WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• FBI searches apartment in ricin letter case

  May 18, 2013 3:34 PM

  SPOKANE, Wash. - Authorities in hazardous materials suits are searching an apartment in downtown Spokane, Wash., as they investigate the recent discovery of a pair of letters containing the deadly poison ricin. FBI agents, Spokane police officers and U.S. Postal Inspection Service officials descended on the apartment Saturday morning. No... more »

• Man who killed three denied case review Play Video

  May 1, 2013 6:40 PM

  AMITE - A man who pleaded guilty to killing three pedestrians while driving drunk was denied case review by a judge. Though he never appealed his conviction, Derek Quebedeaux, 25, asked for post-conviction relief of his 12-year sentence. Police say Quebedeaux was driving drunk when he ran into... more »

• 2 men charged in Boston bomb case waive bail

  May 1, 2013 3:23 PM

  BOSTON- A third college friend of one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects is being held pending a detention and probable cause hearing. Robel Phillipos is charged with making false statements to federal investigators. A hearing is scheduled for Monday. Two other friends of bombing suspect (joh-HAHR' tsahr-NEYE'-ehv) waived... more »

• Armstrong case could hinge on Postal benefit

  May 1, 2013 10:22 AM

  AUSTIN, Texas - Lance Armstrong is facing the federal government in a legal fight with tens of millions of dollars at stake. The cyclist's best chance at protecting his personal fortune likely rests in convincing a jury the government has already earned plenty from him. Armstrong is being sued by... more »

• Justices dismiss La. case over trial delays

  April 29, 2013 10:16 AM

  WASHINGTON - A sharply divided Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal from a Louisiana man who claimed that most of a seven-year delay between his arrest and murder trial was the result of a breakdown in the state's system for paying defense lawyers in death penalty cases. The court's conservative... more »

• Man accused in shower touching incident bonded out of jail Play Video

  April 26, 2013 11:02 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A man accused of sexual battery at the LSU recreational center bonded out of jail Friday night. Hung M. Dang, 46, was arrested after a student reported he was touched inappropriately in the showers. Police identified Dang as the suspect after sharing video surveillance of the man... more »

• Man arrested in LSU shower touching case Play Video

  April 26, 2013 2:29 PM

  BATON ROUGE - LSU Police arrested a man they said inappropriately touched someone in the showers at the UREC center. Capt. Corey Lalonde said investigators arrested Hung M. Dang, 46, of Baton Rouge on suspicion of sexual battery and criminal trespass. Lalonde said on April 16 LSUPD was... more »

• Jury receives case in Louding murder trial

  April 26, 2013 12:51 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Attorneys for the prosecution and defense wrapped up their closing arguments a short time ago in the murder trial of "Marlo" Mike Louding. Judge Trudy White issued jury instructions afterward and presented the case to them for deliberation. Louding is on trial on suspicion of... more »

• Prosecutors, defense rest in Louding murder trial Play Video

  April 25, 2013 5:07 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Prosecutors and defense attorneys rested their respective cases this afternoon in the murder trial of "Marlo" Mike Louding, who's accused of killing six people. Louding is accused of killing Terry Boyd in October 2009 at the direction of Torrence Hatch, also known as the rapper Lil... more »

• Prosecution expected to rest today in Louding trial

  April 25, 2013 10:46 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The prosecution is expected to wrap its case against "Marlo" Michael Louding Thursday in district court. Wednesday night, the getaway driver in the murder for hire plot, Adrian Pittman, testified against Louding for a lesser sentence. Pittman pleaded guilty to manslaughter in November for his... more »

• Charges dropped against man in ricin letters case

  April 23, 2013 5:06 PM

  TUPELO, Miss. - A court filing says charges have been dropped against a Mississippi man accused of sending ricin-laced letters to President Barack Obama and others. The one-sentence document was filed hours after the suspect was released on bond. The document says the ongoing investigation has revealed new but... more »

• Criminal case dropped in White cell phone search Play Video

  April 4, 2013 3:36 PM

  BATON ROUGE - City police dropped a criminal theft investigation into a missing cell phone which supposedly belonged to former Baton Rouge Police Chief Dewayne White. This comes after a search warrant was issued to take the phone from a woman in Zachary. Investigators claim White and the woman... more »

