+3 Louisiana judge slams ICE for trying to deport 77-year-old Palestinian man living here 51 years By JAMES FINN | Staff writer Jun 12, 2026 Federal officials this week tried to deport a 77-year-old Palestinian-born man 鈥 a 51-year U.S. resident living in north Louisiana聽鈥斅燼fter a federal judge ordered him released from custody, in…
Mother of 2-year-old found in suitcase given 14 years for punching girl in the stomach BY QUINN COFFMAN | Staff writer Jun 11, 2026 The mother of a murdered 2-year-old girl, whose body was found inside a suitcase buried in a shallow grave in Mississippi, was sentenced to 14 years in prison Thursday for her role in the chil…
Gad Black, accused of fatally running down BRPD Sgt. Caleb Eisworth, declared unfit for trial BY QUINN COFFMAN | Staff writer Jun 11, 2026 First-degree murder suspect Gad Black, accused of fatally running down Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Caleb Eisworth almost a year ago, was found mentally unfit to stand trial Thursday.
Two alleged Bleedas members get 35 years each after pleading to ATM hold-ups, attempted murder BY QUINN COFFMAN | Staff writer Jun 11, 2026 Two alleged members of the Bleedas gang were each sentenced to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty Monday to robbing multiple Baton Rouge ATMs and carrying out an attempted drive-by shoot…
Louisiana fire chief facing misconduct charges over fire during burn ban, spat with police chief BY JOHN SIMERMAN | Staff writer Jun 11, 2026 As Louisiana broiled in August 2023, the State Fire Marshal issued a burn ban, leaving it to local officials to grant exceptions if needed.
Four Baton Rouge jail guards charged for allegedly beating inmates in areas without cameras BY QUINN COFFMAN | Staff writer Jun 10, 2026 Four guards at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison were indicted in federal court on Wednesday over accusations that they brought multiple prisoners to areas of the prison without cameras, beat…
Louisiana judge accused of misconduct over Gonzales bar scrap at Swamp Chicken Daiquiris BY JOHN SIMERMAN | Staff writer Jun 10, 2026 Three years ago, a late-night fracas landed a state judge, Steven Tureau, in the mud and trash behind Swamp Chicken Daiquiris, a Gonzales bar.
Baton Rouge district attorney and challenger spar over a hate crime case as election approaches BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER | Staff writer Jun 9, 2026 Allegations that a 13-year-old boy dressed up in Ku Klux Klan garb to deface a neighbor鈥檚 property with racist messages have sparked a fight between Baton Rouge鈥檚 district attorney and his fir…
Baton Rouge cybersecurity firm sued after hackers gain access to St. George Fire District BY QUINN COFFMAN | Staff writer Jun 9, 2026 The St. George Fire Protection District is suing a Baton Rouge cybersecurity firm after hackers were found to have gained access to the fire district's network 鈥 and were lying in wait for a f…
Louisiana judge suspended over 鈥$100 handshake鈥 faces 4 new ethics counts. What happened? BY JOHN SIMERMAN | Staff writer Updated Jun 5, 2026 When the Louisiana Supreme Court suspended a state judge last month for 20 days for accepting a 鈥$100 handshake鈥 from a local resident, the high court called the misconduct 鈥渁 single isolated …
+2 Baton Rouge鈥檚 public defender will get a funding boost 鈥 including help from St. George, Central and Baker BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER | Staff writer Jun 4, 2026 A bill headed to Gov. Jeff Landry's desk would guarantee Baton Rouge's public defender $1 million a year from the city-parish budget, but its author, State Rep. C. Denise Marcelle, D-Baton Rou…
+5 Detainees choked, stabbed with pen at north Louisiana ICE facility, federal watchdog says By JAMES FINN | Staff writer Updated Jun 4, 2026 Guards at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in north Louisiana stabbed one detainee鈥檚 hand with a pen while trying to secure a housing wing and placed another in a …
Man indicted for first-degree murder after 2025 killing of his stepfather left a bloody scene BY OLIVIA TEES | Staff writer Jun 4, 2026 A Baton Rouge grand jury indicted a man on Wednesday for the first-degree murder of his stepfather in March 2025.
Detention center guard allegedly coerced teen into sex, used 'write-ups' to keep him in jail BY QUINN COFFMAN | Staff writer Jun 3, 2026 A former employee of the Office of Juvenile Justice has been accused of coercing a teenage detainee into having sex with her and using disciplinary "write-ups" to keep him from being released.
