to work with a large number of children.

"From my earliest days working in a juvenile detention center, I have always strived to better the circumstances of those most vulnerable. In fact, that is what led me to education," he wrote. "Providing an exceptional school experience can save lives and uplift an entire community. I could not pass up the chance to have an impact on over 41,000 students; however, this is the second postponement of this process.

The lone remaining finalist is Andrea Zayas, who most recently served as the chief academic officer for the Boston School System. Krish Mohip withdrew previously after being named among the three finalists. He spent most of his career in Chicago, but more recently helped turned around the Youngstown school district in Ohio.

George's withdrawal comes days after petitions were filed to remove five school board members, which itself followed a contentious School Board meeting on Thursday that led to no candidate being selected. 

Many members of the public showed up last Thursday to express support for Adam Smith, the interim superintendent. His tenure as temporary leader of the school system expires July 23.


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Republican megadonor pushing for last-minute constitutional convention https://www.wbrz.com/news/republican-megadonor-pushing-for-last-minute-constitutional-convention/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/republican-megadonor-pushing-for-last-minute-constitutional-convention/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 5:20:51 PM Destiny Beasley Republican megadonor pushing for last-minute constitutional convention

BATON ROUGE — Major Republican donor Lane Grigsby told the Baton Rouge Press Club on Monday that he wants a last-minute constitutional convention.

Grigsby said he believes the state constitution does not need any amendments but it needs to be refreshed.

“It’s long, it’s cluttered, and it contains far too much policy. We don’t have a constitution really,” Grigsby said.

Louisiana has changed its constitution 10 times since it was first written in 1812, with the most recent coming in 1974.

Grigsby suggests there should be another look at the Constitution, despite a failed effort by a House Democrat in the legislature that would have allowed for a convention.

“I do not believe that amending the constitution is what we should do. That’s what we’ve been doing. What I’m suggesting is that we refresh the constitution by taking everything that’s policy and be in statute and moving it to statute,” Grigsby said.

Grigsby wants the state legislature to move forward on a constitutional convention soon so residents can vote during the presidential election in November.


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Zachary man arrested for possession of child porn, deepfaked images 'indistinguishable' from child porn https://www.wbrz.com/news/zachary-man-arrested-for-possession-of-child-porn-deepfaked-images-indistinguishable-from-child-porn/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/zachary-man-arrested-for-possession-of-child-porn-deepfaked-images-indistinguishable-from-child-porn/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 4:33:10 PM Domenic Purdy Zachary man arrested for possession of child porn, deepfaked images 'indistinguishable' from child porn

ZACHARY — A Zachary man was arrested over the weekend on 50 counts of child pornography, including deepfaked images of children created using artificial intelligence to create images "that appear indistinguishable from real child pornography," Louisiana Bureau of Investigation arrest records show.

Matthew Duncan, 41, was arrested Saturday for exchanging pornography involving children under the age of thirteen, an arrest warrant says. He was also booked on three counts of unlawful deepfakes.

Duncan was under investigation by state investigators after receiving a tip about child pornography from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on Friday. The next day, agents searched Duncan's home and found over 50 images and videos of child pornography, an affidavit says.

The children in the photos and videos ranged from toddlers to 10-year-olds, investigators said. Duncan allegedly used the messaging app KIK to exchange child pornography with others online. KIK is frequently used as evidence in child pornography investigations. 

After he was arrested, Duncan told agents that he had sent multiple clothed pictures of children to an individual online, who would use an artificial intelligence program to create images that appeared to be child pornography. At least five such images were found, records show.


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How many signatures are needed in proposed recall of EBR school board members? Details here https://www.wbrz.com/news/how-many-signatures-are-needed-in-proposed-recall-of-ebr-school-board-members-details-here/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/how-many-signatures-are-needed-in-proposed-recall-of-ebr-school-board-members-details-here/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 4:21:47 PM Jordan Ponzio How many signatures are needed in proposed recall of EBR school board members? Details here

BATON ROUGE — The people seeking to recall five members of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board now know how many signatures they'll need to place an election on the ballot.

