#Gov. Jeff Landry

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Gov. Jeff Landry signed into law Tuesday a bill allowing executions by nitrogen gas and electrocution, opening the door for Louisiana to revive capital punishment 14 years after it last used its death chamber.

Landry signed the legislation, House Bill 6, and 10 other bills into law while surrounded by crime victims' loved ones and law enforcement officials in a ceremony at the State Capitol. HB 6 also shrouds records of the state's procurement of lethal injection drugs in secrecy, a step supporters say will make it easier to obtain those drugs.

The death penalty bill headlined a slate of tough-on-crime legislation approved by the Republican-controlled state Legislature last month and championed by Landry, a Republican and former state attorney general who campaigned on a promise to punish criminals and uplift people affected by violent crime. The new laws reverse a path charted by the state's 2017 Justice Reinvestment Initiative by slashing chances for convicted criminals to be released from prison early and lengthening sentences for some crimes.

"This is what I ran on," Landry said Tuesday.

The Governor also signed bills that allow people to carry concealed handguns without permits, eliminate parole for adults who commit crimes after Aug. 1, dramatically cut the availability of good behavior credits in prison and limit how people can request plea deals after their convictions, among others.

Landry is expected to sign additional bills passed in last month's special session in New Orleans on Wednesday, including measures to publish court minutes for youth accused of violent crimes, increase penalties for carjacking and weapons offenses and give Landry more control over the state's public defense system.

Protests against that legislation — particularly the death penalty bill, which opponents caution promotes one method that has hardly been tested and another ruled inhumane by courts in some states — spurred fiery debate but did little to sway lawmakers, most of whom fell in line with Landry's agenda.

A series of criminal justice advocacy groups spoke out against the new laws again on Monday, saying they will do little to curb crime and risk bloating the state's prison population to pre-2017 levels.

The 2017 public safety laws, which drew bipartisan backing and support from law enforcement, released people with convictions for nonviolent crimes and saved the state some $153 million, a recent audit found.

"Blaming the wrong problems doesn’t get the right solutions, and our communities for years have made clear the solutions necessary to address the very real concerns and needs of all Louisianans," said Danny Engelberg, the chief public defender in New Orleans. "These misguided bills will balloon our already bloated legal system, jails and prison system, and further widen the inequities in justice, safety, and community well-being."

The first modern execution by nitrogen gas occurred in Alabama in January. It sparked pushback from anti-death penalty advocates who expressed concern about eyewitness reports that Kenneth Smith, who was put to death for a 1988 murder-for-hire, writhed and struggled for air for some 20 minutes after nitrogen began flowing into his mouth. Alabama officials said the execution was humane and offered to aid other states' efforts to put the method to use.

Difficulty obtaining the cocktail of execution drugs from pharmaceutical firms, along with former Gov. John Bel Edwards' opposition to capital punishment and a series of federal court orders pausing executions in recent years, had kept Louisiana from putting anyone to death since 2010.

It's unclear when state officials might begin taking steps to obtain materials needed to carry out executions or when executions could resume in Louisiana. Also unclear is which of the three execution options the state will use; the new law leaves that choice to the secretary of the state's Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

HB 6's sponsor, Rep. Nicholas Muscarello, R-Hammond, said in an interview last month that Landry has indicated that his preferred execution method is lethal injection.

Last week, a DPSC spokesperson referred questions about the death penalty process to Landry's office, which did not respond to requests for comment. Landry left Tuesday's bill-signing ceremony without taking questions from reporters.

The new law letting people carry concealed handguns without permits, which supporters dub "constitutional carry" because they argue it restores an absolute right to self-armament enshrined in the United States' founding document, drew applause from gun rights activists and condemnation from gun safety groups.

National Rifle Association Interim CEO Andrew Arulanandam in a statement praised the "resolve" of Landry and "pro-self-defense legislators" who voted for the new law. Angelle Bradford, a volunteer for the Louisiana chapter of the pro-gun control group Moms Demand Action, criticized Landry for "cater(ing) to the gun lobby and reinforc(ing) their deadly ‘guns everywhere’ agenda."

