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Marine reservist found not guilty of 2018 Louisiana murder

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Marine reservist found not guilty of 2018 Louisiana murder


A Marine reservist has been found not guilty of murdering a 34-year-old man in Louisiana in 2018.

A New Orleans jury on July 12 acquitted Lance Cpl. Quan T. Charles, 24, of second-degree murder in connection with the death of May Francois, but convicted him of obstruction of justice, according to entries in the court docket.

The defense team successfully argued that Charles had acted in self-defense when he shot Francois in August 2018, according to public defender Brian Woods, who represented Charles.

Charles told police in 2018 that he had gotten into Francois’ car for a drug deal, The Times-Picayune reported after his arrest.

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Francois, a father of five, had moved to New Orleans while on probation for an armed robbery conviction in Florida and had hoped to turn his life around, his relatives told The Times-Picayune.

Woods told Marine Corps Times that Charles had been sitting in the backseat of a car, with Francois and a friend of Francois in the front, when Francois attacked him. Charles shot Francois three times, according to Woods, who said he believes the third bullet was the one that lodged in the head of Francois, killing him.

Woods noted that Francois was found in the backseat of the car, which he said lends credence to the narrative that he had been attacking Charles when he was shot.

“If he wasn’t able to defend himself, his family could have been burying him,” Woods said of his client.

Charles was arrested days after the shooting of Francois and indicted in December of that year, according to the court docket. He initially told police that “his gun went off” and that he then “somehow” fired his gun a second time, The Times-Picayune reported in 2018, quoting from the arrest warrant.

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“At the time those statements were made, he was 19,” Wood said. “He was a kid. He was just scared… He was still processing what actually happened days prior.”

Charles was charged with obstruction of justice because police couldn’t locate the gun at the scene of the shooting, in Woods’ view.

Marine Corps Times requested comment from the New Orleans district attorney’s office but did not receive a response by time of publication. Marine Corps Times also made unsuccessful attempts to reach members of the Francois family through phone numbers listed online.

Charles enlisted in the Marine Corps in October 2017 and served as an administrative specialist at the Intelligence Support Battalion of Marine Forces Reserve’s Headquarters Group in New Orleans, according to Adam Bashaw, a spokesman for the Marine Corps.

The Marine received one award, the National Defense Service Medal, and never deployed, according to Bashaw.

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Woods said Charles might like to reenter the Marine Corps upon his release from jail. The obstruction of justice conviction would make that impossible unless Charles secures a waiver, according to federal law.

“We currently are unaware of any plans to reinstate Quan Charles,” Bashaw said via email to Marine Corps Times on Wednesday.

Charles has been in jail since his 2018 arrest, according to the court docket. His bail amount had been set for $550,000 — which wasn’t possible for his family to pay, according to Woods.

His sentencing has been set for July 27.

If Charles had been convicted of second-degree murder, he would have faced a mandatory sentence of life in prison, by state law. He still faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

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But Charles is hoping the judge will give him time served, according to Woods.

“I know he’d be happy to be released, and his family would be excited,” Woods said. “He can try to put the pieces of his life together and move on.”

Irene Loewenson is a staff reporter for Marine Corps Times. She joined Military Times as an editorial fellow in August 2022. She is a graduate of Williams College, where she was the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper.



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Louisiana

Letters: State should invest in training mental health providers

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Letters: State should invest in training mental health providers


Most of Louisiana is classified as a mental health professional shortage area, leaving countless families — especially children —without access to critical mental health services. According to the National Survey of Children’s Health, over half of children in Louisiana who experience mental health challenges do not receive the care they need. This is a staggering number given that this study estimates that 30.3% of children ages 3-17 have at least one emotional, developmental or behavioral health disorder. This unmet need has far-reaching consequences, affecting school performance, family stability and community safety.

Addressing this gap starts with investing in higher education programs that train the mental health professionals our state desperately needs. Universities such as the University of Louisiana Monroe, Louisiana State University Shreveport, Louisiana Tech University, Grambling State University, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, McNeese State University, Northwestern State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, University of New Orleans, University of Holy Cross, Tulane University, Nicholls State University, LSU and others play a vital role in preparing skilled counselors, psychologists and social workers.