A group of parents and teachers filed recall petitions Friday, the day after the board failed to hire a new superintendent. Those targeted in paperwork filed with the Secretary of State's office are:

- Mark Bellue (District 1)
- Nathan Rust (District 6)
- Michael Gaudet (District 7)
- Emily Soulé (District 8)
- Patrick Martin (District 9)

Each petition said the board member involved was "not listening to the concerns of the voters of the district."

Andrea Broussard, a school district employee, filed the petition against Soule', saying the board member didn't listen to her community when voting.

"Your constituents matter. We voted you in to the position you're in to be the voice of the people," Broussard said.

The petitioners have 180 days after filing to collect signatures to trigger a recall election — a period that ends in mid-January 2025. The final figures needed were certified with WBRZ Monday through the East Baton Rouge Registrar of Voters office. 

- Bellue: 7,514 signatures

- Rust: 7,010 signatures

- Gaudet: 6,689 signatures

- Soulé: 7,609 signatures

- Martin: 7,501 signatures

Broussard believes these numbers won't be difficult to obtain.

"I don't feel it's going to be difficult because we are up for the task," Broussard said.

All members who petitioned for recall voted for Kevin George as a replacement for Sito Narcisse — except Gaudet, who abstained. Some said the petition wasn't about forcing board members to choose interim superintendent Adam Smith, but about showing the school board, the community has a voice.

"You should not sit up there for your own selfish reason and say I know what I want, we heard a lot of I's and we heard a lot of I don't care," Broussard said. 

All signatures on recall petitions must be handwritten. The number of signatures required on the recall petitions is different for each member, and based on how many voters are in each district. 

"We're going to get those signatures and we're going to do whatever it takes to get those signatures," Broussard said.

Another vote on the superintendent is set for this Thursday. Smith's term as interim superintendent ends next week.


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Truck crashes through Livingston Parish convenience store https://www.wbrz.com/news/truck-crashes-through-livingston-parish-convenience-store/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/truck-crashes-through-livingston-parish-convenience-store/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 4:15:19 PM Logan Cullop Truck crashes through Livingston Parish convenience store

DENHAM SPRINGS - A red truck crashed through a Livingston Parish convenience store Monday afternoon. 

The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office shared pictures of the truck inside the store near the corner of Walker South Road and Bonnie Bleu Drive. A brick wall was broken and the hood of the car pushed into aisles lined with chips and sodas. 

No more information about the crash has been released. 


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State to seek death penalty for Daniel Callihan, suspected killer of Callie and Erin Brunett https://www.wbrz.com/news/state-to-seek-death-penalty-for-daniel-callihan-suspected-killer-of-callie-and-erin-brunett/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/state-to-seek-death-penalty-for-daniel-callihan-suspected-killer-of-callie-and-erin-brunett/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 3:02:45 PM WBRZ Staff State to seek death penalty for Daniel Callihan, suspected killer of Callie and Erin Brunett

AMITE — Prosecutors filed a formal notice Monday that they would seek the execution of a man accused of killing a Loranger woman and her young daughter during a violent assault that spanned two states last month.

Daniel Callihan, 36, pleaded not guilty Monday during his arraignment at the Tangipahoa Parish Courthouse. He faces two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated kidnapping of a child and one count of unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling.

Previously, prosecutors accused Callihan of killing Callie Brunett, 35, and Erin Brunett, 4. It wasn't immediately clear why a third homicide charge was added; the sheriff's office, which investigated the case, did not return a call seeking clarification.

Callihan also faces charges in federal court and in Mississippi state court.

Callihan is accused of killing Callie Brunett, 35, and kidnapping her two daughters on June 13. One day later, 4-year-old Erin Brunett's body was found in a wooded area outside Jackson, Mississippi. The FBI said that Callihan told an investigator he wanted to keep the other kidnapping victim as a "sex slave."