#us politics #news #nola.com #2024 #louisiana #Gov. Jeff Landry #capital punishment #executions #nitrogen gas #electrocution #criminal justice system #parole #concealed carry without permit #concealed carry #gun laws #Kenneth Smith #John Bel Edwards #Rep. Nicholas Muscarello #Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections #conservatives #republicans #gop

[vague-humanoid]

[dosesofcommonsense]

NEW — There are now 25 states standing in solidarity with the great state of Texas and Gov. Greg Abbott against the lawless Joe Biden:

Wyoming - Gov. Mark Gordon

Iowa - Gov. Kim Reynolds

Arkansas - Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Montana - Gov. Greg Gianforte

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

Idaho - Gov. Brad Little

North Dakota - Gov. Doug Burgum

Nebraska - Gov. Jim Pillen

West Virginia - Gov. Jim Justice

Alabama - Gov. Kay Ivey

Tennessee - Gov. Bill Lee

Louisiana - Gov. Jeff Landry

Georgia Gov. - Brian Kemp

Utah - Gov. Spencer Cox

Virginia - Gov. Glenn Youngkin

South Dakota - Gov. Kristi Noem

Oklahoma - Gov. Kevin Stitt

Alaska - Gov. Mike Dunleavy

Indiana - Gov. Eric Holcomb

Nevada - Gov. Joe Lombardo

New Hampshire - Gov. Chris Sununu

Mississippi - Gov. Tate Reeves

Missouri - Gov. Mike Parson

Ohio - Gov. Mike DeWine

South Carolina - Gov. Henry McMaster

Please encourage these men and women and tell them THANK YOU.

Remember, they can't arrest us all!

https://thefederalist.com/2024/01/25/here-are-all-the-states-standing-with-texas-against-bidens-border-assault/

[beardedmrbean]

Less than four years after George Floyd's murder sparked a mass awakening to the inequities of the criminal justice system, political leaders across the country are returning to a tough-on-crime approach. In some cases, voters and lawmakers are opting to reverse reforms passed years ago.

San Francisco voted Tuesday in support of two propositions that give more power to police and require addiction treatment as a condition for welfare assistance. D.C. Council members also passed a package of public safety measures Tuesday, including bringing back "drug-free zones."

The Tuesday votes follow movements to roll back reforms in Louisiana and Oregon.

"It's a stunning turnabout, especially so soon after the wave of national protests against the system for being too harsh," says Adam Gelb, President and CEO of the nonpartisan think tank Council on Criminal Justice.

Though the 50-year-pattern of reform and restrictions for may seem like we are headed back to highly punitive policies, Gelb said that isn't the full picture.

"I think there's very little chance that we return fully to the notion that we can arrest and punish our way to safety."

The Excerpt podcast: Crime stats show improvement. Why do so many believe it's never been worse?

Pendulum swinging across decades led to reforms during last 15 years

Gelb said the pattern like a pendulum swinging between restriction and reform starts as early as the 60s when a wave of reform led into a spike in crime in the 70s. The 80s brought in the crack crisis and a "get tough era," Gelb said. Over the next three decades, mandatory sentencing, a boom in prison development and harsher drug enforcement tactics led to a ballooning in the prison population.

During this time, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 was signed by President Bill Clinton, which The Brennan Center for Justice considers one of the most comprehensive federal bills on crime in history with a "complicated" legacy for its contributions to mass incarceration.

By 2007, one of every 31 adults was under the authority of the correctional system in the U.S., the country with the highest per capita incarceration rate in the world, according to a 2010 congressional report.

Efforts to reduce those populations had bipartisan support, as can be seen by the 2018 First Step Act to improve criminal justice outcomes while keeping crime low, which former President Donald Trump signed into law. But even before that, the Pew Trust reported that more than 30 states had passed laws to reduce the prison populations between 2007 and 2017. That included Louisiana.

Louisiana, Oregon repeal previous reforms, critics say ineffective in public safety

In an opinion piece in the Shreveport Times, part of the USA TODAY Network, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry explicitly blamed the Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Act signed by the former governor in 2017 for "rampant crime."

He kicked off a Legislative Special Session on crime, the Plaquemine Post South reported, including pushing through a measure that repealed a law passed in 2017 and now allows courts to prosecute 17-year-olds as young adults.

