In 2018, Louisianians voted to toss out verdicts put forth by non-unanimous juries, and a later ruling from the United States Supreme Court said that all non-unanimous juries are unconstitutional. As some offenders are being released from jail under these new rules, some crime victims are calling foul on New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams for not being more proactive about notifying them, or declining to re-try these offenders.
A caller named Dorothy told Newell a harrowing story.
“Yesterday morning, I received a call from Angola informing me that one of the criminals involved in the murder of my son, police officer Christopher Russell, was being released yesterday,” Dorothy began. “I was given the address where he would be living in Gretna, and I immediately notified the Gretna Police Department, JPSO and Chief Ferguson at NOPD. This is beyond shocking because the premise under which this man was released was that all four defendants in my son’s case were deemed guilty by unanimous juries - but they are telling me now that this man was convicted eleven to one. So instead of being retried, he's released into the public. I'm telling you I was more than shocked because if these criminals who have murdered police officers but somehow non unanimous verdicts are put out on the street, do you think that they are not going to be inclined to put targets on the backs of law enforcement officers? It's just absolutely shocking!”
“Dorothy, let me first say, I am so sorry for the loss of your son. I did not know your son, but I knew people that knew your son and thought the world of him. Do you remember the defendant's name?” Newell asked.
“Michael Davis,” came the answer.
“So Michael Davis was convicted on a split jury, eleven to one. Have they decided whether or not they're going to prosecute him again, or has the DA made the decision that he's not doing that?”
“That we don't know. I was just told that he was released from Angola yesterday. That's the information I had.”
“And you didn't get a call from the DA's office, right?” Newell continued. “You see, you're part of the victim side of the equation here. I'm sure that the family members of Michael Davis got a call that he was being released and it doesn't surprise me that the victim gets nothing.”
Later, Eric, another listener who was a victim of a violent crime, followed up with another compelling call.
“In 2006, I was attacked,” Eric said. “I was able to go to the prison last Friday and had a visitation with a person who shot me point blank range in the face with a 40 caliber. I was able to get a few things off my chest. The most important thing for me was to find forgiveness and let him know that I do forgive him for what he's done - but I can't sit back and just be silent with what the DA's doing, and the pretense under which he is going about this... A white man shot me in the face. I'm a white guy, but pretty much everyone else included in the entire situation has been Black. And for the DA to say that this has to do with systemic racism and white supremacy, and then drag my case into it in my name into it - I'm appalled. I, more than appalled. It made me sick!”
“When you hear stories like this from Eric and Dororthy, who got notified by Angola that her son's killer is being released and no call from the DA's office.. I'm not sure who's representing who any longer,” Newell concluded.
Hear the entire segment in the audio player below.