• Buyout moves forward for people near sewer plant

  March 21, 2013 10:34 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A judge approved modifications to the sewer system's consent decree, paving the way for buyouts of houses near a sewer plant. People in University Place Subdivision are closer to getting out of the area they've complained about for years. The city will appraise houses, and hopes... more »

• Trial to begin in Ohio school football rape case

  March 13, 2013 10:45 AM

  STEUBENVILLE, Ohio - Television news trucks are lined up outside an eastern Ohio courthouse for the trial of two high school football players charged with raping a 16-year-old West Virginia girl. The case set to be heard in juvenile court Wednesday has brought unprecedented attention to the small city of... more »

• iPhone case packs electrifying punch Play Video

  February 28, 2013 6:00 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A new iPhone case is packing more than just protection for your phone. The Yellow Jacket Smartphone Stun Case, created by Sean Simone and Seth Froom, packs a stun gun into an iPhone case as well as an extra charge for your phone. "There are... more »

• EBRSO revives old murder case, make arrest

  February 20, 2013 2:49 PM

  Baton Rouge- After reviewing old evidence, Detectives with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office have revived a 21 year-old murder case and have made an arrest. Detectives have linked Edward Belin to the death of Leonard Noriega and has been charged with principal to first-degree murder. Noriega was... more »

• Prosecutor defends actions in Swartz hacker case

  January 17, 2013 3:28 PM

  BOSTON - A federal prosecutor who has been sharply criticized following the suicide of an Internet freedom activist appeared to fight back tears as she defended her office's handling of a hacking case against him. U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz says Aaron Swartz's family has suffered a "horrible tragedy" and that... more »

• La. AG's oil spill tab nears $24M

  January 14, 2013 2:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's attorney general has spent nearly $24 million building the state's legal case against BP over the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. And records show much of the money has gone to outside law firms that have contributed to his campaigns. The $15.4 million that Attorney... more »

• Appeals court to hear Baton Rouge mayor's case

  December 27, 2012 2:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A state appeals court will hear a dispute over allegations that Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden violated campaign spending laws in 2010. The Advocate reports that the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal scheduled a Jan. 11 hearing to review a district judge's ruling that Holden didn't violate the... more »

• 3rd person charged with murder in Longview case

  December 26, 2012 1:40 PM

  LONGVIEW, Texas- Louisiana authorities have arrested a third person now facing capital murder charges for the slaying of a Texas man whose beaten and burned body was found a week ago in East Texas's Upshur County. Vernon Parish officials tell the Longview News-Journal 21-year-old Andrew Conrad Norwine was arrested Tuesday,... more »

• NY woman arrested in 1984 La. death

  December 21, 2012 11:58 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A 47-year-old woman arrested by New York authorities on Dec. 3 in the 1984 slaying of businessman has been extradited to Louisiana. Leila Mulla, of Astoria, N.Y., was transported to Baton Rouge Thursday after being arrested by New York police. Mulla was booked with criminal conspiracy, simple... more »

• Vilma moves forward in defamation case v. Goodell

  December 12, 2012 11:45 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- Jonathan Vilma has asked a federal judge to allow him to move forward with his defamation case against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. In a motion filed Wednesday, Vilma drops his case against the NFL's disciplinary process, now that his suspension has been lifted. However, he continues to pursue... more »

• BRPD: DNA analysis cracks 1984 cold case Play Video

  December 3, 2012 3:17 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Police in Baton Rouge announced two arrests in connection with a 1984 murder, after they said a cold case review and DNA analysis led them to the suspects. Police arrested Ronald Dunnagan, 64, of Bossier City and Leila Mulla, 57, of Astoria, N.Y. in connection with... more »

• Tagliabue, Saints continue bounty hearings

  December 3, 2012 10:34 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Hearings in the NFL bounty probe of the Saints have resumed with witness appearances by former Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress, Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt and linebacker Jonathan Vilma. Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue has been appointed to oversee the hearings, which he has... more »

