The chief judge of Orleans Parish Criminal District Court held Sheriff Susan Hutson in contempt of court Wednesday, capping a heated hearing on Hutson's recent alleged failure to transport arrestees to court from the jail.
The conviction carries penalties of up to six months imprisonment or a fine up to $500. Judge Tracey Flemings-Davillier set sentencing for Aug. 4 and said Hutson must comply with the judge's earlier order for weekend and holiday transport of arrestees until then.
Hutson left court without taking questions from reporters.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Magistrate Court operated seven days a week.
In a July 11 letter, Hutson offered to hold weekend and holiday court sessions instead at the jail, which has two courtrooms on the first floor.
"Given the existing challenges for OPSO, our OJC in-person courtrooms, and the past success of virtual hearings, we believe that the continued use of these (alternatives), especially on weekends and holidays, remains the most responsible course under current conditions," Hutson wrote in the two-page letter.
An OPSO paralegal attempted to deliver that letter, along with a motion from Hutson to stay the court order, on Monday before contempt proceedings were ordered. But a clerk with Criminal District Court said the office couldn't accept the document because it contained a technical error, according to OPSO.
Louisiana's law around "constructive contempt" covers court clerks, sheriffs and others charged with assisting the court in "the administration of justice." Those guilty of "willful neglect or violation of duty" could be subject to jail time, according to the law.
The latest turn in a tumultuous two months for Hutson.
I don't work for free either; if you're not going to fund the department, you can't expect them to work for you. They offered reasonable alternatives (a court room at the jail); now we're going to waste time+money on contempt proceedings instead of just paying them to do their jobs?
Sounds like they managed to do it before COVID.
That was also before the governor established a permanent state police force in the city, filled the jail beyond the maximum capacity the city had budgeted for, and made a deal saying that the state AG was going to be handling all court cases for people who were jailed following arrests by state police.
Since the jailbreak there's been a lot of public finger pointing (at everyone except the governor or the AG for some reason) over who should be blamed for overcrowding and why.
Sure, but they also managed just fine during COVID without weekend transports; and in that time those funds got reduced or allocated elsewhere.
To revive this service, they'll either have to bring in fresh funding for it, or decide what other services/programs/departments it can be clawed back from.
Or just hold weekend court sessions at the jails court rooms... Seems like an unnecessary fight just because 'I wanna play at my house'.