Landry signed 19 bills into law last week, including expanding methods of execution for the death penalty, reducing opportunities for parole and early release.

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Matthew Willard of New Orleans was critical of some of the moves, saying they will not do anything to stop crime before it happens. The ACLU of Louisiana testified against two of the bills on the grounds they were costly and not likely to reduce crime now.

Similar concerns were raised in Oregon, where the House passed a bill repealing part of Measure 110, a 2020 voter-approved measure to decriminalize drug possession. Critics of the new bill say the state's criminal justice system is already overwhelmed, and recriminalizing would disproportionally affect Black and Latino Oregonians, the Statesman Journal reported.

Tera Hurst, executive director of the Health Justice Recovery Alliance, also said it would be ineffective in helping alleviate crime rates today.

San Francisco, D.C. expand police powers by ballot and council

San Francisco voters showed great support on Super Tuesday for two measures put on the ballot by Democratic Mayor London Breed. She is up for reelection in November, with her opponents saying she has not been able to manage drug crimes, vandalism and theft, the Associated Press reported.

Proposition E grants police greater agency through less paperwork and wider drone use, according to AP. Propositions F requires adult welfare recipients who use drugs to receive treatment as a condition of receiving benefits, AP said.

D.C. Council members just passed an omnibus bill that brings together several public safety provisions raised over the last year. According to The Washington Post, the Secure D.C. Omnibus Amendment Act includes the following provisions:

Judges could more easily order some to be detained while awaiting trial for violent offenses

The definition of carjacking expanded to encompass more cases for prosecution

"Organized retail theft" considered a new felony

Establishing temporary "Drug-free zones", a 1990s-era tactic revived to address drug-related loitering

Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser applauded the legislation in a statement Tuesday, saying "We will not tolerate violence and we will not tolerate criminal activity that disrupts our sense of safety and our ability to build thriving neighborhoods." The bill heads to her desk next before congressional review.

But the bills' passage drew a mixed reaction from the ACLU.

"While the amended Secure DC Act provides some limited safeguards, it falls short of keeping us safe from abuse of power," ACLU-D.C. Policy Counsel Melissa Wasser said in a statement.

'A ratchet, not a pendulum'

While national data on crime rates is notoriously difficult to track, statistics collected and analyzed from cities across the U.S. show a spike of violent offenses and drop in property crime during the pandemic. But that data, compiled by the CCJ, suggests that most types of crime are reverting back towards pre-pandemic levels.

Gelb said the goal should actually be the recent lows in 2014, before the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri further ruptured public trust in police.

He also acknowledged that some policies that have popped up recently may be intended to send a message about crime tolerance rather than stop crime directly, noting that downward trends might not necessarily make people feel safe.

"I think this is much more about quality than quantity," Gelb said. "Most people aren't fluent in the statistics, but they know what they see and hear on the street, from friends and social media. And it's the randomness, the brazenness of some of these some of these incidents that suggests a culture of lawlessness, a breakdown of behavioral norms and social standards."

Gelb also says that even though this wave of tough-on-crime laws may seem like that pendulum is headed back to that era, he doesn't think it will be that extreme.

"It is a ratchet. It's not a pendulum," Gelb said. "They're not going back to the way it was before. They're shaving off the most aggressive edges and dialing things back rather than completely rejecting a balanced approach."

#nunyas news

[houseofpurplestars]

Louisiana passed a bill that would not allow anyone convicted of a crime after Aug 1, to ever qualify for parole.

The state with the largest prison population in the country made people convicted of a crime unable to ever get parole.

#racism #prisons #us politics #slavery #louisiana #stop cop city

[real-american]

Now 28 out of 50 States have constitutional carry. Surprised it took La this long (although I know they had John Belle Edwards for awhile vetoing it every time when I was living there)

#constitutional carry #guns

[fspgrad]

OUTRAGEOUS! MAGA Gov. Jeff Landry's POWER PLAY Over Public Defense in La...

This iscwhat happens when you sit out elections. Jim Crow 2.0

#governor jeff landry #louisiana #incarceration #roland martin #Youtube

[dohicky]

Rewriting Louisiana's Constitution: History Repeating Itself?

