louisiana
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LSU Football Player Koy Moore Says He Was ‘Violated Numerous Times’ by Baton Rouge Police Officers
Three Baton Rouge police officers are on leave this week after a confrontation with Louisiana State University football player Koy Moore, during which Moore said he was “violated numerous times.” Moore, a freshman wide receiver for the team, posted a statement Sunday afternoon to his Twitter and Instagram accounts about the incident, which happened on…
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Louisiana Man Who Burned Down 3 Black Churches in 2019 Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison
23-year-old Holden Matthews—the black metal-loving son of a St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, sheriff’s deputy who wasn’t officially named a white supremacist despite having pleaded guilty to burning down three Black churches in 2019—was sentenced Monday to 25 years in federal prison for his crimes, according to the Department of Justice. CNN reports that along with…
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63-Year-Old Black Man Granted Parole After Spending Nearly 24 Years in Louisiana Prison for Stealing Hedge Clippers
In August, The Root reported that 63-year-old Fair Wayne Bryant—who was given a life sentence for stealing a pair of hedge clippers in Shreveport, La., more than 20 years ago—was denied a request to have his sentence reviewed by the Louisiana Supreme Court. Since Bryant had already spent much of his adult life behind bars…
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Louisiana Police Blamed a Black Man’s 2019 Death on a Car Crash. His Family Just Viewed Footage of Police Beating and Tasing Him Before He Died
A video of a Black man being beaten by Louisiana police, kept away from the public for more than a year, was finally shown to his family this week. The family of Ronald Greene, who died after a brutal encounter with Louisiana State Police, saw a “graphic” 30-minute video on Wednesday depicting what happened to…
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After Black Child Was Suspended for Having BB Gun at Home, Louisiana Lawmakers Move to Help Him Appeal
State lawmakers in Louisiana have moved to make it easier for students to appeal expulsions after a Black child was suspended last month for having a BB gun in his room. According to WAFB, a committee in the state House has introduced a bill to make it easier for 4th grader Ka’Mauri Harrison to appeal…
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Missouri Governor Says He’ll Pardon Couple Who Pointed Guns at Protesters Because, of Course, He Will
In a move shocking absolutely no one, Missouri’s Republican governor has said he would “most certainly” pardon the bootleg Bonnie and Clyde seen pointing guns at protesters over the summer. The Hill reports Gov. Michael Parson told reporters on Wednesday that he “most certainly would” pardon Mark and Patricia McCloskey should they face conviction. On…
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After Arrest of Black Teenager, 1 Lousiana Officer Placed on Leave and 2 Others Removed From Duty
In Louisiana, an investigation has been launched into three officers involved in the arrest of two Black teenagers outside of a Lafayette bowling alley. CNN reports that last Saturday, 16-year-old twins Jabari and Gerard Celestine were waiting outside to enter the Arcadia Lanes bowling alley when three Lafayette police officers, responding to a call about…
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Lafayette, La., Where Police Recently Shot and Killed a Black Man, Says It Will Not Shelter Hurricane Evacuees Because of ‘Outside Agitators’
In the aftermath of Hurricane Laura, hundreds of thousands of people across the state of Louisiana are still without power or water. But those seeking shelter—either because they lack access to important resources or because they have no home to return to—will not find it in Lafayette, according to city officials. The city was largely…
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Black Veteran Sentenced to Life in Prison Over $30 Marijuana Sale Set to Be Freed
In Louisiana, a Black veteran currently serving life without parole over a $30 weed sale is set to be released. On Thursday, prosecutors in Vermilion Parish, La., agreed to release Derek Harris, who has served nine years in prison, KATC reports. Harris was arrested in 2008 for selling less than a gram of marijuana to…