• Saints' Vilma, Smith attend Williams hearing

  November 30, 2012 1:47 PM

  WASHINGTON - Saints defensive end Will Smith says he's glad he got a chance to hear former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams testify at an appeals hearing in the bounties case. Smith and New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma attended Friday's session, where Williams was cross-examined by the players' lawyers for about... more »

• Judge rules voucher law conflicts with deseg order

  November 26, 2012 3:14 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A New Orleans-based federal judge has halted Gov. Bobby Jindal's voucher program in Tangipahoa Parish, saying it conflicts with a decades-old desegregation case. U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle ruled Monday that a series of sweeping education changes pushed by Jindal clash with court orders in the 47-year-old... more »

• New judge assigned to BP workers' criminal case

  November 16, 2012 3:14 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has disqualified herself from presiding over the Justice Department's case against two BP supervisors charged with manslaughter in the deaths of 11 workers from the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion. U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown said in an order Friday that she is recusing... more »

• Federal case dismissed in LSU bomb threat

  November 14, 2012 4:19 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Federal prosecutors announced today they dropped their indictment against the man accused of calling in a false bomb threat which led to the full evacuation of LSU's campus. U. S. Attorney Donald Cazayoux's office said they dropped the case because the state's charges against William Bouvay... more »

• Longtime Etan Patz suspect released, then held

  November 7, 2012 8:36 AM

  PHILADELPHIA - Authorities say a man long considered the prime suspect in the disappearance of a New York City boy more than three decades ago was released from prison then immediately taken into custody on a Megan's Law violation. Pennsylvania State Police say 69-year-old convicted pedophile Jose Ramos was... more »

• Hearing airs sex crimes case against US general

  November 5, 2012 10:53 AM

  FORT BRAGG, N.C. - U.S. Army prosecutors are charging a general with sex crimes against five women, including four military subordinates and a civilian. The first details of the charges filed in September emerged at a military justice hearing Monday for Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair at Fort Bragg in North... more »

• Landfill owner: 2nd prosecutor made online posts

  November 2, 2012 12:43 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A south Louisiana landfill owner charges in a lawsuit that a second federal prosecutor defamed him in anonymous online posts. Fred Heebe of New Orleans makes the allegation against Assistant U.S. Attorney Jan Maselli Mann in a lawsuit filed Friday in state court. Sal Perricone (PEHR' ih... more »

• Landfill owner's defamation suit gets new judge

  October 31, 2012 12:41 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has disqualified herself from presiding over a landfill owner's defamation lawsuit against a former federal prosecutor who resigned after acknowledging he anonymously posted comments on a newspaper's website about judges, politicians and cases. U.S. District Judge Helen Berrigan recused herself from the case Tuesday... more »

• Judge reverses self in Maine prostitution case

  October 16, 2012 4:07 PM

  KENNEBUNK, Maine - A judge has reversed his decision about a Maine prostitution case, ruling that addresses and other identifying information can now be released for men charged with paying for sex with a fitness instructor. An attorney for The Portland Press Herald says Justice Thomas Warren agreed Tuesday that... more »

• Perjury case against 2 Penn St. officials proceeds

  September 26, 2012 3:20 PM

  HARRISBURG, Pa.- A judge has upheld perjury charges against two Penn State administrators accused of lying to a grand jury that investigated allegations ex-assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky sexually abused children. Dauphin County Judge Todd Hoover on Wednesday ruled against motions by former vice president Gary Schultz and athletic director... more »

• Psych report: Lavergne tearful during murder discussion

  September 12, 2012 9:26 PM

  LAFAYETTE- Brandon Lavergne, the man who confessed to kidnapping and killing Lafayette college student Mickey Shunick, became tearful during a discussion with a clinical psychologist. Larry Benoit performed a psychological report as part of a plea deal. In the report, Lavergne states he thought about suicide around the... more »

• Katrina floodwall case heads to trial

  September 11, 2012 3:08 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The Army Corps of Engineers is back on trial, seven years after Hurricane Katrina's storm surge shredded New Orleans' flood protection system. Starting Wednesday, a federal judge will hear testimony in a lawsuit by several homeowners who claim negligence by the corps and a contractor caused... more »