[kashicloud]

[ad_1] The 2023 championship rematch between Iowa and LSU in this year’s Elite Eight was a scintillating production that stockpiled praise from celebrities, athletes and fans alike, while shattering the record for the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever.But Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry was unimpressed before a basketball even bounced Monday after LSU was not present for the national anthem, calling for a policy to be put in place that risks a student-athlete’s scholarship if the player is absent during “The Star-Spangled Banner.”“My mother coached women’s high school basketball during the height of desegregation, no one has a greater respect for the sport and for Coach Mulkey,” Gov. Landry wrote on X on Tuesday. “However, above respect for that game is a deeper respect for those that serve to protect us and unite us under one flag! It is time that all college boards, including Regent, put a policy in place that student athletes be present for the national anthem or risk their athletic scholarship! This is a matter of respect that all collegiate coaches should instill.” My mother coached women’s high school basketball during the height of desegregation, no one has a greater respect for the sport and for Coach Mulkey. However, above respect for that game is a deeper respect for those that serve to protect us and unite us under one flag ! It is… — Jeff Landry (@JeffLandry) April 2, 2024LSU coach Kim Mulkey said postgame that she was unaware of what time the anthem played and that her team’s routine is to head from the court into the locker room at the 12-minute mark. Iowa was present for the anthem and lined up along its foul line with all players holding hands.“I’m sorry, listen, that’s nothing intentionally done,” Mulkey said postgame.The Pulse NewsletterFree, daily sports updates direct to your inbox. Sign upFree, daily sports updates direct to your inbox. Sign upBuySouth Carolina coach Dawn Staley and her team faced similar criticism in 2022 — when the Gamecocks took home the title — for not being on the floor during the national anthem for their Final Four win over Louisville. Staley explained that their absence was unintentional, calling her players “creatures of habit.”“I think (the national anthem) was played at the 12- or 10-minute mark, and that’s just not the time that we’re out on the court because of our pregame ritual,” Staley said at the time. “If the national anthem is at 0:00, like it was today (for the national championship), we were out there standing for the national anthem.”In college sports, it’s not required to be present for the national anthem or uncommon for one or both teams to be in their respective locker rooms during it. College football teams are not typically present for it during regular-season matchups or even bowl games. For the Big Ten college football championship between Iowa and Michigan in December, both the Hawkeyes and Wolverines didn’t appear to be on the sidelines during the playing of the national anthem at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. When Iowa football plays at home, however, it is typically on the field for the anthem.Required reading(Photo of American Airlines Center before the 2023 women’s NCAA Tournament championship: Ron Jenkins / Getty Images) !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '207679059578897'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); [ad_2] Source link

[sataniccapitalist]

[sweetietray]

I’m so sick of the fake ass outrage. It’s cool for a bunch of backwards ass so called patriotic racists to storm and attack a 231 year-old historic bldg, but they get mad when a bunch of athletes decide to protest this country’s BS song. I’m sick of the BS. Be openly racists and stop fkn around. Let people know just exactly who you are so we can get past the BS. We are here now. 🤨

#racists #patriotism #what kind of bullshit is that #fuck trump

[realityhop]

Fox News somehow wants its audience to believe this is the top news story. I really would like to vent about how transparent they are with the manipulation if I thought that would accomplish anything

#Louisiana State University #Fox News #rage bait

[deblala]

More details released for Gov. Jeff Landry’s plan to rewrite Louisiana Constitution • Louisiana Illuminator

https://lailluminator.com/2024/03/27/more-details-released-for-gov-jeff-landrys-plan-to-rewrite-louisiana-constitution/

View On WordPress

[the-eternal-quest-for-balance]

[mutualmango]

i hate my home state so much. oh my god

bear in mind louisiana is the state with the highest incarceration rate in a country that has some of the highest in the world. we also have private, for-profit prisons, and a max sec state penitentiary named after and built on the grounds of a slave plantation. for all intents and purposes louisiana was already the prison capital of the world, and the state government has just greatly expanded that.

oh and there's also this:

surely he lost his job, right?

oh!

#i'm going to scream #to be clear he retired from his sheriff position to take the state job #he did not retire from the state job

[kp777]

#louisiana #redistricting #2024 elections