An alleged accomplice, Victoria Cox, 32, faces similar charges in both states.


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Former President Trump selects Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as running mate https://www.wbrz.com/news/former-president-trump-selects-ohio-senator-j-d-vance-as-running-mate/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/former-president-trump-selects-ohio-senator-j-d-vance-as-running-mate/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 2:14:20 PM Associated Press Former President Trump selects Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as running mate

MILWAUKEE — Donald Trump says Ohio Sen. JD Vance will be his vice presidential pick.

He says on his Truth Social Network that, “After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio.”

Trump made the announcement minutes before he formally secured the nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. 

Governor Jeff Landry congratulated Vance on social media.  

All of Louisiana's 47 delegates voted for Trump. 


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Two people arrested on drug charges after traffic stop near Belle Rose https://www.wbrz.com/news/two-people-arrested-on-drug-charges-after-traffic-stop-near-belle-rose/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/two-people-arrested-on-drug-charges-after-traffic-stop-near-belle-rose/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 2:01:42 PM Dylan Meche Two people arrested on drug charges after traffic stop near Belle Rose

BELLE ROSE— An Assumption Parish Sheriff's Deputy arrested two people for multiple drug charges after observing one of the suspects dump a container of drugs during a traffic stop in Belle Rose.

The deputy stopped Jeremine K. Paul, 34, and Lajoya Tasheria Hearvey, 32, late Friday night on La. 01 for going 20 miles over the speed limit. 

Paul was seen emptying a container filled with suspected narcotics once he got out of the passenger's side of the car. The deputy also noticed an odor of marijuana coming from the car.    

After investigating, deputies seized marijuana, schedule IV drugs and other assorted drug paraphernalia.

Both Paul and Hearvey are being held in the Assumption Parish Detention Center and face multiple charges including possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of schedule IV drugs and obstruction of justice.


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5 teens arrested after chase in stolen car from Covington to Hammond, deputies say https://www.wbrz.com/news/5-teens-arrested-after-chase-in-stolen-car-from-covington-to-hammond-deputies-say/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/5-teens-arrested-after-chase-in-stolen-car-from-covington-to-hammond-deputies-say/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 1:28:22 PM WBRZ Staff 5 teens arrested after chase in stolen car from Covington to Hammond, deputies say

HAMMOND — Officials said Monday that five teenagers in a stolen car were arrested after a chase through parts of St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes. All five are minors and were not identified by Tangipahoa Parish deputies.

Covington Police had tried to pull over their vehicle early Friday, but the driver sped away and led a chase that ended along Interstate 55 in Hammond. Deputies say the vehicle had been stolen a day earlier in Tangipahoa Parish.

Those arrested include:

-a 16-year-old girl on one count each of possession of stolen property, aggravated flight and resisting an officer.

-a 15-year-old boy on the same charges as the 16-year-old, plus vehicle theft.

-a 14-year-old boy and two 16-year-old boy on two counts of vehicle theft and one count each of aggravated flight and resisting an officer.

The girl was arrested at the scene, and the others were picked up over the next several hours.


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Toddler injured, two arrested on DWI charges after crash in West Feliciana Parish https://www.wbrz.com/news/toddler-injured-two-arrested-on-dwi-charges-after-crash-in-west-feliciana-parish/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/toddler-injured-two-arrested-on-dwi-charges-after-crash-in-west-feliciana-parish/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 1:28:17 PM Domenic Purdy Toddler injured, two arrested on DWI charges after crash in West Feliciana Parish

ST. FRANCISVILLE — State Police said Monday that they arrested two Baton Rouge drivers in West Feliciana Parish for drunken driving after a two-vehicle crash left a toddler injured.

Zaria Brown, 23, and Walter Lopez, 29, were both arrested Sunday night for driving while intoxicated and vehicular negligent injury. Brown was also charged with a DWI with child endangerment after the 3-year-old in her car was injured.

