Louisiana Weekly
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Week of February 26 - March 4, 2018 92nd year of providing ‘News that matters’ VOL.. XCIIII NO.. 24 Since 1925 www.louisianaweekly.com 50 cents BNy Ryaen Wwhirty Orleans Etentas rsingting rthee lost aindd foreklifnt optersato rs dhaes becen ragying i n uNewt Oirlleanis tEayst, o nec thoat mOnm Feb. i2t1, tthee Ceity Cvounocil’st Ue tility Contributing Writer scooting to and fro in preparation for Mary could completely remake the proud community. Committee voted 4-1 to approve the corpora - Queen of Vietnam’s annual Tet Fest celebrat - After several years of debating – and, at times, tion’s plans. Next up is a decision by the whole At the Mary Queen of Vietnam Church last ing the Vietnamese New Year, it was general - protesting – Entergy’s proposal for a gigantic new, Council that would give one final OK for Friday morning, a couple dozen people hus - ly quiet before the joyous storm of celebra - $210 million, natural gas-fired energy power plant, tled and hurried across the church parking lot tion over the weekend. many residents of the New Orleans East neighbor - and in and out of the kitchen. With expansive But another, and some say more ominous, storm hoods are at their boiling point. Continued on Pg. 2 La. Dept. of Corrections sued for use of solitary confinement for mentally ill By Ryan Whirty Contributing Writer A lawsuit filed Feb. 20 in U.S. District Court in Baton Rouge alleges that Louisiana Department of Corrections officials and employees at the David Wade Correctional Center in Homer have subjected prisoners to cruel, harmful conditions that have either caused or exacerbated mental illnesses in inmates. In addition, the plaintiffs in the lawsuit charge the DWCC with destroying evidence by unhooking the hard drives of the facility’s monitoring cameras to prevent alleged abuses from being filmed. One of the primary allegations in the federal class-action lawsuit – which was issued on behalf of prison - ers at the David Wade Center by The Advocacy Center and the MacArthur Justice Center – centers on the practice of “extended lockdown,” in which prisoners are isolated in a sin - Continued on Pg. 13 In this February 1964 photo, Henry Montgomery, flanked by two deputies, awaits the verdict in his trial for the murder of Deputy Sheriff Charles H. Hurt in Louisiana. Montgomery, a 71-year-old prisoner who was 17 when he killed a sheriff's deputy, learned Wednesday, June 21, 2017, that he would get a chance at parole, 54 years after the killing and a year after winning his appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court. (John Boss/The Advocate via AP) 5th Circuit ruling could signal La. inmate in landmark Supreme changes to N.O. Court case denied parole Henry Montgomery, a 71-year-old since his conviction decades ago and a 1963, less than two weeks after bail system Louisiana inmate whose case led to a land - vote to free him would have had to be Montgomery’s 17th birthday. Last June, A recent ruling by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal mark U.S. Supreme Court decision on juve - unanimous. Montgomery now must wait a state judge who resentenced that declared that the way Houston, Texas judges set bail nile-offender sentences and Louisiana prison another two years before he can request Montgomery to life with the possibility for criminal defendants is unconstitutional is giving hope reforms that spurred the release of hundreds another parole hearing. of parole called him a “model prisoner” to justice advocates and civil rights activists in New of juvenile lifers beginning last fall, was him - Ironically, the Supreme Court’s who seemed to be rehabilitated. Orleans seeking to do away with this city’s bail system, self denied parole on Monday, Feb. 19, more January 2016 decision in Montgomery’s Montgomery’s lawyers said he has sought The New Orleans Advocate reported Monday. than five decades after he was convicted in case opened the door for roughly 2,000 to be a positive role model for other prison - A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit ruled earlier this the killing of a sheriff’s deputy at age 17. other juvenile offenders to argue for ers, serving as a coach and trainer for a month that a district judge correctly decided that the Harris The Associated Press reported last their release after receiving mandatory boxing team he helped form at Louisiana County, Texas bail system was unconstitutional. The panel week that a three-member panel from the life-without-parole sentences. State Penitentiary at Angola. explained that local judges failed to consider whether poor state parole board voted 2 to 1 to keep Montgomery has served 54 years in But the two parole board members who defendants could afford to make bail according to a preset Henry Montgomery imprisoned. The prison for shooting East