Overview

• Louisiana State Police have launched an investigation into containers of decades-old Orleans Parish Criminal Court records mistakenly dumped in the Gentilly landfill on August 5.
• Governor Jeff Landry denounced the disposal as a “disgusting abuse of power,” ordered a swift inquiry by Col. Robert Hodges and instructed that all findings be sent to Attorney General Liz Murrill for potential charges.
• The discarded documents include felony case files that state law requires be retained permanently, raising fears of lost appeals, evidence logs and victim records.
• Orleans Parish prosecutors refused nearly 40% of felony cases last year and court data show most weapons charges are later dismissed in plea deals.
• A May escape of ten inmates and longstanding storage failures have spurred bond funding proposals to retrofit a vacant correctional center into a secure archival facility.