Around 10:30 on Sunday night, troopers responded to the crash on U.S. 61 north of La. 10. Investigators said that Lopez was traveling south while Brown was traveling north. Lopez's Toyota Rav4 crossed over the median and hit Brown's Nissan Kicks.

Lopez sustained serious injuries from the crash and was brought to a nearby hospital. State Police said that he was impaired at the time of the crash and he was arrested.

Brown, who was not restrained at the time of the crash, also sustained serious injuries and was brought to a hospital, State Police said. She also displayed signs of impairment and was arrested.

Both arrestees were booked into the West Feliciana Parish Jail.


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SEC Media Days: Brian Kelly confident in Nussmeier, defensive changes entering 2024 season https://www.wbrz.com/news/sec-media-days-brian-kelly-confident-in-nussmeier-defensive-changes-entering-2024-season/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/sec-media-days-brian-kelly-confident-in-nussmeier-defensive-changes-entering-2024-season/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 12:28:41 PM Domenic Purdy SEC Media Days: Brian Kelly confident in Nussmeier, defensive changes entering 2024 season

DALLAS — LSU head coach Brian Kelly exuded confidence Monday in the changes his team has made in the off-season, particularly remedying last year's underwhelming defensive performance and naming Garrett Nussmeier as starting quarterback following the departure of Heisman winner Jayden Daniels.

Kelly said as the 2024 SEC Media Days opened that the team made wholesale changes to the defensive coaching staff after a 10-3 season. Kelly pointed to the Sept. 30 game against Ole Miss — a 55-49 loss — as a flashpoint for the issues the defense was facing. The Tigers gave up 21 points in the fourth quarter.

"It really was indicative of what our problems were," Kelly said. "That game cost us a chance at being in the playoffs."

The Tigers hope to begin a 2024 playoff run in their season-opener Sept. 1 against Southern California. The game will be televised on WBRZ.

LSU's new staff includes defensive coordinator Blake Baker, who previously served as Missouri's DC and LSU's linebacker coach, and defensive line coach Bo Davis, who the Tigers poached from Texas. The new staff is a major investment for the Tigers, with Baker becoming the highest-paid assistant coach in the nation and Davis being among the highest-paid non-coordinators in the country.

On the other side of the ball, Kelly spoke fondly of Nussmeier and tight end Mason Taylor as successors to the rock star offense led by Daniels. Kelly said he's confident in Nussmeier "being the guy" after he spent multiple seasons studying Daniels.

"He knows the offense, he knows the structure. He's been immersed in everything that we've done...He's been patient but persistent," Kelly said. "When you're handing off to a quarterback that you have felt all along could lead you to a championship as well, it's probably as comforting you can be as a head coach when you lose your Heisman Trophy winner ... in turning the keys over the Garrett Nussmeier."

Nussmeier, who attended the media event with Taylor and linebacker Harold Perkins Jr., said that despite losing key targets like Malik Nabers, the receiving corps is still top-notch going into the season.

"Our receiver group as a unit has really stepped up. They understand the standard that they're gonna be held to, being a receiver at LSU," Nussmeier said. "You look at the history of LSU receivers, it's special."

Taylor will also be a focus of the Tigers' offense during Kelly's third season as head coach. Kelly emphasized Taylor's off-the-field leadership.

Kelly also said that Perkins will become a crucial part of the newly revitalized defense, allowing him to "play from tackle to tackle."

"We'll be able to move him around at situational times," Kelly said. "We're gonna ask him to do that and I think he feels really good about that."

LSU's season-opener against USC will be played at Las Vegas.


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Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra names new executive director https://www.wbrz.com/news/baton-rouge-symphony-orchestra-names-new-executive-director/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/baton-rouge-symphony-orchestra-names-new-executive-director/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 10:01:43 AM Domenic Purdy Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra names new executive director

BATON ROUGE — The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra has a new executive director, the Baton Rouge Symphony Board of Directors announced Monday.

Marshall Carby has been named the orchestra's executive director and will take over the position on Sept. 1.