Baton Rouge hearing was his first chance at freedom Parish sheriff’s deputy Charles Hurt in Continued on Pg. 8 Continued on Pg. 13 Disabled Americans disapprove of Trump presidency, poll shows By Ryan Whirty The national phone survey of 1,000 people with a disability, or those who work or volun - teleconference through RespectAbility to dis - Contributing Writer was conducted Jan. 6-11 on behalf of teer with people with disabilities. cuss the results of the poll. His firm, Greenberg RespectAbility, a non-profit, non-partisan According to a RespectAbility press release, Research, and the Democracy Corps helped A new national poll of the American disabil - organization aimed at strengthening American people with disabilities make up 17 percent of conduct the survey, which carries a margin of ity community reveals that Americans with communities through the shared values of diver - the American population, and are nine percent disabilities disapprove of President Trump’s sity and mutual respect. Both land-line phone more likely than those outside the extended Continued on Pg. 13 presidency in growing numbers, and that numbers and cell phone numbers were used. disability community to be extremely interest - those impacted by disability issues – especial - Fully 63 percent of the American population ed in voting in the 2018 election cycle. ly disabled voters themselves – are undergo - is part of the extended disability community – On Feb. 20, nationally-renowned pollster, ing a significant swing away from Republican those with disabilities themselves, those with bestselling author and polling consultant Dr. politicians and toward Democrats. a family member or close friend of someone Stanley Greenberg participated in a webinar and THE LOUISIANA WEEKLY - Page 2 YOUR MULTICULTURAL MEDIUM February 26 - March 4, 2018 Lots of questions, few answers about plan to phase out McDonogh 35 By Marta Jewson ing to the school. “So working through the contract described his requests for proposals ated program, he said. The Lens knows one board mem - The Lens “Unfortunately, a lot of half- model gives us flexibility in terms and his expectation that the district The district has not responded ber, Marshall, attended. truth rumors are being spread of structuring enrollment and hav - will get applicants for the transition - to The Lens’ question about State Rep. Joe Bouie Jr., who Orleans Parish schools online about ‘35 closing down, ing a gradual phase-out.” al and long-term arrangements. whether the board must approve represents the district where Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. and a private, unaccountable Charter schools generally have If no one applies to run the the contracts, though Lewis said McDonogh 35 is located, wasn’t has fielded a lot of questions in the firm being installed. This is not five-year contracts, subject to an school in the short-term, “I’m not at the board meeting he will ask allowed in. He’s known for his past couple of days from board true,” Lewis said. initial review after three years. saying today the next phase for their approval. criticism of charter schools. members and alumni about his plan “I wanted to be crystal clear about Caroline Roemer Shirley, execu - would be to directly manage the Alumna Alicia Plummer said Alumni leaving the meeting to phase out McDonogh 35 Senior the basics. First of all, McDonogh tive director of the Louisiana school, but that would certainly Lewis did not answer that ques - expressed a mixture of optimism High School and start over with a 35 will remain open and a public Association for Public Charter be an option,” he said. tion at the meeting with alumni and frustration. new school of the same name. school. All current students can stay Schools, said it’s hard to turn Kleban, former CEO of New Monday night. Nikki Napoleon, who graduat - His answers to the school board until they graduate from high around a school, particularly a Orleans College Prep, asked if The CEO of Smothers Academy, a ed in 1992, said Lewis “wasn’t Tuesday offered few details. Alumni school.” high school, that quickly. the district has studied how charter school located in Jefferson, giving clear answers. … who attended a closed-door meeting The school district is, in fact, seek - much it will cost to operate the attended that meeting. He graduated Individuals kept asking the same with Lewis on Monday night said ing a private operator to “wind Will McDonogh 35 return to short-term school. from McDonogh 35 in 1988. questions over and over again.” they didn’t get answers to a host of down” — that’s the term it uses in selective-admission? “Having been involved in a He said his school plans to apply She said he was asked repeatedly questions, such as: its request for proposals — the tradi - When she read the district’s docu - similar type of transition at to run the school long-term.