Fentanyl kills people in Louisiana, but few are prosecuted

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – A grand jury not too long ago handed down a homicide indictment towards a South Louisiana accused of giving the lethal drug fentanyl to a girl and inflicting her overdose demise however prosecutions in instances like this are uncommon due to how troublesome they’re to show.

Damien Dashaun Bernard, 25, of Arnaudville, is charged with second-degree homicide and distribution of a schedule two managed substance within the demise of 20-year-old Jonterez Broussard. Bernard is within the Lafayette Parish Correctional Middle on $400,000 bond.

Broussard was discovered unconscious from an obvious drug overdose within the 500 block of Jefferson Road in late October 2021. She was a pupil at UL. She was within the hospital for every week, till she handed away on October 30. Lafayette police say a toxicology report confirmed she died from fentanyl toxicity. Police say Bernard allegedly offered the lethal drug to Broussard. U.S. Marshals captured Bernard in January.

“It’s absolutely the worst factor I’ve seen in 36 years in legislation enforcement,” mentioned Duson Police Chief Kip Judice. “It has no obstacles. It doesn’t matter the age. It doesn’t matter the race. It doesn’t matter the intercourse. Fentanyl kills.”

Holding folks accountable criminally for these overdose deaths is uncommon. 5 months in the past, Carencro Police charged Kermit Gobert with second-degree homicide for the overdose demise of Sodasha Derousselle. Police say he offered her heroin laced with fentanyl.

“In at the moment’s society, if you happen to don’t have video, or an image, or one thing that completely places them there at the moment,” mentioned Youngsville Police Chief Ricky Boudreaux. “You already know the burden of proof is on the state while you pursue prices. It makes it troublesome to carry these folks accountable.”

Authorities in Acadiana repeatedly warn the general public that fentanyl-laced medication have are amongst a few of the most threatening unlawful medication at the moment. Whether or not the person is aware of it or not, they take a probably deadly likelihood.

“In some instances, we’ve been ready to attract the connection. A prosecutor has a excessive customary to satisfy. Proof past any affordable doubt. That’s a excessive mark in our justice system, and rightfully so. You don’t need harmless folks going to jail for one thing they didn’t do,” Judice mentioned.

“You’ll be able to arrest them and attempt to carry them to justice, but when there’s not sufficient there to construct that strong case, it doesn’t get prosecuted,” Boudreaux mentioned.

The Lafayette Police Division Narcotics Unit launched this assertion on the matter:

“Fentanyl is likely one of the commonest medication concerned in most overdose deaths. Fentanyl is an artificial opioid that’s as much as 50 instances stronger than heroin, and 100 instances stronger than morphine. It may be present in powder and liquid kind. The quantity of fentanyl that may trigger demise is equal to roughly 3 grains of salt. The most important supply of fentanyl enters the usa through the U.S. /Mexico border. Fentanyl can also be being discovered combined with different medication corresponding to cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana. Along with this, capsules manufactured illicitly by drug sellers, that will truly look like laboratory produced, generally include fentanyl. These kind of capsules will be compressed to resemble different prescription capsules corresponding to Tylenol, Adderall, Xanax and others. Drug sellers do that as a way to enhance the impact of the capsule, not figuring out the potential impact on the person. That is extraordinarily harmful to the top person as a result of they’re unaware of what they’re truly ingesting. All fentanyl instances in Lafayette shall be vigorously investigated by the Lafayette Police Division, and our native, state, and federal businesses.”

Click on right here to learn a replica of the grand jury indictment