Before joining the Baton Rouge Symphony, Carby had more than 15 years of arts sector leadership, including as the assistant director of operations and production at the Omaha Symphony. According to the Baton Rouge Symphony, Carby's "leadership style, characterized by innovation and collaboration, promises to build upon the Baton Rouge Symphony's esteemed legacy while expanding its impact throughout the region."

"I am ecstatic to work alongside them and expand the joy of music for the next generation in Baton Rouge and beyond,"  Carby said.


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Fundraiser planned Tuesday night for two West Feliciana students who died recently https://www.wbrz.com/news/fundraiser-planned-tuesday-night-for-two-west-feliciana-students-who-died-recently/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/fundraiser-planned-tuesday-night-for-two-west-feliciana-students-who-died-recently/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 9:48:21 AM WBRZ Staff Fundraiser planned Tuesday night for two West Feliciana students who died recently

ST. FRANCISVILLE— Big River Running Club is hosting a fundraiser Tuesday night to honor two West Feliciana students who died recently, including a football player killed in a car crash on July Fifth.

The run through downtown St. Francisville will support the families of Rayshon M. Franklin and Zacarri M. Scott. Franklin was killed after he drove off the road, overturned his car and hit a tree while traveling on La. 78. 

Big River will donate $10 to each family for every participant in the run. Water bottles will also be sold for $10, with all of those proceeds going to the families as well. 

The event is Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. It starts at the Big River Pizza Company off Commerce Street. 


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Judge dismisses Trump indictment over classified documents; questions prosecutor's appointment https://www.wbrz.com/news/judge-dismisses-trump-indictment-over-classified-documents-questions-prosecutor-s-appointment-tune-into-wbrz-for-an-abc-special-report/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/judge-dismisses-trump-indictment-over-classified-documents-questions-prosecutor-s-appointment-tune-into-wbrz-for-an-abc-special-report/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 9:09:11 AM Associated Press Judge dismisses Trump indictment over classified documents; questions prosecutor's appointment

WASHINGTON — The federal judge presiding over the classified documents case of former President Donald Trump in Florida dismissed the prosecution on Monday, siding with defense lawyers who said the special counsel who filed the charges was illegally appointed.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon brings a stunning and abrupt conclusion to a criminal case that at the time it was filed was widely regarded as the most perilous of all the legal threats that the Republican former president confronted. Trump faced dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and obstructing FBI efforts to get them back.

Defense lawyers filed multiple challenges to the case, including a legally technical one that asserted that special counsel Jack Smith had been illegally appointed under the Constitution's Appointments Clause, which governs the appointment of certain government positions, and that his office was improperly funded by the Justice Department.

Cannon, whose handling of the case had drawn scrutiny since before the charges were even filed, agreed, writing in a 93-page order: "The Framers gave Congress a pivotal role in the appointment of principal and inferior officers. That role cannot be usurped by the Executive Branch or diffused elsewhere — whether in this case or in another case, whether in times of heightened national need or not."

Smith's team had vigorously contested the argument during hearings before Cannon last month and told Cannon that even if ruled in the defense team's favor, the proper correction would not be to dismiss the entire case.

A spokesman for the Smith team did not immediately return a request seeking comment, and the Trump team did not immediately have a comment.


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2une In Previews: LSU prepares for SEC Media Days in Dallas https://www.wbrz.com/news/2une-in-previews-lsu-prepares-for-sec-media-days-in-dallas/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/2une-in-previews-lsu-prepares-for-sec-media-days-in-dallas/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 8:51:27 AM WBRZ Staff 2une In Previews: LSU prepares for SEC Media Days in Dallas

DALLAS— With less than two months to go until the start of the season, LSU Football Head Coach Brian Kelly and a trio of Tigers are in Texas preparing to kick off SEC Media Days today.

Sports 2's Michael Cauble and Brie Andras are traveling with the Tigers in Dallas and tells us what we can expect. 