However, the current capacity of mental health training programs is not sufficient to meet the growing demand. We are facing another potential budget shortfall in Louisiana that could impact higher education. Without adequate funding and resources, these programs may struggle to equip students with the expertise and experience required to enter the workforce.

Investing in these programs is not just about addressing today’s challenges — it is about safeguarding the future of Louisiana. By increasing the number of trained mental health professionals, we can improve outcomes for children and families, reduce the strain on emergency services and foster healthier, more resilient communities.

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It is time to prioritize the mental health of our state by supporting higher education programs that make a difference. Together, we can build a brighter, healthier future.

MATTHEW THORNTON

chief executive officer, Center for Children and Families, Inc.

 



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Stabbing death reported at Louisiana prison

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Stabbing death reported at Louisiana prison


(KTAL/KMSS) – A dispute that resulted in an inmate’s death is under investigation at a Louisiana state prison, according to the Department of Corrections.

DOC Director of Communications Ken Pastorick said the incident happened at Southern Correctional Center in Tallulah, Louisiana, and caused the death of Teldric Boyd, 31.

A new release said that around 3:25 a.m. on Monday, Boyd was allegedly stabbed in the neck with a shank by fellow inmate Austin Dean, 33. Correctional center staff is said to have immediately responded and rendered first aid, and then Boyd was brought to a local hospital, where he died at 5 a.m.

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Madison Parish Sheriff’s detectives booked Dean, who they say admitted to stabbing Boyd after an argument the two men had Sunday night.

Boyd was serving a 14-year sentence for various convictions, including racketeering, aggravated battery, two counts of a felon in possession of a firearm, and drug offenses in Rapides Parish.

Dean was serving a 25-year sentence for manslaughter in Rapides Parish and a five-year sentence for aggravated assault on a peace officer; those sentences are to run consecutively.

The investigation is ongoing.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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50 Cent Faces Opposition From Louisiana Senator After Buying More Property In Downtown Shreveport

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50 Cent Faces Opposition From Louisiana Senator After Buying More Property In Downtown Shreveport


50 Cent is at odds with one Louisiana lawmaker who’s taking issue with his growing real estate in Shreveport.

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Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s growing real estate portfolio in Shreveport, Louisiana, is facing resistance from a state lawmaker urging city leaders to exercise greater caution when selling or leasing city-owned property.

The hip-hop mogul responded to a recent news article that revealed Louisiana state Sen. Sam Jenkins Jr.’s concerns about him buying more property in Downtown Shreveport after he bought three new properties last week.

“Sam Jenkins must not want things to turn around in Shreveport,” 50 Cent captioned an Instagram post. “Who would not do a deal to wait for a imaginary deal to come 😳? Or maybe he lacks faith in me. What do you think?”

Jenkins is expressing serious concerns about an excessive concentration of city assets being controlled by a single entity, particularly 50 Cent and his expanding G-Unit Studio empire. Since May, the rapper has invested over $3.7 million in cash to acquire 10 privately owned buildings and vacant lots in Shreveport, located on Texas Street, Spring Street, and Commerce Street.

Last week, 50 Cent added three new properties, including leases on Millennium Studios, the former Expo Hall/Stageworks, and interest in the Red River entertainment District under the Texas Street Bridge. While the Millennium Studios deal “has been made and should be honored,” Jenkins, a Democrat, told The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate, he is urging the city to “pump the brakes a little bit. Let’s try to see what else is out there.”

“I’m just simply saying, let’s just be careful how far we go and begin to look at some performances based upon what we’ve already pledged or promised to do,” Jenkins said.

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In October, Jenkins wrote to Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux outlining his concerns. He also expressed a willingness to meet with 50 Cent to discuss strategies for improving Shreveport’s economic future.

However, 50 Cent took to Instagram again to let Jenkins know he doesn’t like his “tone” and is not interested in meeting with him to discuss his continued investment in Shreveport.

“I don’t understand why this man thinks I would come talk to him after he set this tone,” the rapper wrote. “Don’t hold your breath buddy. 😆”

The “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” rapper followed up with another Instagram post aimed at Jenkins where he declared his plans to stay in Shreveport.

“Tell Sam I said, whether he like it or not, I’m coming to Shreveport LOL 👀ALL ROADS LEAD TO SHREVEPORT 🎥,” he wrote.

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