• Reports: sex offender arrested in connection with disappearance of South Louisiana college student

  July 5, 2012 7:28 PM

  LAFAYETTE- Reports suggest Brandon Scott Lavergne, 33, has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of college student Mickey Shunick. Shunick vanished while riding her bike near downtown Lafayette in May. Her bike was found, damaged, in Whiskey Bay under the I-10 Basin Bridge. Sources tell News2, authorities... more »

• Arrest made in Mickey Shunick case

  July 5, 2012 5:07 PM

  LAFAYETTE- Police say they have arrested a person in connection with the disappearance of college student Mickey Shunick. Shunick vanished May 19th, riding her bike in downtown Lafayette. The bike was found, damaged, in Whiskey Bay under the I-10 Basin Bridge in Iberville Parish. Police say they will... more »

• Judge: Ex-SU official failed to prove case

  June 28, 2012 7:19 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A federal judge has dismissed a wrongful termination and retaliation case against the Southern University System Board of Supervisors, a board member and a former interim president of the system. U.S. District Judge James J. Brady ruled Wednesday that Joseph Cedric Shelton, Southern's former alumni affairs administrator,... more »

• Man found guilty in tax fraud case

  June 21, 2012 7:05 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A federal court jury has convicted a Baton Rouge man on six tax charges that carry possible penalties of as much as 18 years in prison and $1.5 million in fines. Ray Carr said Wednesday he will ask the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to... more »

• Court to review cops' convictions in Katrina case

  June 20, 2012 6:54 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal appeals court has scheduled a hearing for the case against three former New Orleans police officers convicted of charges stemming from a man's fatal shooting and burning of his body in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath. A three-judge panel from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals... more »

• Prosecutors rest case in Sandusky sex-abuse trial

  June 18, 2012 10:32 AM

  BELLEFONTE, Pa. - The mother of one of Jerry Sandusky's alleged victims says her son's underwear was frequently missing from the laundry and he claimed he'd thrown it away because he had an accident. The mother of the teen called Victim 9 by prosecutors was the last witness called Monday... more »

• Federal prosecutors drop case against John Edwards

  June 13, 2012 4:25 PM

  GREENSBORO, N.C. - Federal prosecutors have moved to drop all charges against John Edwards after his corruption trial ended last month in a deadlocked jury. A jury in North Carolina acquitted the former presidential candidate last month on one count of accepting illegal campaign contributions. It deadlocked on five other... more »

• Sentencing in oil spill fraud case postponed

  June 13, 2012 6:34 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has agreed to postpone a sentencing hearing for a woman who pleaded guilty to submitting a fraudulent claim for money from BP's oil spill compensation fund. Rokeisha Barrios was scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday, but U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance agreed to delay the... more »

• DHH identifies fourth case of E. Coli linked to outbreak

  June 8, 2012 2:38 PM

  The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals has identified a fourth case in the E. coli outbreak in Louisiana. The E. coli outbreak recently claimed the life of a child and has now sickened three adults in the Greater New Orleans area. The four Louisiana cases are E.... more »

• 4th E-Coli case reported in Louisiana

  June 8, 2012 2:22 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) has identified a fourth case in the E. coli outbreak in Louisiana. The E. coli outbreak recently claimed the life of a child and has now sickened three adults in the Greater New Orleans area. The four... more »

• 12-person jury, alternates chosen in Sandusky case

  June 6, 2012 2:36 PM

  BELLEFONTE, Pa.- The jurors who will be asked to render a verdict in Jerry Sandusky's child sexual abuse case are in place. The seven women and five men on the main panel and four alternates were selected Tuesday and Wednesday in a central Pennsylvania courthouse. Opening statements by prosecutors and... more »

• Company pleads guilty in seafood mislabel case

  June 6, 2012 7:08 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - An Illinois-based seafood distributor has pleaded guilty in Louisiana to conspiring to mislabel commercially-sold shrimp. Federal prosecutors say Worldwide Shrimp Company, of Highland Park, entered the plea Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey in New Orleans. Court documents say the company distributed shrimp to supermarkets, retail... more »