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Sunday Journal: Protecting Our Protectors https://www.wbrz.com/news/sunday-journal-protecting-our-protectors/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/sunday-journal-protecting-our-protectors/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 7:33:14 AM WBRZ Staff Sunday Journal: Protecting Our Protectors

BATON ROUGE - Join JP for this week's Sunday Journal as he joins others in honoring law enforcement who have fallen in the line of duty. 

With him this week is the Capital Area Law Enforcement Foundation and the families of some of those brave men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice. 


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Anger and anxiety loom over the Republican convention after the assassination attempt against Trump https://www.wbrz.com/news/anger-and-anxiety-loom-over-the-republican-convention-after-the-assassination-attempt-against-trump/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/anger-and-anxiety-loom-over-the-republican-convention-after-the-assassination-attempt-against-trump/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 7:31:17 AM Associated Press Anger and anxiety loom over the Republican convention after the assassination attempt against Trump

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Donald Trump’s campaign chiefs designed the convention opening this week to feature a softer and more optimistic message, focusing on themes that would help a divisive leader expand his appeal among moderate voters and people of color.

Then came a shooting that rattled the foundation of American politics.

Suddenly, the Democrats’ turmoil after the debate, the GOP’s potential governing agenda and even Trump’s criminal convictions became secondary to fears about political violence and the country’s stability. The presumptive Republican nominee and his allies will face the nation during their four-day convention in Milwaukee unquestionably united and ready to “fight,” as the bloodied Trump cried out Saturday while Secret Service agents at his Pennsylvania rally rushed him to safety.

Anger and anxiety are coursing through the party, even as many top Republicans call for calm and a lowering of tensions.

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, known for his sunny and optimistic vision of Republican politics, suggested online the attempted assassination had been “aided and abetted by the radical Left and corporate media incessantly calling Trump a threat to democracy, fascists, or worse.”

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, another likely convention speaker, offered a more somber tone during a Sunday appearance on NBC.

“We’ve got to turn the temperature down in this country,” Johnson said. “We need leaders of all parties, on both sides, to call that out and make sure that happens so that we can go forward and maintain our free society that we all are blessed to have.”

There are no changes yet to the convention program

In an interview Sunday, Republican Party chairman Michael Whatley said the convention’s programming wouldn’t be changed after the shooting. The agenda, he said, will feature more than 100 speakers overwhelmingly focused on kitchen table issues and Trump’s plans to lift everyday working Americans.

“We have to be able to lay out a vision for where we want to take this country,” he said.

Whatley said the central message would have little to do with President Joe Biden’s political struggles, Trump’s grievances about the 2020 election or the ex-president’s promises to exact retribution against political enemies.

“We are going to have the convention that we have been planning for the last 18 months,” he said. “We are a combination of relieved and grateful that the president is going to be here and is going to accept the nomination.”

Beyond voting to formally give Trump the nomination, elected delegates from across the nation will update the GOP’s policy platform for the first time since 2016. The scaled-down platform proposal — just 16 pages with limited specifics on key issues, including abortion — reflects a desire by the Trump campaign to avoid giving Democrats more material on a key campaign issue.

The platform approved by a committee last week doesn’t include an explicit call for a national abortion ban, two years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and ended a federally guaranteed right to abortion.

Many anti-abortion advocates strongly opposed the Trump campaign’s rewriting of the platform. But after the shooting, at least one major religious conservative said he wouldn’t press to reverse the committee’s decision.

“More divisiveness would not be healthy,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.

Perhaps most importantly, Trump will use the convention to unveil his choice for vice president, which could come as soon as Monday. Some Republicans believe the pick will take on more importance than it would have otherwise given the new threats to Trump’s life.

His top three contenders are North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, all expected to speak this week.

Despite a contentious primary season, any lingering tensions appear to have been set aside.

Former rivals Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, the former United Nations ambassador, are expected to speak at the convention on Trump’s behalf.

Veteran Republican pollster Frank Luntz said the shooting ensured the GOP is united and motivated behind Trump, a dynamic he said will be on display all week in Wisconsin.

