Katrina freeing criminals? [La. police records destroyed]

TownHall ^ | September 10, 2005 | Robert Novak

[Pessimist]

There are probably going to be a lot of interesting situations like this coming down the pike.

One I'm wondering about is this: What happens if you are a councilman (or parish president or whatever they call them there) and you're up for re-election this fall. Let's say your parish is still evacuated, etc...

Are you out of a job? Do they just not hold an election but you stay on anyway? Do the people vote in absentia?

Anybody know how that works?

[ArtyFO]

Not only criminals, but registered sex offenders 1350 that were in NO are scattered all over the country and are now unregistered.

[Thud]

I'm glad to hear that Louisiana law is much more reasonable than California's on this point. "Just cause" for delay certainly entails the physical destruction of the courthouses.

California speedy trial rights can only be suspended by a formal proclamation, by the appropriate executive officer (mayor or governor) of a state of emergency or martial law, or by an act of the legislature. And our speedy trial statute has shorter time periods.

[oldbrowser]

I imagine a multitude of sins (well the records anyway) will be washed away by this hurricane.

How convenient.

[stocksthatgoup]

give the y2k preparations one would think there are backup copies of this information held at a secure site.

[Mulder]

The release of 1000 defendants charged with crimes is better than a single man being deprived of his Rights. Be it having his guns confiscated by the Nazis or being deprived of his Right to a fair and speedy trials.

I don't fear the street criminal.

What I fear are the criminals in uniform using our tax dollars to go door-to-door confiscating guns.

[weegee]

The Big Easy will descend into anarchy. Between the corrupt politicians and cops who largely won't be punished and the looters, rapists, and murderers who's transgressions after the flood will be overlooked, how could anyone already on the docket be considered "guilty"?

[weegee]

Not only that, it's "Bush's fault" such records were not retained offsite.

[supercat]

One I'm wondering about is this: What happens if you are a councilman (or parish president or whatever they call them there) and you're up for re-election this fall. Let's say your parish is still evacuated, etc...

The one Democrat who was somehow allowed to remain in the district gets to vote for its councilman.

[Enterprise]

There are Constitutional time constraints on keeping people in custody. Simply because of that, people may have to be released. And some may never be tried, for several reasons.

1. The original arresting officer might be deceased.

2. The victim might be deceased or relocated, and authorities might have trouble contacting the victim.

3. The paperwork might be lost or damaged beyond recovery.

4. Physical evidence might be lost or damaged beyond admissability in court.

[PAR35]

You left out a few

Cop gets arrested for a felony.

Cops get caught faking evidence.

The DA might not be willing to either try or dismiss a loser case.

[HiTech RedNeck]

1. The original arresting officer might be deceased.

Or, quit

[HiTech RedNeck]

1. The original arresting officer might be deceased.

Or, quit... and moved outside Louisiana