Louisiana
Grieving Louisiana father faces $18,000 bill to access state records of son’s case
A Louisiana state prosecutor who declined to file a murder charge in connection with a man’s drugging and robbery death in 2017 has demanded more than $18,000 for the victim’s grieving father to obtain public records related to the case.
Robert G Arthur III – whose son, Shawn Arthur, died as a result of federal sex trafficking and theft crimes, according to a judge – responded to the demand by filing a lawsuit Wednesday which alleges that the office of Jefferson parish district attorney Paul Connick is violating state public records laws by setting such a high price.
The case as laid out by Robert Arthur illustrates how government agencies can purport to be prepared to release public documents but then erect another impediment to access by using cost-prohibitive pricing. Louisiana news station WWL-TV reported that Arthur’s lawsuit could also have wide implications for journalists and others who have seen authorities charge increasingly high fees for records that are supposed to be accessible by the general public.
“If fees dissuade public-interest requesters, such as citizens and journalists, from acquiring records, then under democratic theory, informed self-governance is threatened, not to mention practical benefits to society,” said Arthur’s lawsuit, which was prepared with the help of a Tulane University law clinic that specializes in issues pertaining to access to government records.
A statement from Connick’s office did not address Arthur’s lawsuit, citing a policy against discussing pending litigation. But the statement insisted Connick’s office “follows Louisiana’s public records law when responding to the public’s requests for documents that are in its custody”.
“The law additionally allows the office to set reasonable fees for providing these documents,” said the statement, which directed members of the public to the agency’s website for information on provisions by which they could seek reduced fees.
The local sheriff’s office at first decided that Shawn Arthur’s death was an accident, opting against following a lead to a sex worker who had visited his apartment in the Jefferson parish community of Metairie on the night he died.
Robert Arthur – who lives near Kansas City, Missouri – later hired private investigators to track down the sex worker, Dominique Berry, in a Georgia jail, where she acknowledged giving drugs and alcohol to dozens of men, including Shawn Arthur, to help her boyfriend Randy Schenck rob them.
As HuffPost reported, Robert Arthur provided his investigators’ findings to federal authorities, who charged Schenck and Berry with sex trafficking as well as identity theft.
Schenck and Berry each pleaded guilty, receiving prison sentences of 25 years as well as three years and nine months, respectively. The judge presiding over the case ordered Schenck to pay Shawn Arthur’s family nearly $330,000 in restitution, an amount meant to represent the victim’s lost net-income, his funeral expenses and his stolen property, which included his credit and debit cards, engagement ring, wedding bands and truck.
Schenck could have also faced a charge of murder because one of the definitions for that crime under state law is a death which results from certain felonies, including robbery.
But, as WWL-TV reported, Connick’s office in February announced that it did not have sufficient evidence for “a homicide prosecution in connection with the death of Shawn Arthur”.
Robert Arthur requested public records about his son’s case the same day of that announcement, according to his lawsuit, which the Guardian reviewed.
In September, the DA’s office indicated that it had 37,000 pages of documents ready for Robert Arthur. And in October, the office told Arthur it could send the files to him if he paid 50 cents a page – about $18,500 – for paper copies.
Arthur said another option presented to him was paying 15 cents a page – more than $5,500 – for digital copies, with the fee meant to cover scanning and redaction of the documents.
Arthur could also travel to the office, review them in-person and take photos or scan them. But that would also be costly. He estimates that he typically spends between $850 and $1,000 to go to Jefferson, which is adjacent to New Orleans, whenever he travels there for matters related to his son’s death.
“To file a request for public records and finally be told … months later that the records are ready, with a price tag of [more than] $18,000, is ridiculous,” Arthur said to WWL-TV.
Louisiana ranks among the top 10 most affordable states to retire, according to a new study from Retirement Living, a national journal of retirement research.
Researchers analyzed each state’s housing costs, living expenses and tax friendliness to compile the ranking. Louisiana, they say, is the eighth most affordable state for retirees.
In Louisiana, the median monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $932, the median home sale price is $255,000, monthly grocery spend per capita is $272, the average price per gallon of regular gas is $4, the average Medicare Advantage monthly premium is $13.35 and the average effective property tax rate is 0.55%.
West Virginia is the most affordable state to retire, followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Louisiana, Indiana and Kansas. Researchers describe the South as “the sweet spot for an affordable retirement.”
The most expensive state to retire, meanwhile, is California, followed by Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Utah, New York and Minnesota.
Read Retirement Living’s full report here.
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – With hurricane season approaching, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is bringing the community together to prepare before a storm forms.
“We can’t stop disasters from happening. We can’t stop hurricanes from happening. But what we can do is equip our communities with the resources that they need to prepare for these storms ahead of time,” said Jayda Morris, CPRA outreach manager.
