By Bun Choum | WDSU | February 23, 2023
The New Orleans District Attorney is ordering an extensive internal review after a prosecutor in his office refused charges on more than a dozen carnival arrests.
In a statement to WDSU, the DA’s office wrote in part: “The Assistant DA’s strategic decision to refuse these misdemeanors in exchange for forfeiture of the weapons at first appearance was improper and does not represent our office policy or procedure. DA Williams has ordered an extensive internal review of each matter brought before magistrate court on this date, as well as appropriate remedial measures to prevent similar unauthorized activity in the future.”
Court documents show prosecutors refused charges on 19 different cases from Lundi Gras. Fifteen are gun charges.
“The firearms cases, there was a condition placed on that refusal. The condition that the Assistant District Attorney extracted in exchange for the refusal was that the arrested subject had to agree to waive their right to have their firearm returned to them,” said Rafael Goyeneche with the Metro Crime Commission.