Former employees of the public defender’s office sued over withheld pay for unsued vacation time — which ultimately saddled the office with more than $167,000 in penalties and legal fees.
What’s next?
The last day of Parker’s contract is June 30, but before then the state public defender board will appoint an interim chief to cover the office in her stead until they can find a permanent replacement, as outlined in Louisiana law. The interim, generally a candidate the state public defender recommends for approval from among district defenders in neighboring jurisdictions, will likely be selected in an upcoming June 22 board meeting.
Soon, officials will appoint a search committee for the new permanent East Baton Rouge district defender composed of three attorneys — one selected by the president of the Louisiana State Bar Association, one by the chief judge of the 19th Judicial District Court and one by the state public defender.
The committee will receive applications for the job and do initial interviews before sending the state public defender board a list of at least three nominees. Finally, the board will consider those finalists and take a vote, officially appointing a new chief.
Advertisement
An important job
State Rep. C. Denise Marcelle, a Baton Rouge Democrat, said the next public defender will need to be someone who can rebuild the office.
“I really just want to see the public defender’s office moving forward, [for] someone to grab the reins and lead the office out of this hole,” Marcelle said after the board voted not to renew Parker’s contract. “It’s going to be tough because [Parker has] completely torn the office up.”
Marcelle had repeatedly called for Parker to be removed, saying the exodus of attorneys harmed people in desperate need of legal help, as well as opened the office to lawsuits.
She also questioned “how many people have been harmed in the interim in terms of clients because there were no lawyers to represent them or their cases were being pushed back.”
Scandal is sweeping one small Louisiana city after its own mayor was arrested on serious offenses. Tyrin Truong was elected mayor of Bogalusa, La. in 2022. Now, he’s been charged in connection to an alleged drug trafficking ring, according to police.
That’s So Random With Francesca Noel
At the young age of 23, Truong made history when he was elected mayor. According to NOLA.com, the Bogalusa native won by ousting the city’s incumbent, Wendy O’Quin Perrette, to become Bogalusa’s youngest ever mayor and one of youngest mayors in Louisiana history.
The democratic nominee began his political career interning for U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay in Missouri, where he graduated from college. After moving back home to Bogalusa, Truong threw his name in the mayoral pool and won with 56 percent of the vote, NOLA.com reported.
Advertisement
But ironically, soon after he becoming mayor and even pushing for increased police presence in his city, the now 25-year-old finds himself on the wrong side of the law.
The Alleged Crimes and Arrest
The Louisiana State Police Narcotics/Violent Crime Task Force began an investigation into an alleged drug trafficking organization in April 2024, according to CBS News. In their investigation, the task force discovered the organization was responsible for distributing opioids, marijuana, other THC products, and MDMA, and they were allegedly using social media to run the whole show.
According to officials, money made from these drug sales were allegedly used to purchase guns, some of which were even used in violent crimes across the city. After authorities uncovered the operation, arrest warrants for seven individuals were issued, including for Mayor Truong.
“We have zero tolerance for wrongdoing, especially, from public officials,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a statement.
Advertisement
Tyrin Truong charged in connection to a drug trafficking ring operating out of Bogalusa, La.Photo: Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office
On Tuesday, Jan. 7, Truong was taken into custody and charged with transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses, unauthorized use of a moveable, and soliciting for prostitutes, according to jail records.
Records show he was released on $150,000 bond. After his release, Truong took to social media to thank his supporters and declare his innocence. He wrote on Facebook “If you think I ran a drug operation (and all those other accusations), you’re sadly mistaken. Those who know me, KNOW me and I’ll let God and my attorney handle the rest!”
The other six suspects face charges of transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses. Three of them have been charged with conspiracy to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance. Another one faces an additional charge of distribution of a Schedule II controlled substance, according to Louisiana State Police.
Advertisement
In a statement, District Attorney Collin Sims said “We are going to continue to invest time and resources into helping the citizens of Bogalusa. We are not finished.”
RUSTON, La. (AP) — Sean Newman Jr.’s 27 points helped Louisiana Tech defeat Liberty 79-74 on Saturday night.
