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| Prisons in New Orleans empty |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 09/12/2005 |
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The prisoners corralled on highway overpasses are gone, taken away by boats and buses, some after climbing down a 50-foot scaffold to get to their rescue vehicles. The prisons in New Orleans and two neighboring parishes ravaged by Hurricane Katrina are empty. Now, state and local officials are trying to piece together some system for booking, jailing and prosecuting accused criminals trying to re-establish law and order in a region that had descended into anarchy after the storm. "The entire criminal justice system is alive and well and is being rapidly re-established," said U.S. Attorney Jim Letten, who represents the district in and around New Orleans and is setting up a new office in Baton Rouge. The evacuation of prisoners in Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes was complete by Thursday without a single escape, officials said; deputies and their families were finished evacuating a day later. Early Saturday morning, a temporary booking and holding facility was opened in New Orleans to take in people who'd been arrested and process them. However, it may not include the traditional fingerprinting and photographing process. After they're processed, those arrested will be moved to other jails, said Louisiana Attorney General Charles Foti. The temporary jail can hold about 700 people, and its first inmate was someone who stole a water truck, he said. The New Orleans justice system is primarily moving up the road about 60 miles. But it continues to face logistical nightmares created by the flooding and destruction by Katrina. The computer logs still hadn't been retrieved from the criminal district court in New Orleans. And there still will be the matter of tracking down witnesses, find court records and trial transcripts and organize a temporary court. They're considering holding arraignments by telephone and video conference. City prosecutors are scattered, but Orleans Parish District Attorney Eddie Jordan said he hoped to reassemble them within days to start holding hearings at the temporary detention facility. Prisoners with less serious offenses may be considered for early releases to free up prison beds for the more dangerous, according to state Corrections Secretary Richard Stalder. For federal court, Letten said databases are up and running and federal judges from the New Orleans-based district were preparing to relocate. |
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