4-14-22
BROUSSARD POLICE ARE CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION AFTER A MAN WAS FOUND DEAD WEDNESDAY EVENING. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
VOICER V :31
A SUSPECT IN A FATAL SHOOTING IN EUNICE WAS APPREHENDED ON WOODROW STREET IN LAFAYETTE YESTERDAY MORNING. CLARENCE MITCHELL WAS FOUND WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND IN A VEHICLE MONDAY AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE DIED ON TUESDAY. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING A BLACK MAN WITH AN ORANGE SHIRT, CARRYING A GUN AS HE ENTERED A WHITE S-U-V. THIRTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD LEONARD JAMES MILLER, THE MAN APPREHENDED YESTERDAY, WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE SHOOTER AND AN ARREST WARRANT FOR SECOND DEGREE MURDER WAS ISSUED.
OPENING STATEMENTS WERE DELIVERED YESTERDAY IN THE MURDER AND FETICIDE TRIAL OF VERNELL CHATMAN, WHOSE ACCUSED OF KILLING A LAKE CHARLES WOMAN, WHO WAS PREGNANT. CALCASIEU PARISH ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES ROBERTSON SAYS CHATMAN RUTHLESSLY MURDERED TWENTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD KAYLA JONES IN NOVEMBER OF TWENTY-NINETEEN, AND HE KNEW SHE WAS PREGNANT. CHATMAN’S ATTORNEY DONALD GUIDRY ARGUED THAT CHATMAN HAD NO INTENT AND DID NOT KILL ANYONE. THE PROSECTION WILL PRESENT EVIDENCE AND PRODUCE WITNESSES TODAY.
With petitions signed by a majority of the House and of the Senate, the state Legislature would be able to end public health emergency declarations by future governors under legislation approved by a House committee. Wednesday’s 6-5 vote by the House and Governmental Affairs Committee sent the bill by Republican state Rep. Lawrence Frieman to the full House. The bill comes after two years of conflict between some lawmakers and Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards over emergency measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. If it becomes law, Frieman’s bill would take effect in 2024.
A STATE SENATE COMMITTEE ADVANCED A BILL TO THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE THAT WOULD GIVE PROSECUTORS THE ABILITY TO GO AFTER ONLINE AND MAIL-ORDER DISTRIBUTORS OF ABORTION PILLS. THE BILL’S SPONSOR, REPUBLICAN SHARON HEWITT OF SLIDELL, SAYS THE MAIL ORDER PILLS ARE SENT TO LOUISIANA PATIENTS WITH LITTLE INFORMATION AND NO EVALUATION BY A DOCTOR. SHE AGREED TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE WORDING OF THE BILL SO THAT CRIMINAL PENALTIES APPLY TO THE DISTRIBUTORS, NOT THE PREGANANT WOMAN TAKING THE PILL. ANGIE THOMAS OF LOUISIANA RIGHT TO LIFE SAYS THIS BILL CLARIFIES THAT THE SALE OF ABORTION PILLS ONLINE OR THROUGH MAIL ORDER IS UNACCEPTABLE AND DANGEROUS TO MOTHERS AND UNBORN CHILDREN.
THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT MADE ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR TRANSIT AND TRASH SERVICES IN REGARD TO THE EASTER HOLIDAY. DAYTIME AND NIGHT OWL BUS SERVICE WILL NOT RUN TOMORROW BUT WILL RESUME ON SATURDAY. GARBAGE AND RECYCLING SERVICES WILL RUN AS USUAL FOR GOOD FRIDAY. THE COMPOST FACILITY WILL BE CLOSED FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
MAMOU POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR PEOPLE WHO ALLEGEDLY FIRED SHOTS AT POLICE CHIEF BRENT ZACKERY AND OTHER OFFICERS, WHO WERE RESPONDING TO A REPORT OF SHOTS FIRED. ZACKERY SAYS THEY WERE CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION WHEN PEOPLE INSIDE A TWO-THOUSAND-FIVE NISSAN ALTIMA FIRED SHOTS AT THEM BEFORE FLEEING. HE SAYS THE SUSPECTS BAILED OUT OF THE VEHICLE, FLEEING ON FOOT, AND THEY TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO EVIDENCE, WHICH IS BEING PROCESSED FOR FINGERPRINTS. NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE SHOOTING.
ONE PERSON WAS ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO A SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN ABBEVILLE. TWENTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD BRADLEY BROUSSARD OF ABBEVILLE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY YESTERDAY ON CHARGES OF PRINCIPAL TO ILLEGAL USE OF WEAPONS AND OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE. POLICE ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR TWENTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD JAYLIN VENEY OF ABBEVILLE FOR ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER. A MAN WAS SHOT IN THE AREA OF EAST OAK AND NORTH BAILEY STREETS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT AROUND THREE.