The agency hosted an event featuring interactive storm simulations and a full model of the Mississippi River.
“If you do it now, like on a sunny day like today, you’re ready to go for the rest of the season,” Jay Grymes said.
El Niño may reduce storms, but Louisiana still at risk
State Climatologist Jay Grymes said an El Niño pattern may reduce the number of storms in the Atlantic but warned against a false sense of security.
“In those 25 years, Louisiana, some part of the state has been impacted by 29 storms. That’s one a year, regardless of El Niño. So that should tell you something,” Grymes said.
He said the bigger concern is storms that can form in the Gulf with little warning.
“If we’re going to get a storm, it very possibly could be one that bubbles up in the Gulf and doesn’t give us five or seven days to track it coming our way. It gives us 40 hours to get ready for a landfall. So it’s imperative that you go ahead and do it now,” Grymes said.
Preparation goes beyond stocking water
Preparing now includes walking through yards, checking trees, and knowing whether everyone in the family can survive two weeks without power.
PhD students with the LSU College of the Coast and Environment gave the community a virtual reality experience that puts users inside a storm.
“If they wear the goggles or play with the Apple Vision Pro, they can understand how high will the flood be, and they can know how dangerous is the hurricane scenario,” said Yixuan Wang.
The VR simulation uses real historical data to show users what compound flooding looks like in New Orleans and surrounding areas. The goal is to make the science real for people who can’t picture what a flood map means.
“It’s just to let you understand the environment. We will add the audios, the different sound of the wind and the storm. And you can see how tense of the rainfall around you,” Wang said.
Organizers said the event is about making sure that when a storm threatens the area, families already know their plan.
Information from the event is available on CPRA’s website. Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.
Click here to report a typo. Please include the headline.
Click here to subscribe to our WAFB 9 News daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.
Watch the latest WAFB news and weather now.
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Louisiana homeowners can get financial help to upgrade their roofs and ensure they can better stand up to strong storms.
According to the Louisiana Department of Insurance, registration for next Louisiana Fortify Homes Program lottery opens at 8 a.m. on Monday, June 1. The registration period will stay open through 5 p.m. on Friday, June 19.
Under the latest round of the program, 3,000 grants of up to $10,000 will go out. After applying, homeowners will get placed into a lottery and will be randomly selected.
There are many specific benefits of having a roof upgraded through the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program. Officials said the roofs have stronger shingles that can protect against hail up to two inches wide, sealed roof decks to help prevent water damage, and stronger edges to keep wind from getting underneath.
Homeowners with a fortified roof can also get a certificate to receive a discount on insurance premiums.
“At the end of the day, this program is about more than just roofs,” said Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple. “It is about protecting families, it is about strengthening communities, and it is about putting Louisiana in a stronger position—both physically and economically—to face the challenges ahead.”
Only people living in Ascension Parish, Livingston Parish, Assumption Parish, Tangipahoa Parish, Acadia Parish, Calcasieu Parish, Cameron Parish, Iberia Parish, Jefferson Parish, Jefferson Davis Parish, Lafayette Parish, Lafourche Parish, Orleans Parish, Plaquemines Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Charles Parish, St. James Parish, St. John the Baptist Parish, St. Martin Parish, St. Mary Parish, St. Tammany Parish, Terrebonne Parish, and Vermilion Parish are eligible to apply for the latest round of the program.
People living in a newly built home, mobile home, or condominium are not qualified.
For a detailed list of eligibility requirements, click here.
If a person registered for the program previously, he or she must do so again. The person will also need to provide the following information:
- A homestead exemption on the primary residence.
- A policy of insurance that provides wind coverage for the primary residence.
- A flood insurance policy on the primary residence if it is in a special flood hazard area.
For more information about applying, click here.
Click here to report a typo. Please include the headline.
Click here to subscribe to our WAFB 9 News daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.
Watch the latest WAFB news and weather now.
-
California5 minutes agoAP Decision Notes: What to expect in California’s state primary
-
Colorado12 minutes agoColorado elections clerk Tina Peters released from prison after governor commutes sentence
-
Connecticut14 minutes agoSouth Carolina man found cutting down light poles in Rocky Hill, police say
-
Delaware20 minutes agoOver 1,000 pets will be looking for homes at mega adoption event in Delaware
-
Florida27 minutes agoMan in Florida jailed after reported attempted kidnapping at church
-
Georgia30 minutes agoGeorgia man arrested after confessing to 1989 New Jersey cold case murder, authorities say
-
Hawaii35 minutes agoThe Hawaii Airport Check First-Time Visitors Never See Coming
-
Idaho42 minutes agoA New Strain of Norovirus Attacks Idaho