• Prosecutors: No need for new trial in Katrina case

  June 6, 2012 6:24 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Prosecutors are urging a judge to reject defense attorneys' claims that a "secret public relations campaign" by federal authorities deprived five former police officers of a fair trial on charges stemming from deadly shootings on a New Orleans bridge following Hurricane Katrina. In a court filing Tuesday,... more »

• Prosecutors: No need for new trial in Katrina case

  June 5, 2012 4:25 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Prosecutors are urging a judge to reject defense attorneys' claims that a "secret public relations campaign" by federal authorities deprived five former police officers of a fair trial on charges stemming from deadly shootings on a New Orleans bridge following Hurricane Katrina. In a court filing Tuesday,... more »

• Mistrial declared in John Edwards corruption case

  May 31, 2012 3:33 PM

  GREENSBORO, N.C. - A mistrial has been declared in the campaign fraud trial against ex-presidential candidate John Edwards. Jurors on Thursday acquitted John Edwards of one of six counts involving him taking money from wealthy heiress Rachel "Bunny" Mellon. They told the judge they are deadlocked on the other five... more »

• 2 plead no contest in Florida A&M hazing case

  May 17, 2012 3:18 PM

  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Two defendants have pleaded no contest to lesser charges of misdemeanor hazing in the beating of a fellow Florida A&M University band member. After their pleas in Tallahassee, Aaron Golson and Sean Hobson were sentenced Thursday to 30 days in a work camp followed by 12 months... more »

• Edwards defense to ask judge to throw out case

  May 11, 2012 7:39 AM

  RALEIGH, N.C. - Defense lawyers for John Edwards will ask a judge today to dismiss corruption charges against their client, arguing prosecutors failed to prove the former presidential candidate intentionally violated the law. Such motions are very rarely successful. But after 14 days of testimony and evidence presented by prosecutors,... more »

• Prosecution and defense rest in Lil Boosie case Play Video

  May 10, 2012 2:49 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Defense attorneys for the rapper known as Lil Boosie rested their case without calling any witnesses, shortly after prosecutors rested this afternoon in Baton Rouge district court. Attorney Jason Williams stated they felt the state, which has the burden of proof, did not prove their case.... more »

• New information released in Mari Ann Fowler's disappearance

  April 26, 2012 12:35 PM

  WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH - New details are emerging surrounding one of the area's most infamous abductions. To date, it remains unsolved and stumped even the most seasoned investigators. Mari Ann Fowler was last seen on December 24, 2002 in Port Allen after leaving a fast food restaurant. Search teams... more »

• Ariz. migrant case could lead to sweeping changes

  April 26, 2012 6:47 AM

  PHOENIX - The United States could see an official about-face in the coming months in how it confronts illegal immigration if the Supreme Court follows through on its suggestion to let local police enforce the most controversial part of Arizona's immigration law. Over the last several years, states frustrated with... more »

• Judge removes herself from Trayvon Martin case

  April 18, 2012 4:17 PM

  ORLANDO - The judge presiding over the Trayvon Martin shooting case has removed herself after George Zimmerman's attorney said she had a possible conflict of interest. Florida Circuit Judge Jessica Recksiedler recused herself Wednesday because of a potential conflict that relates to her husband. He works with Orlando attorney Mark... more »

• Zimmerman asks for new judge; cites case conflict

  April 16, 2012 3:46 PM

  SANFORD, Fla. - George Zimmerman is asking a judge in the Trayvon Martin shooting case to step down after she revealed a potential conflict of interest. Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, filed the request Monday in Seminole County Circuit Court. O'Mara later said Circuit Judge Jessica Recksiedler revealed the potential conflict... more »

• Judge says she may have conflict in Zimmerman case

  April 13, 2012 1:07 PM

  SANFORD, Fla. - The Florida judge overseeing the second-degree murder case involving neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman says she may have a conflict of interest. Circuit Judge Jessica Recksiedler said Friday during a hearing in Sanford, Fla., that her husband works with an attorney who referred Zimmerman to his current... more »

