5-25-18
A PRETRIAL HEARING WAS HELD YESTERDAY FOR TYLER BENOIT, WHO IS FACING A SECOND DEGREE MURDER CHARGE FOR THE DEATH OF A LAFAYETTE MAN LAST AUGUST. FAMILY MEMBERS SAY CHRISTON CHAISSON WAS TRYING TO INTERVENE WHEN HE SAW BENOIT ALLEGEDLY BEATING HIS GIRLFRIEND. WHEN CHAISSON STEPPED IN, BENOIT ALLEGEDLY SHOT HIM AND HE LATER DIED FROM HIS INJURIES. THE FAMILY TELLS KLFY TV THAT THE ASSISTANT
D-A TOLD THEM THAT THEY ARE STILL IN THE DISCOVERY PHASE OF THE TRIAL AND THE PRE-TRIAL HEARING HAS NOW BEEN PUSHED BACK TO AUGUST 23RD.
A LAKE CHARLES TEACHER HAS BEEN INDICTED FOR AN INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP WITH A 15-YEAR-OLD STUDENT. LAGRANGE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER JAMES GARAHAN JUNIOR, WHO IS 54, FACES TWO COUNTS OF FELONY CARNAL KNOWLEDGE OF A JUVENILE, TWO COUNTS OF INDECENT BEHAVIOR WITH A JUVENILE AND COMPUTER AIDED SOLICITATION OF A MINOR. COMMANDER JAMES MCGEE WITH THE CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS GARAHAN MET WITH THE TEEN AT HIS HOME AND AT ANOTHER LOCATION IN CALCASIEU PARISH AND HAD EXPLICIT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STUDENT ON AN ADULT WEBSITE. THE CALCASIEU PARISH SCHOOL BOARD NOTIFIED THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE WHEN THEY BECAME AWARE OF A POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GARAHAN AND THE STUDENT.
A ST. LANDRY PARISH GRAND JURY HAS INDICTED 53-YEAR-OLD JOHN EDMOND ON ONE COUNT OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER IN THE DEATH OF GRACE NOEL. JEFF HORCHAK HAS MORE.
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Louisiana House leaders are resisting Gov. John Bel Edwards’ call for $648 million in permanent taxes to balance the budget. Instead, they are advancing a short-term sales tax measure that would raise a little more than half what the Democratic governor wants. House GOP leader Lance Harris called his proposal a compromise containing spending cuts for Republicans and revenue sought by Democrats. The Ways and Means Committee voted 11-6 Thursday to send the bill to the full House for debate.
A WOMAN IN CROWLEY WAS SHOT TO DEATH SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT, BUT HER NAME IS BEING WITHHELD PENDING NOTIFICATION OF FAMILY MEMBERS. AN EX-BOYFRIEND OF THE WOMAN HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY FOR QUESTIONING AS WITNESSES PLACED HIM AT THE SCENE SHORTLY BEFORE SHE WAS SHOT. THE WOMAN HAD A RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST HIM. THE WOMAN’S BODY WAS FOUND BY POLICE OFFICERS IN THE 12-HUNDRED BLOCK OF LUROSE DRIVE.
A SULPHUR MAN BARRICADED HIMSELF IN A HOUSE LAST NIGHT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS TO AVOID ARREST, BUT WAS EVENTUALLY TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. WILLIAM MICHAEL TIBBITS JUNIOR WAS WANTED FOR AN ASSAULT TUESDAY ON LORI LANE. HE ALLEGEDLY FORCED HIS WAY INTO A HOUSE AND POINTED A GUN AT SOMEONE. HE THEN ALLEGEDLY HIT THAT PERSON IN THE HEAD AND RAN AWAY.
USA TODAY HAS DETERMINED THAT VILLE PLATTE IS THE POOREST TOWN IN LOUISIANA. THE ANNOUNCEMENT COMES JUST AS THE CITY WAS HOSTING AN ECONOMIC SUMMIT. THE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS AT SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, BEN LUKONGO, SAYS THEY WERE GATHERING DATA FROM COMMUNITY LEADERS, WHICH THEY WILL ANALYZE AND, IN SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS, RETURN AND PRESENT THEIR FINDINGS. MAYOR JENNIFER VIDRINE TELLS KLFY TV THAT THEY WANT TO HOLD THESE SESSIONS EVERY THREE TO SIX MONTHS, WITH THE GOAL OF RIDDING THE TOWN OF THE REPUTATION AS THE POOREST.
Need a flashlight, batteries or portable generator to get stocked for hurricane season? Louisiana residents will get a partial sales tax break this Saturday and Sunday when they’re buying hurricane-readiness supplies. During the two-day period, eligible purchases will be subject to 3 percent state sales tax instead of the full 5 percent regularly charged on such items. Local sales taxes will be charged, unless the municipal taxing authority also offers a similar tax exemption.