+3 Baton Rouge council voting rights case tests boundaries of seismic Supreme Court ruling BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER and MATTHEW ALBRIGHT | Staff writers Jun 3, 2026 A reopened lawsuit concerning Baton Rouge鈥檚 Metro Council districts is the latest test of the new legal landscape for voting rights after the Louisiana v. Callais decision.
Gov. Jeff Landry says he will sign bill eliminating New Orleans judges despite prior criticism BY JOHN SIMERMAN | Staff writer Jun 3, 2026 Gov. Jeff Landry sought to end speculation Wednesday about whether he might veto legislation to eliminate several judgeships in New Orleans after the Legislature switched up one of three crimi…
Actor Shia LaBeouf pleads guilty to battery counts after Mardi Gras fight at New Orleans bar BY JOHN SIMERMAN | Staff writerUpdated Jun 3, 2026 Actor Shia LaBeouf pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor battery counts Wednesday and received a suspended sentence and probation over his slur-filled antics outside a Marigny bar on the morning…
+2 Gov. Jeff Landry says he won鈥檛 veto judges bill; judge says she was 鈥榙eeply blindsided鈥 BY JOHN SIMERMAN | Staff writer Updated Jun 3, 2026 Gov. Jeff Landry on Wednesday pledged to sign legislation to eliminate several judgeships in New Orleans, after he criticized lawmakers for approving a bill that tapped a criminal court judge …
Three Baton Rouge council members to testify before grand jury in AG鈥檚 corruption probe BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER | Staff writer Jun 2, 2026 Three Metro Council members have been called to testify before a grand jury as Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill鈥檚 office continues its investigation into alleged corruption inside Baton …
Three Baton Rouge judges removed from AG Liz Murrill鈥檚 cases after she claims potential bias BY QUINN COFFMAN | Staff writer Jun 2, 2026 Three Black Baton Rouge judges were removed Tuesday from dozens of cases brought by state Attorney General Liz Murrill, who claimed a federal voting rights lawsuit they filed against her sugge…
+4 Last-minute swap in New Orleans judicial cuts raises questions as bill heads to governor BY MATT BRUCE AND JOHN SIMERMAN | Staff writerUpdated Jun 3, 2026 A surprise change to a bill that would cut several judgeships in New Orleans caused consternation and finger-pointing as it passed on the final day of the legislative session Monday, while Gov…
Louisiana Supreme Court upholds new law eliminating Calvin Duncan鈥檚 Orleans clerk seat BY JOHN SIMERMAN | Staff writer Jun 1, 2026 The court was divided with a 4-3 vote. Here鈥檚 what to know.
Louisiana Legislature passes bill to take money from Orleans DA, give more to other districts BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN | Staff writer Jun 1, 2026 A bill to give most Louisiana district attorneys鈥 offices more money to hire lawyers passed the Legislature Sunday night, despite backlash to a last-minute amendment to take away state funds f…
+2 State Supreme Court overturns recusal, orders judge back on bench in Madison Brooks case BY DOUG GRAHAM | Staff writer May 30, 2026 The Louisiana Supreme Court has reversed the findings of two other courts and overturned the recusal of a judge in the trial involving a defendant in the聽Madison Brooks rape case.
Surveillance evidence allowed in trial of alleged hit man for Baton Rouge gang BY QUINN COFFMAN | Staff writer May 30, 2026 Evidence from surveillance collected against a聽man described by authorities as a hit man for the 5400 Boys gang will be allowed to be introduced at his trial on gun and drug charges.
Angola guards who handcuffed inmate through bars, used pepper-spray granted immunity BY QUINN COFFMAN | Staff writer May 29, 2026 Two Angola guards who handcuffed an inmate through his cell bars and then pepper-sprayed him did not break the law in the course of their duties, a federal appeals court聽ruled.聽
Louisiana could give some parishes money to hire more prosecutors 鈥 at New Orleans鈥 expense BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN | Staff writer May 29, 2026 Judicial districts across Louisiana could get more prosecutors as a bill to give district attorneys more money to hire them nears final passage in the Legislature, with the most new funds slat…
+4 Judge delays release of Louisiana parish's secrecy deals linked to industrial projects BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer May 28, 2026 The non-disclosure agreements between Ascension Parish, state officials and business leaders relate to聽an industrial buildout proposed for thousands of acres.