• Former youth minister pleads guilty in sex case

  March 20, 2012 6:20 AM

  ALEXANDRIA - A former Pineville church youth minister has pleaded guilty to four counts of forcible rape. District Judge Tom Yeager sentenced Angelo Golatt Monday to four concurrent prison terms of 40 years. Golatt's attorney, Robert Malone of Pineville, refused to give a statement after the sentencing. Golatt... more »

• Hearing delayed in Superdome bomb threat case

  March 13, 2012 6:48 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The federal case against a Michigan man charged with phoning in a bomb threat to the Superdome during the New Orleans Saints' playoff win over the Detroit Lions in January is likely to be transferred from New Orleans to his home state. Thirty-four-year-old Shawn Payton, of Jackson,... more »

• Arrested lawyer staying on case

  March 8, 2012 7:03 AM

  BATON ROUGE - An East Baton Rouge Parish public defender arrested last month for allegedly trying to enter the state penitentiary at Angola with marijuana will continue to represent a man accused of killing two women and wounding a third at a Baton Rouge business in 2009. Fred Kroenke, who... more »

• Sources close to case: Gulf oil spill trial delayed

  February 26, 2012 2:24 PM

  NEW ORLEANS- A federal trial over the nation's worst offshore oil disaster has been delayed for a week to allow more time for settlement talks, according to two people close to the case. The two people told The Associated Press the decision was made Sunday during a conference call... more »

• High court to hear Stolen Valor case

  February 20, 2012 6:31 AM

  WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court this week will review one of the first cases of someone prosecuted under the Stolen Valor Act. A federal appeals court in San Francisco has struck down the 2006 law, which is aimed at curbing false claims of military valor. That court called it... more »

• LA school in sex abuse case gets entire new staff

  February 9, 2012 7:11 AM

  LOS ANGELES - Students will be greeted by new teachers when they return to class at a Los Angeles elementary school rocked by the arrests of two longtime teachers on lewdness charges. Miramonte Elementary School will reopen Thursday, two days after the nation's second-largest school district closed the campus to... more »

• Iran sentences American man to death in CIA case

  January 9, 2012 7:00 AM

  TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's state radio says a court has convicted an American man of working for the CIA and sentenced him to death. Monday's report said Amir Mirzaei Hekmati was also convicted of trying to accuse Iran of involvement in terrorism. The report did not say when the... more »

• Houston man guilty in online prostitution ads case

  January 4, 2012 7:20 AM

  HOUSTON (AP) - Prosecutors say a Houston man who had used a hotel business center to post online ads offering a woman for prostitution faces up to 10 years in prison. Jerald Bland pleaded guilty Tuesday to transportation of a woman for commercial sex. Sentencing is March 20 for Bland,... more »

• Another suit filed in truck stop tiger case

  January 4, 2012 6:41 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The owner of a Grosse Tete truck stop has filed suit against the state of Louisiana and Iberville Parish in a last-ditch effort to keep a 550-pound tiger on display at the facility. The Advocate reports the lawsuit, filed Tuesday, comes two months after a... more »

• 2 prison guards booked in sex case

  December 21, 2011 2:23 PM

  CLINTON, La. - East Feliciana Parish sheriff's deputies have arrested two Dixon Correctional Institute security officers after investigating complaints the two had inappropriate relations with inmates at the prison. Deputies booked 48-year-old Bernadette Ellis, of Baker, on two counts of malfeasance in office by sexual contact with an inmate. ... more »

• Rapper Lil Boosie to appear in court

  November 29, 2011 2:30 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Rapper Torrence Hatch, known as "Lil Boosie", is heading back to court Tuesday in his murder case. He is accused of ordering a hit on Terry Boyd two years ago. Hatch has filed a motion to remove District Attorney Hillar Moore from the case. ... more »