“Every single Trump supporter will now be a Trump voter,” Luntz said. “The average Trump voter is so angry at what just happened. They were angry before this, and now they’re furious.”

People connected to Jan. 6 will be involved

There will be reminders of Trump’s record in a speaking program that includes a handful of Republicans charged with crimes related to other political violence — the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Former White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, who’s in jail on contempt of Congress charges, is expected to speak at the convention just hours after his release. He was found guilty in September after refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Capitol attack.

Nevada GOP Chair Michael McDonald, who was indicted of criminal charges related to his involvement in the scheme to present fake electors who would overturn Biden’s victory over Trump, plans to present the former president with the party nomination at the convention. A judge dismissed the case against McDonald last month over a venue dispute.

Trump has repeatedly cast the people involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 election, including his many supporters who stormed the Capitol, as political prisoners.

For now, Democrats have scaled back their plans to offer a competing message during the Republican convention.

The Biden campaign over the weekend pulled down its campaign ads. Vice President Kamala Harris postponed a Tuesday appearance in Florida set to focus on Trump’s opposition to abortion rights. And the pro-Democratic group American Bridge is delaying the scheduled Monday release of faux trading cards designed to highlight controversial policy positions of Trump and other leading Republicans.

Biden’s campaign said that, after an interview he does with NBC airs Monday, it and the Democratic National Committee “will continue drawing the contrast” with Trump over the course of the GOP convention — even though it remains unclear when ads would resume.

Publicly and privately, Democrats feared that they were losing a critical opportunity to undermine Trump’s political ambitions at one of the biggest moments of the 2024 election.

“I’m very concerned that the net effect of the Republican convention will be neutralizing the core democracy critique of Trump — a felon who fomented a violent insurrection, tried to block the peaceful transfer of power, and said the Constitution may need to be terminated,” Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said Sunday. “There is a race to define the democracy critique of Trump as legitimate, and we all need to make clear now that protecting democracy is the exact opposite of political violence.”

There are expected to be protesters in Milwaukee

The convention, coming less than four months before Election Day, will take place in heavily Democratic Milwaukee, the largest city in a pivotal swing state Trump lost by less than 1 percentage point four years ago.

Even before the assassination attempt, major protests were expected, although movement will be severely restricted as part of enhanced security precautions established by the Secret Service.

Still, the risk of violent confrontation exists.

Security officials previously announced that people just outside the Secret Service perimeter would be allowed to carry guns openly or concealed as permitted by state law. Wisconsin statutes outlaw only machine guns, short-barreled shotguns and silencers.


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East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office hosting free women's self-defense classes in August https://www.wbrz.com/news/east-baton-rouge-sheriff-s-office-hosting-free-women-s-self-defense-classes-in-august/ https://www.wbrz.com/news/east-baton-rouge-sheriff-s-office-hosting-free-women-s-self-defense-classes-in-august/ News Mon, 15 Jul 2024 6:17:37 AM Abigail Whitam East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office hosting free women's self-defense classes in August

BATON ROUGE - The East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office will host free women's self-defense classes on Aug. 3 and Aug. 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The "Equalizer" will be held at the EBRSO Training Academy on Lt. General Benjamin Davis Jr. Avenue.

"It provides women with critical information on violence towards women and also provides tools on how to prepare for and escape a potentially dangerous encounter," Kristi Nugent, an instructor for the course, said.

Here women will learn self-defense tactics to provide them with the tools necessary to protect themselves.

Nugent said a common misconception is that fighting back makes things worse.

"Actually fighting back improves your chance. For most of the attackers, it's about power and if you show them that you are powerless then that just feeds into the attack but if you have the skills, knowledge, and the confidence, then you can fight back and that may negate future attacks," Nugent said.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 700 million women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence worldwide by both people that they know and strangers.

To register, email or call Sgt. Jennifer Gonzalez at (225) 389-2364 or jgonzalez@ebrso.org.


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