Newman added eight assists for the Bulldogs (13-4, 2-2 Conference USA). Daniel Batcho added 24 points while going 6 of 10 and 12 of 15 from the free-throw line while he also had 12 rebounds and three blocks. Amaree Abram had 13 points and shot 4 for 10, including 3 for 5 from beyond the arc.
Advertisement
Taelon Peter led the Flames (14-3, 2-2) in scoring, finishing with 33 points. Liberty also got 13 points and six rebounds from Jay Maughmer. Zach Cleveland also had 11 points and four assists.
Newman scored 12 points in the first half and Louisiana Tech went into the break trailing 34-27. Newman scored 15 points down the stretch in the second half to help lead Louisiana Tech to a five-point victory.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
There was drama Tuesday in what usually is a drama-less January Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meeting.
January’s meeting focused on the agency’s Wildlife Division announcing the proposed dates and other usually minor alterations for the next hunting season.
Ducks, namely teal, provided the eye-opening lead-in to that staff’s presentation.
This year, the special September teal season will be nine days — Sept. 20-28 — not the 16 days hunters have had for nearly two decades.
Advertisement
The reason comes from the 2024 Waterfowl Breeding Count survey, an estimate conducted on breeding grounds in the north-central United States, the Canadian prairielands and in Alaska.
The count on bluewing teal came in at 4.599 million, just below the 4.7 million needed to allow Louisiana hunters a 16-day season. The bluewing count has declined during the past three surveys from 6.485 million in 2022 to 5.25 million in 2023.
So, what usually are calendar adjustments from the previous hunting seasons turned out to stand only for resident game — deer, squirrel, rabbit and quail seasons.
And for the second year, the West Zone waterfowl season took another turn. In 2024, some West Zone hunters banded together to ask the commission to extend their duck season to the last day, Jan. 31, allowed in the federal waterfowl framework.
They got their wish last year, but not this time.
Advertisement
Commission member Kevin Segrera, who was later voted to chair the commission this year, offered an amendment calling for an extra early end to the West Zone duck season. His amendment, passed unanimously and has a Nov. 1-30 first split followed by a Dec. 13-Jan. 18 second split. The current West Zone season has three splits.
Other proposed changes included:
Adding a two-day special weekends for Youth (Nov. 8-9) and honorably discharged veterans (Jan. 30-31) to the East Waterfowl Zone;
Changing to a four-per-season limit (2 antlered/2 antlerless) deer in Deer Area 4 where the limit had been three for a season;
Removing physically challenged hunter blinds on Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area and the Floy McElroy WMA (for lack of use) and establishes a similar blind one on the Sandy Hollow WMA;
Moving to allow dogs only on Wildlife and Fisheries’ WMA camping areas;
Setting a 2 p.m. curfew on waterfowl hunting and a rule prohibiting mud boats and air-cooled vessels and all other nighttime activities on the Biloxi Marsh WMA, and a rule requiring all fish on the WMA to be taken by rod and reel;
Opening the 2026 turkey seasons on Good Friday, which adds an extra day to the seasons in all three turkey hunting areas;
And, opening U.S. 11 to all-hours access to the Pearl River WMA.
Newly elected vice chairman Andy Brister offered an amendment to allow hunters 65 and older to use any legal firearm to take deer during the primitive firearm season, a move that mimics the allowance for hunters 17 and younger.
Another offering came regarding the opening of the dove season. Federal regulations allow Louisiana to open the dove season Sept. 1, which, this year, is a Monday. Wildlife Division spokesman Jeff Duguay said previous surveys showed hunters preferred a full weekend to open this season, which, this year, falls Sept. 6-7. Duguay said another survey is in the offing and said the commission staff will work to compile the results for either the Feb. 6 or March 6 commission meetings.
For the full 2025-2026 hunting season’s notice, go to the agency’s website: wlf.louisiana.gov/resources/category/commission-action-items.
Duguay said the public can expect a Zoom meeting in February to discuss the seasons and take public comment.
Advertisement
Comments will be taken during the Feb. 6 and March 6 meetings. March 6 is the deadline to make comments mailed to: Jeffrey Duguay, LDWF Wildlife Division, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA, 70898-9000 or e-mail: jduguay@wlf.la.gov.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25822586/STK169_ZUCKERBERG_MAGA_STKS491_CVIRGINIA_A.jpg "Meta is highlighting a splintering global approach to online speech")