• La. inmates plead not guilty in Miss. kidnap case

  October 12, 2011 3:11 PM

  JACKSON, Miss. - Two Louisiana inmates have pleaded not guilty to federal charges that they kidnapped and killed an Ohio businessman in Mississippi after escaping from a prison work program. Ricky Wedgeworth and Darian "Drake" Pierce could face the death penalty, if convicted. They were indicted Sept. 8... more »

• LSU FACES lab assists with Miss. unidentified case

  October 3, 2011 3:20 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The LSU Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services, or FACES, Laboratory recently assisted with the solving of an unidentified person case in Mississippi. On April 28, a body, clothed in a T-shirt and swim trunks, was discovered in the Ross Barnett Reservoir in Rankin County, Miss.... more »

• Mistrial declared in sexual battery case

  September 23, 2011 2:29 PM

  GRETNA, La. - For the second time since July, a judge has declared a mistrial after a jury couldn't reach a verdict in a sexual battery case involving an elderly Grand Isle man. Retired tugboat skipper 76-year-old Jerry Dantin, known as "Captain Jay," is accused of letting a then-6-year-old... more »

• Appeals court overturns Tiger Truck Stop decision

  August 29, 2011 2:38 PM

  BATON ROUGE - An appeals court today threw out a ruling the state couldn't issue any new large animal permits to Tiger Truck Stop, whose big cat has been the center of big controversy among animal rights groups. The decision by the First Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a... more »

• DHH reports new West Nile case in EBR Parish

  August 24, 2011 3:38 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Health officials reported today another case of West Nile virus had been found in Louisiana, bringing the year's total up to four reported cases so far. Lisa Faust, a spokesperson with the Department of Health and Hospitals, said in a press release that the new case... more »

• 5 suspects arrested in rape case

  August 21, 2011 9:40 AM

  CLINTON, La.- East Feliciana Parish sheriff's deputies have arrested five people accused of raping a woman in the back of a pickup truck, Sheriff Talmadge Bunch said. Deputies responding to a call about shots fired on Hockaday Lane, east of Slaughter, found a naked woman in the truck who... more »

• Ex-lawmaker's corruption case ends in mistrial

  February 24, 2011 3:04 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has declared a mistrial in the case against a former Louisiana lawmaker charged with conspiring to pocket hundreds of thousands of dollars in government grant money earmarked for charitable and educational programs in New Orleans. The deadlocked jurors who heard the case against... more »

• Arrest made in Baton Rouge murder case

  February 15, 2011 2:06 PM

  Baton Rouge- A man wanted in connection with a deadly shooting last month in Baton Rouge, is now behind bars. Police say Mark Young shot and killed 27 year-old Derrick Casey in the 1800 block of Gracie Street, on January 13. Young is also accused of shooting Kenneth... more »

• Kennedy given life sentence in cold case

  January 12, 2011 11:17 AM

  BATON ROUGE – Vernon Kennedy has been sentenced to life in prison 25 years after he killed a woman in her Baton Rouge home. The sentence was handed down today in district court. Kennedy was convicted Dec. 3 for raping and beating 19-year-old Tina Marie Kristynik to death in 1985.... more »

• Man charged in Baton Rouge murder case

  December 30, 2010 2:55 PM

  BATON ROUGE – Authorities have charged a person already in jail with the murder of a man during an apparent drug deal. 19-year-old Jarvis Fleming has been charged with second-degree murder for the shooting death of 23-year-old Daniel Smith on Oct. 23. Smith was shot to death early that morning... more »

• Family says arrest is only partial closure in hit-and-run case

  December 22, 2010 10:31 PM

  The family of a 22-year-old woman hit by a vehicle Monday night say an arrest in the case provides some closure. Tommie Hadley, known as Chrisy to her family, was hit on LA 42 in Ascension Parish, while she was walking along the highway with her brother. Authorities say... more »

• Neighbors say fight against BR treatment plant not over

  December 21, 2010 10:25 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Families in a North Baton Rouge neighborhood say they're headed back to the drawing board when it comes to their fight against the sewage treatment plant in the area. The University Place residents have been fighting the city-parish over the plant's smell and effects on their... more »

• Alabama man arrested in 30 year-old murder

  December 7, 2010 10:26 AM

  An Alabama man wanted in connection with a 1980 murder in Terrebonne Parish, is now behind bars. Detectives arrested Ricky Dane Brown for the killing of Edith West. Her body was found on Bayou Salle Road in Dulac. Brown was booked on one count of second-degree murder. ... more »

• Documents claim BR, Lafayette officials took bribes

  October 6, 2010 4:25 PM

  New documents in a federal case involving a crime camera business claim the owner paid thousands of dollars in kickbacks to technology coordinators in Baton Rouge and Lafayette. The documents allege that starting in 2006, Mark St. Pierre, the owner of NetMethods, “showered” Baton Rouge’s Director of Information Services,... more »

• Two plead guilty in Baton Rouge-area medical fraud

  October 4, 2010 4:48 PM

  Two people have pleaded guilty in federal court to scheming money out of Medicare through prescriptions for unnecessary medical equipment. Federal prosecutors said medical doctor Dahlia Kirkpatrick and Emmanuel Komandu, owner of the Baker-based Alpha Medical Solutions, Inc., both pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit health... more »

• People concerned about crime, priority given in town

  September 29, 2010 6:30 PM

  Radio talk show lines in Baton Rouge are lighting up because of crime, and there are concerns certain parts of town are given priority. Another issue is accused killer Aramis Jackson’s criminal history and if he should have been on the street prior to the murder of Alexandra Engler... more »

• Woman accused of abusing 11-year-old girl

  September 24, 2010 9:12 AM

  A Holden woman arrested in a child abuse case involving an 11-year-old girl is charged with two additional counts. Livingston Parish deputies say Lisa Faber didn't just know about the shackling of the child to a desk, but was involved in it. Faber was arrested Tuesday night along with the... more »

• DA takes officer's death to grand jury

  September 23, 2010 9:25 AM

  A Richland Parish grand jury will meet next month to hear the case against three suspects arrested in the shooting death of a 57-year-old Rayville police officer. The grand jury will determine what direction the case will take. Robert J. Walker, Anthony D. Oatis, and Richard L. Long Jr. are... more »

• Plea agreement could be reached in drunk driving case

  September 22, 2010 5:51 PM

  A plea agreement could be reached surrounding a drunk driving case in Hammond. Derek Quebedeaux is accused of plowing into a group of people last year. Three people died, and two more were severely injured. He didn't have anything to say as he walked into court Wednesday. Attorneys... more »

• Judge in Angola 5 case resigns

  August 14, 2010 9:42 AM

  The judge hearing the trials of five Louisiana State Penitentiary inmates accused of killing a security officer nearly 11 years ago has resigned from the case, citing family health issues. Several defense attorneys told The Advocate they were shocked when retired Orleans Parish District Judge Dennis Waldron made the announcement... more »

• Fourth case of West Nile virus confirmed in Ascension Parish

  August 12, 2010 8:06 AM

  The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals has confirmed a fourth human case of West Nile Virus in Ascension Parish. Ascension Parish Mosquito Control Director David Matassa said recent mosquito samples collected from around the parish tested positive for West Nile Virus. Of the three earlier cases, two were... more »

• Judge seals evidence in federal sex case

  July 23, 2010 8:10 AM

  The evidence in a federal sex-crime case involving a former private school counselor has been sealed by a federal magistrate judge. The judge granted a joint motion filed by the government and defense, sealing a 24-page exhibit containing e-mails allegedly exchanged between Hargrave and a 14-year-old student. Hargrave, who served... more »

• Indicted NO officers have detention hearing

  July 16, 2010 4:58 AM

  The police officers charged in the killing of two unarmed residents on a New Orleans bridge after Hurricane Katrina and the cover-up that followed are headed back to court to plead their case for bail. Sgts. Robert Gisevius and Kenneth Bowen and Officer Anthony Villavaso pled not guilty to 27... more »

• Legal experts say racketeering case is a set-up

  July 8, 2010 10:25 PM

  Some say it screams of a sting, one that hasn't been seen in the Baton Rouge area in years. "It looks to me like the FBI had set up an opportunity to try to determine whether or not any of the officials in this area were interested in committing... more »